5 Reasons Mad Mattr Is the Best Play Dough (That Isn't Play-Doh)

Mad Mattr is a fun alternative to Play-Doh — here's why we're mad about Mad Mattr!

Matt Harvey · 20 days ago

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Mad Mattr is a kinetic-sand modeling dough that comes in numerous vibrant colors. It’s non-toxic, and it won’t dry out because you forgot to put the lid on! The nostril slap of nostalgia when you catch a whiff of that Play-Doh smell is hard to compete with, but setting that aside, this stuff is the “we have the technology” upgrade you’ve been waiting for! For a toy that started its life as a product to clean wallpaper, Play-Doh has had an epic run at the top, but now it’s time to pass the title to a new champion.

Mad Mattr is my favorite in the smoosh-n-smash dough toy genre, and it’s made by a company called FatBrain, which makes all kinds of nifty toys like Spin-Again, Dimpl Duo, and Tobbles Neo. What makes Mad Mattr so great? Hold my root beer!

1. The satisfying texture

Are you kidding me? The texture of Mad Mattr is a bit gritty, but it also has a smooth silkiness to it. I know that gritty and smooth don’t usually go together, but you need to feel it to understand what I mean.

Mad Mattr - Blue

Not only is Mad Mattr perfect for creating calm, relaxing and imaginative fun, it's also great for strengthening fingers, hands, wrists, and more.

$12.99

2. You can use it to build stuff!

The folks at FatBrain have made a toolkit that allows you to turn your Mad Mattr into different shapes. It has all of the classic fun stuff you’d expect in a modeling dough toy kit: cutters, shape molds, and the coolest one — brick makers! Once you turn your Mad Mattr into (LEGO-like) bricks, you can build all sorts of fun structures, and they hold their shape!

Mad Mattr Modeling Dough Quantum Tool Box

Kinetic sand was just having a major moment. Then Mad Mattr came along and kicked sand in its face to create a more wonderful material. It’s a...

$29.99

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3. It doesn’t dry out!

One of the most frustrating parts about the Play-Doh experience is when you forget to put the lid on the canister, and your doh dries out. Mad Mattr doesn’t do that: It stays hydrated and keeps the party going!

4. It isn’t sticky.

I love that Mad Mattr isn’t sticky or messy (unless you want it to be). It’s a breeze to clean up, it won’t add any time to your hand-washing cycle, and you don't need to worry about the cat needing a haircut after it gets mashed into her fur.

5. It’s a great stress reliever.

Say goodbye to your stress ball and your fidget spinner — there’s a new toy in town to absorb your anxiety! I love squishing this stuff, shaping it into a ball, smoothing the edges, smashing it, and making it again. You’ll love it as much as your kiddo will.