Play Dough
Removing everyone’s favorite molding clay from your child’s tresses is super simple and painless. We like this variation from eHow:
Comb the hair out until you get to the play dough. Pour some hot water into a bowl and add a little dish soap. Soak a washcloth in the hot, soapy water and then use it to grasp the clay.
Roll the play dough with the washcloth like you’re massaging it until you see the dough beginning to dissolve. Rinse the washcloth out and repeat until you think all the dough is gone. Comb the hair to confirm it’s clear.
Shampoo the soap out of the hair, and follow with conditioner, as soap tends to have a drying effect.
This classic stretchy, bouncy plaything is also a classic hair magnet. Crayola, which makes it, even has instructions for getting it out: Work the area with a generous amount of conditioner and then gently comb through the hair, starting from the bottom of the putty. Add more conditioner and keep combing until it’s all out. Wash hair normally.
Glue
See above!This is the exact same process you would follow for white glue, like Elmer’s.
Pine Tree Sap
Did the kids bring home some sticky, gooey sap as a memento from your hike? Answers abound! You can use hand sanitizer or dish soap for this one (rub into the affected area and then rinse), or reach for that trusty peanut butter or vegetable oil: Rub them into the hair, use a hair dryer to heat/soften the sap, and comb it out. Mayo should also do the trick—just let it sit for a few minutes. Shampoo and rinse hair, and the kids will be set for some more tree hugging.
Flubber (also known as Gak)
Slippery, slimy, oozy, and jiggly, flubber is tons of fun for kids. We recommend this recipe from the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. But once it’s cemented itself to hair, it’s a nightmare. Happily, all you need is cheap white vinegar. Plop your kid in the bathtub—give him a washcloth to cover his eyes if necessary—and pour vinegar over the flubber. (Note that vinegar will make cuts sting!) The flubber will start to dissolve and drip off. Rinse and repeat until clear.
BTW, white vinegar has a zillion other uses, from cleaning floors to deodorizing dish towels and making all these other household tasks more awesome.