The unexpected creation of Play-Doh

ESL Lessons: True Stories

A printable worksheet for story-based English conversation classes.

Difficulty: Intermediate B1

PDF: The unexpected creation of Play-Doh
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Warm-up

Do you know what Play-Doh is? (Yes, it's...)

Vocabulary Match

accident •• soft clay
dough •• mistake
coal •• black rock
detergent •• poisonous
toxic •• soap
texture •• feel

Vocabulary Answers

accidentmistake
doughsoft clay
coalblack rock
detergentsoap
toxicpoisonous
texturefeel

True Story

Listen and fill in the blanks with words from above.

Play-Doh, a type of soft ________ that kids love to play with, was actually made by ________. It was first made in the 1930s, not as a toy, but as a cleaner for wallpaper. But when homes started using less ________ and didn't need this cleaner, its makers had to think of something else.

Joe McVicker, who worked at the company that made this non-________ cleaner, found out that his sister-in-law, a teacher, was using it in her preschool class. She thought it was better than clay because it was softer and safer. Joe liked this idea and changed the cleaner into a toy. He removed the ________, added colors and softened the ________. In 1956, they started selling it as "Play-Doh." It was a big hit with kids because it was fun and easy to use.

Play-Doh, a type of soft dough that kids love to play with, was actually made by accident. It was first made in the 1930s, not as a toy, but as a cleaner for wallpaper. But when homes started using less coal and didn't need this cleaner, its makers had to think of something else.

Joe McVicker, who worked at the company that made this non-toxic cleaner, found out that his sister-in-law, a teacher, was using it in her preschool class. She thought it was better than clay because it was softer and safer. Joe liked this idea and changed the cleaner into a toy. He removed the detergent, added colors and softened the texture. In 1956, they started selling it as "Play-Doh." It was a big hit with kids because it was fun and easy to use.

Quiz

  1. What was Play-Doh originally made for?
  2. Why did the makers of Play-Doh need to think of a new use for it?
  3. Why did Joe McVicker's sister-in-law use it in her preschool class?
  4. How did Joe make it more suitable for children?

Quiz Answers (examples)

  1. Play-Doh was originally made as a cleaner for wallpaper.
  2. Because homes started using less coal and didn't need this cleaner.
  3. She thought it was better than clay because it was softer and safer.
  4. He removed the detergent, added colors and softened the texture.

True or False

  1. Play-Doh was first made in a car accident in the 1930s. T F
  2. Joe McVicker's sister was a lawyer. T F
  3. Play-Doh was a success when it was first sold as a toy. T F

True or False Answers

  1. False
  2. False
  3. True

Conversation

A:Hey Joe, I heard you've found a new use for our cleaner.
B:Yes, the children in Jenny's class use it to make things with.
A:Really? How does that work?
B:It's softer and safer than clay. The kids love it!
A:That sounds like a great idea for a toy!
B:Exactly what I was thinking!

Discussion

  1. Have you ever used Play-Doh? What did you make with it?
  2. Have you ever discovered a new use for an everyday object in your home? What was it?
  3. What is the most important quality in a product: durability, usefulness, or cost? Why?
  4. Do you know of any local inventions or innovations from your country or region?
  5. If you could invent something to solve a problem in your community, what would it be?

Further Reading

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/accidental-invention-play-doh-180973527/

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