How It all Began
Fond memories of imagining, shaping and creating modelling dough masterpieces have filled homes for decades. One such home is that of Natalie’s - founder of Dough Parlour Inc.. As an early years educator, driven to inspire through sensory play, Natalie spent more than 10 years refining and defining her dough recipe to create an epic experience…
Her enthusiastic students, and four precious children of her own, became her sounding board, often bouncing new dough their way, and receiving back the epitome of honest feedback. Through their little hands, her dough was tried and tested, until she reached perfection. But how did she know that?
Inspiration
Natalie knew she had created something magical when her students began requesting her modelling dough on a daily basis.
She discovered that through the use of distinct, nostalgic scents, she had transformed her classroom into an aromatic enclave. She experimented with various scents, potencies, and vibrancy of colors, along with the unmissed element of texture. Combined together, the ultimate sensory play experience had been born. And in that experience, her students found a place of calm.
Scent Therapy
Being a mom herself, Natalie always considered the well-being of her students, and only used 100% non-toxic ingredients. But she also wanted to optimize play experiences and improve her students’ physical and cognitive development.
Natalie understood the connection between smell and neurophysiology. She infused her dough with cheerful scents (100% food-based!) to stimulate their senses, emotion and memory. Not only was her soft, fresh modelling dough an easy sell in engaging her students and promoting their fine motor skills, it became a positive, calming play experience. Natalie found herself using her dough as a coping strategy in times of distress or emotional meltdowns.
Color Therapy
Color is also an area in which Natalie knew she could leverage to the advantage of her children. The psychology of color is known to affect how a person feels. Natalie introduced surprising scents and colors to the children every season to coincide with learning themes, and purposely created her dough in soft hues, neutrals and pleasant pastels, to promote a warm, and calming environment.
We're continuing Natalie's tradition, by offering new scents and colors every season, in hopes that our little customers find surprise and joy when opening our boxes!
A Texture Unmatched
Nothing says good dough than when ‘grown-ups’ can’t stop playing with it. A testament of this went beyond the expert advice of Natalie’s students. The true test, was when she took it to CBC’s Dragons' Den. Not only did a ‘Dragon’ comment on the amazing texture, but they all also continued to play with it the entire time, going as far as even making their own little sculptures, and saying they’d keep it to relieve stress.
Dough Parlour is proud to have created an epic sensory experience, uniquely crafted to promote a happier, healthier, and stronger generation through the love of play!