Don’t Trade Playdough for Clay

Don’t Trade Playdough for Clay

By: Malkie (Beth) Mittelman

My favorite toy as a kid was Playdough. I loved the multitude of vibrant colors. I loved the squishy sensation of the dough squeezing through clenched fingers. But most of all, I loved the endless opportunities. Playdough is forever changing. Its shape does not stay the same. One day it could be a boat sailing the ocean, and the next, it could transform into stones for the queen’s palace.

I used to work so hard on each Playdough art piece, replicating the masterpieces from my imagination. When I finally got it to be perfect, my mom would make me take it apart and pack it away back into those yellow containers. She explained that I had to break it apart so that I could use it again and continue making more artwork. I was always so disappointed.

One night, I begged my mom to let me keep my masterpiece intact. After some nudging, she gave in. However, in the morning, it did not look how I left it the day before. It was no longer vibrant and dewy. The details that I worked so hard to perfect were not in their correct spots. Instead, the dough dried out and became hard. The more I tried to fix it, the more it cracked and broke until I had nothing left. And this time, there was no more Playdough to take out of the yellow container because it was ruined from all the molding, adjusting, and fixing.

You see, Playdough is not clay. The color of clay is dull and mundane. A new box of clay starts with so much possibility, but the sole purpose is to be shaped to fit one specific mold. When it is done, it cannot be changed, altered, or improved. It is what it is. Playdough has endless opportunities. It starts with a color that is bright, vivid, and hopeful. It continues to bring forth endless possibilities because it is ever-evolving. Its purpose is not to stay the same, but rather to explore all options and create a unique art piece each time you play with it. 

As kids we view life as Playdough. We are full of excitement, positivity and possibilities. But somewhere along the way, we feel the need to be molded to fit a specific shape, a society expectation, a family precedent. We lose that uniqueness of Playdough, and become the mundane clay with the goal of becoming the model piece that everyone else expected of us. The purpose of life is not just to reach the final piece. It is a journey to discover your unique self and make the most of all the opportunities life has to offer. Don’t trade your Playdough for clay.

Malkie (Beth) Mittelman is a proud educator in the NYC DOE. She focuses on building children up, helping them realize their worth and reach their potential. In her free time, she works out, listens to music, and spends time with friends and family. For questions and/or comments she can be reached at mbmittelman@gmail.com