Can you mix the colors?

[Darcy Baldwin]

I just saw this on a friend's facebook, and remembered a layout I did about it awhile back. When your kids play with playdough, do they mix the colors? How do you handle it? How does it make you feel?

Our boys were trained to NOT mix the colors. I can't stand 'dirty' playdough. They did great for the longest time. Then one day, Dad comes in, and starts mixing. It made me cringe. I know it's an artistic expression thing...you can't really create unless you mix up some colors, but it must be the control freak coming out full force in me. ICK!

[junebug]

i HATE mixed playdought too. however, my kids always end up doing it, or atleast Aidan does. i won't buy it anymore. i bought them some last month and they didnt put it away one time and it dried out. so no more until they are older. now i know why i never had it as a kid, lol.

[SeattleSheri]

I don't like it when they do it, but I've learned to not care, lol. I'm too lazy to police it and I figure I can always buy more.

[Jennilyn]

I'd rather not have Playdoh in my house, but if there is, I HATE the colors being mixed!

[Andrea Gourley]

I love playdough in my class but I only give them one colour at a time.

[Angie4b1g]

My 5 year old throws it away if it gets mixed. Even little bits. Like when they squeeze it through the press and little parts get mixed, he trashes it.

[danagirl82]

I try so hard not to dictate the way Kennedy expresses herself, however that is just one are that just bugs me, I can not stand it all mixed together.

[cindys732003]

I used to be REALLY anal about it, but Ashley was the type to keep it all separated anyways. Then Curtis came along.........no hope of keeping them separated anymore, so I just live with the big blobs of grey playdoh that are created now LOL

[lauren grier]

ce is only allowed to play with one colour at a time- unless i am playing with him, so that colours never get mixed.

[emmasmommy]

i'm too ocd to have playdough in my house. They play with it out on the deck when it's nice out and we only play with one color at a time.

[scrappurple]

I had to take a deep breath, realize it was not MY playdough. So if they wanted to "ruin" their playdough, then they could. I also told them they would not be getting any more, so make sure it was what they wanted. Then I walk away and don't look back ... deep breath ...

[scrapperjade]

I made some play dough for Avalynne about a month ago and only made 2 colors - green and pink. Some got mixed, but I only gave her a bit at a time, so I only had to throw out about 1/16th of it, lol. I had 2 huge blobs left over.

I think if I BOUGHT it and had all those pretty colors, I would hate to have them mixed too. But since I made it (straight flour, salt & water), it didn't bother me as much. I know when I was younger I hated the mixed stuff, lol!

[Sarah8914]

this is a funny thread. my girls don't ever mix it and I wouldn't want it mixed, but i've learned to not care as much. Actually, my 3 year old accidentally does, but they keep them separate for the most part. I used to not like playdough in the house at all, but now it's great. I make homemade from time to time because it's soooooooooo much softer and better!

[aggiefamily]

You didn't have an option for

*I can't stand for it to be mixed but my kids wind up mixing it anyways.

[breakingbrie]

I hate mixed play doh. Just seeing it weirds me out. I tried for the longest time to get the girls not to mix it, and they did great for a while, but then they discovered sometimes it makes new colors, and that was the end of that. LOL. They always get it mixed now, sometimes to see new colors and the swirls they make when they're not all the way mushed together, sometimes just because they don't care. It's one thing I've been able to let go of recently, but when I play with them, I only play with new fresh colors! lol, we have a huge stock of playdoh.

[jessica31876]

Well my kids dont really play with playdoh anymore but when they did it was their playdoh and it never bothered me one bit if they mixed. I say mix to their hearts content

[mpatry]

I only open one colour at a time to prevent colour mixing... lol. It dries out super fast here, usually my DD can only play with it 2-3 times before it's done. So she gets to use new colours pretty often. And she's about as anal about colour mixing as I am... lol.

[Leila]

Play Dough is banned from our house. I can't stand the way it smells! If I did allow it though, they'd get one color at a time. Outside. Across the yard. Upwind from me.

[rochelle789]

I'm another one who doesn't like the mixed play-doh. My girls haven't played with it in quite awhile, but after giving my now 2yo free reign of the sprinkles during our holiday cookie decorating (definitely interesting), I like to think I've learned to let go a little.

[loralyn]

Doesn't bother me a bit....but I'm really laid back (probably too laid back, LOL). I think of play-doh as a totally tactile medium, so keeping colors 'pure' isn't a priority. That said, I usually make our own, and so only make 1 or 2 colors at a time!

[carriesmom]

I'm cool with mixing I love seeing the mixture and the cool colors. As a disclaimer I should note that my mom is an art teacher so creativity was always encouraged at our house and I feel the same way, except when my girls color on everything but the paper!

[Darcy Baldwin]

LOL! I'm cool with them being creative with everything else, including mixing up paints, etc.

It's just for some reason, I have this thing about mixing up playdough colors. We used to have just a few colors at a time when I made it myself, but as they got older, they wanted more color options, they got devices which came with a bunch of colors..and now it just is more than I can handle. I just have to walk away lol

[Stacey42]

I personally would not mix the playdough, but my boys like to so I let them. I had to walk away from the Moon Sand over Christmas. They mix up all the paint colors too, though not as much as when they were younger. If they want everything to be a dark grey green that is their choice. But I don't go buy more just because they now want a bunch of different colors.

[mummytothree]

I hate them mixed but with 4 kids playing with it it's inevitable!!! I just throw it away when it starts looking to gross and then buy or make some more!!!!

[xboxmom]

I voted Sure. But I really hate that the kids do it but I choose my battles and Playdoh is just not one I care to fight.

[chastml]

I really don't care that ours get mixed up. Drives my 5 year old crazy. I think his 3 year old sister does it just to upset him, even though, it's technically her play-doh.

[kscwgirl]

Originally Posted by aggiefamily

You didn't have an option for

*I can't stand for it to be mixed but my kids wind up mixing it anyways.

This is the option I needed too.

[jessica31876]

When I was a kid I only got primary colors and I wanted pink, prple, teal and orange (and any combination of the above). Sometimes I wanted swirly playdoh LOL. My daughter used to mix all the colors and then she only had one color. An icky brown. To me though sticking with the colors they come with is boring.

[juliemarie]

Mine understands that when you mix them they turn a yucky color.

A tip I wish I had learned much sooner - if you have dried out playdough, wrap it in a paper towel, put it back in the playdough container, add a few drops of water and cover. After a day or two it will be like new playdough again

[meems]

Mixed playdoh colors are the least of my worries.

I did cringe when it first happened but now I look away.

[lovely1m]

Originally Posted by SeattleSheri

I don't like it when they do it, but I've learned to not care, lol. I'm too lazy to police it and I figure I can always buy more.

ditto! It makes me cringe to see it mixed, but its cheap enough where I can let him mix it and buy new stuff later.

[Brandy]

The first time Owen had enough to mix it was this year. We got him the hamburger making thing (I KNOW it was begging to be mixed from the start) and this is the first time we've had more than 1 color in the house (Jeff HATES play-doh) and things were going great until Owen's like "Look Mama!" and he had red and brown mixed and just oh my goodness I wanted to run out of my dad's house screaming. But I took a deep breath and yeah that was the only time he's played with it. (Could be because my SIL can't touch it and I don't want to hear about the mess but still lol)

[rachaelsscraps]

My son ALWAYS mixes it! I tried to tell him not to- just once and gave up. Playdoh is cheap enough- I'll just buy some more.

[sprauncey1]

I replied "sure" but only because there wasn't a "sometimes" option.

I only let DS mix the colors if I feel they are drying out anyway and we will have to throw it out soon. New colors...no way!

Oh and we got 3 new playdough sets for Christmas and we have 3 old sets, so we have LOTS of playdough in our house!