Retired diaper changing pad works as Play Doh play surface

Lindsay's found a better site than the kitchen floor for playdough play:

Webster's Dictionary defines the word "frustration" as my attempt to find a suitable surface cover during my toddler's play-doh adventures. He prefers to play on the wooden floor (though sometimes our old oak table will suffice), but newspaper wasn't doing the job. In searching for other options, I came across an old (clean) changing pad. It was perfect! The play-doh releases well from the coated surface and the work area is just the right size. Plus, my son totally abides (and by "totally," I mean, "generally") by the rule that the play-doh must stay on the pad. Our favorite is a Patemm Pad - a large round changing pad with a relatively thick plastic coating. But, whatever I have stashed closest will do the job. On top of everything else, I've found a way to reuse these babies now that he's out of diapers!

Related: Toy combination: Mr. Potato Head + Play-Doh

Comments

[keda]

Ha! What a great hack! I actually use a silicone baking sheet that doesn't fit in my oven as my son's play-doh mat for similar reasons. I use it for rolling pastry on and thought it would be good for my son's play-doh. He's relatively happy to keep the play-doh on the mat and because it's silicone it grips his little table (or the floor) and doesn't move around. I can even shove it on the dishwasher!

[amy]

I can't remember where I read this hack, but we read it, tried it and loved it:

Cut used and washed vinyl shower curtains into oversized place mat sized rectangles and use them as a play surface for Play-Doh or painting and other messy, crafty activities. They wash off super easily and you can store them almost anywhere.

[Mark D]

That's a darn fine idea.

We found that our old Aquadoodle pad (which our son was never really into) works great as well, especially the back side of it.

[m's m]

I use a cookie sheet for this. Easy enough to clean up, and the ridges on the sides help to contain little pieces.

[Darcy R]

We always use waxed paper... it lasts for a few sessions. Our 4yr old can pick it up and poor all the little "crumbs" back into the can, then fold it and put it in the Play Doh bin when he's done.

[Kate]

We just do playdough on the table...it wipes up as well as any mat I've ever tried!

[Brian]

Wax paper works great, and it's even reusable if you're sickeningly cheap like me.

I am really liking that old-shower-curtain idea, too.