If your child is a fan of playing, chances are they’ve got a good collection of toys and activities to help make it all more fun. Schools, baby sitters, and play rooms rely on these materials to help kids get creative, learn, and have fun – but they may not always be the best choice for kids with allergies. It turns out that many of our most beloved toys and activities may be triggers for kids with food allergies and sensitivities, and we’d like to share those with you today. In addition to covering these toys and activities, we’ll be giving you some creative alternatives you can use so that your child never has to miss out on the fun.

Play-Doh®

It’s almost impossible to find a toy box without this classic toy, but if your child is allergic or sensitive to wheat, you may want to choose something else. This product and many of its homemade versions contain wheat which can trigger food allergies. Alternative include polymer modeling clays, rice dough, or other dough toys that don’t contain wheat.

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Poster Paints & Finger Paints

Many poster and finger paints and paint powders contain egg products or milk powders which act like a binder and thickening agent for the paints. The good news is that there are many poster and finger paints available on the market right now that don’t use egg or milk powder as a binder. Many of them mark their labels, but it’s a good idea to look the ingredients up online just to be sure.

Crayons

In order to give crayons their rich texture, many companies use soy as an ingredient. For most kids this kind of exposure won’t be a problem, but if you notice that your child gets itchy or experiences other allergy symptoms after coloring you may want to seek out soy-free crayons next time.

Paper Mache

This is a classic activity that lets kids use fine motor skill to create fun shapes in 3D. Many paper mache mixes are made with a mixture of wheat and water – so double check the recipe and substitute for other ingredients if needed.

Other Common Ingredients

Some of the other allergens that appear in play rooms include beans, macaroni, glue, pigments, and fibers. If your child has a specific food allergy, consider looking up which toys and activities utilize those foods and find fun alternatives so that your child can feel great whenever they play.