OK, so u buy it, take it home.. get bored with it and...

I know we package things to the extreme here! And there are always so many parts and pieces that they need to give you something to keep them in so you won't lose all those bits. I surrender to the packaging magicians who create these illusions.

Nothing ever goes back in the way it came. I think the box automatically shrinks once the product is removed, no matter what the product is. Even if you don't really use it a lot or even just look at it a little it is impossible to get whatever it is back in the box the way it came. You can often times see these things sitting on the shelves at the store, you now either someone was checking it out or they returned it. I am not sure why stores bother putting these back on the shelves cause people aren't going to buy them.

i think everyone has it.

I say put all the stuff in a bag with the box. Tell the sells person it just wouldn't fit. It's not like there gonna sell it again. And if they do, let them pet it in the box. As long as you have the receipt is all that matter, Right.......;-)

Go to the store and peek inside a new one to learn how to put your back in... otherwise I thinks your out of luck lol! Are you thinking about returning it? I think given some time your son would continue to play with it... I mean who doesn't love playing with play dough when your bored?!? I can't say I have the same problems tho sorry... I used to pack ups boxes... I think I can fit a 25" tv in a 10" box lol

I had to deal with something similar tonight. I bought my son a play tent that is supposed to bend and fold up into a neat little circle. There is no way this one is ever going to fold up into a neat little circle again. I have tried folding it four times, and it still ends up taking up a lot of space and is in no shape that resembles the neat little circle shape it was packaged in.