Fun decorating projects
September 18, 2009



At an early age, children love to use their imagination to create games, playtimes and activities. Before to let them free and enjoy time alone or with friends, make sure to investigate your children' toys if they suffer of food allergies because some may contain traces of the most common allergens.

Art and crafts activities such as milk carton decorating, egg shells and finger painting or pasta and dough modelling could become a danger for children who suffer of dairy, egg, gluten, peanut, soya and wheat allergies. Also remember to wash the paintbrushes, tables, chairs, and others materials used during the activity to avoid any contact with allergens. These rules should always be applied during art and crafts activities in kindergarten, school and at home under a teacher, educator or parent supervision.

It is very important to know that allergens can also be present in your children's playroom. For these reasons, it is very important to read the ingredients' list on the label of each product before to handle it to the children. If the company has not provided this relevant information, contact them by telephone or by email to find out about the possibility of allergens. The ‘FAQ' section on companies' website could reveal the complete ingredients and even include special notice regarding food allergies. For example, Play-Doh® stated on their website that:

'The exact ingredients of PLAY-DOH compound are proprietary, so we cannot share them with you. We can tell you that it is primarily a mixture of water, salt and flour. It does NOT contain peanuts, peanut oil, or any milk byproducts. It DOES contain wheat. PLAY-DOH compound is non-toxic, non-irritating & non-allergenic except as noted: Children who are allergic to wheat gluten may have an allergic reaction to this product.'

Homemade play dough recipes could be an alternative option for children with gluten and wheat allergies, but make sure that your child is not allergic to corn syrup, dry milk, honey, soya, sugar and peanuts because those allergens could be listed in the ingredients.

Several websites and associations propose different homemade play dough recipes which could be a fun activity to realise with your toddlers and young children. Kids with Food Allergies (KFA) suggests different homemade play dough recipes, and for other fun and amusing options the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network for Kids (FAAN) proposes different activities such as colouring, word finding or even quiz under their website ‘Activities' section.

Remember to play safe and if you have any doubt about the severity of your child's allergy, do not hesitate to consult or seek advice to a health care professional.

Sources:
Play-Doh® www.hasbro.com
Kids with Food Allergies (KFA) www.kidswithfoodallergies.org
Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network for Kids (FAAN) www.fankids.org

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