What are plasticine made of?

There comes a time when the kid from the young researcher "turns" into a pochemu. Parents simply do not have time to answer his questions, which follow one after another. And then one day, after another molding with plasticine, the kid will ask what is it made of? But not every adult can answer. However, many parents, especially caring mothers, also ask this question, because when you first offer something to a child, you want to be sure of the safety and environmental friendliness of toys and materials from which they are made.

So, what does clay consist of? In order to answer this question, it is necessary to study its composition.

What are plasticine made of?

The composition of plasticine includes many ingredients. The material for modeling today, which is sold today, differs significantly from the one that was on store shelves in the Soviet era. Then for its production, mainly animal fat was used, which was supplemented with chemical substances.

Today, there are many kinds of plasticine for children, differing in composition from each other. However, in most cases this is:

• crushed clay powder;
• beeswax;
• animal fat;
• ceresin;
• color dyes - pigments;
• petrolatum.

The latter helps to prevent the drying of plasticine, so it remains soft enough and plastic for a long time.

Recently, so-called dough for modeling has become very popular. It is made from the same material as plasticine, with the only difference being that more lubricants (derivatives of petrolatum and glycerin) are used to produce it, which prevent rapid drying. That's why, after working with such material, the hands of children are always fat. Another species, only gaining popularity - ball clay . It consists of light foam balls, which are connected together by an adhesive substance. This substance is made on the basis of glycerin, or a special solidifying gel (solidifying clay).

What should I look for when buying plasticine?

The first thing to do is pick up the packaging with plasticine, it's to pay attention to what it's made of. If any information on the composition is missing, or available, but not in Russian, then it is better to refuse to purchase it.

Any clay should have a neutral smell. Its presence once again indicates that it is made of poor raw materials. To make sure of the quality, you need to take a piece of plasticine and hold it in your hand. Normally, it should not melt, but only slightly soften, becoming plastic.

Is plasticine safe?

Many parents, fearing for the health of their baby, do not allow him to play with plasticine, worrying that he accidentally bites off a piece. These disturbances are vain, because plasticine is a fairly safe material. Moreover, today there are some kinds of plasticine that the child can eat without health consequences. As a rule, this is indicated on the package.