The Purpose
All kids love Play-Doh! But, did you know that there are more modeling compound brands out there than just those familiar yellow cans from Hasbro? What makes Hasbro's dough so popular? And what are kids missing out on if they don't get a chance to use other brands? Playing with malleable doughs helps children with fine motor development, relaxation, and creativity. Nowadays there are so many different kinds of dough: scented, sparkly, home-made, all-natural, edible, glow-in-the-dark, etc. etc. etc. But, what I want to know is: Which of the standard, best selling compounds is most worth it? Is it possible that there are better modeling doughs out there than play-doh? So, the big question? ---------->
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The Contenders
The Variables
Pliability is probably the most important variable to test because it is the characteristic that makes play dough fun. This characteristic is fundamental in play dough's ability to improve hand strength, dexterity, and motor skills. If a child opens his can and finds a dry, crumbly mess, he's not going to be happy. Play dough pliability is based on it's moisture, so I devised a test to measure how much moisture (weight) the dough lost when its container was left open overnight. Modeling compound can also be used to create figures to be baked in the oven and made into keepsakes. I created a test to see how well each dough baked and kept its formed shape and color. Therefore, I tested...
The Hypothesis
I wasn't exactly sure what the “best buy” order would be, but my prediction was that Hasbro's Play-Doh would be the number-one dough in each test. It is the dough that most people think of, it's the best seller and only about 35 cents per ounce. Based upon customer reviews, I thought that the Alex product might not be too far behind Play-Doh. I guessed that Max's Mud and Crayola would probably duke-it-out for 3rd and 4th place.
The Materials
Of course, there are other colors, quantities, and combinations that you can purchase from each company, but this is what I decided on when I chose to test out my experiment designs. I estimated what one person would need in order to do three trials for each test.
Other Supplies
A digital scale
An oven A Camera |
Cookie sheet
Wax paper Wire rack |