Kids love to work with clay – any sort of clay from home-made playdough to a beautiful, giant, muddy block of pottery clay! You can buy special tools for working with clay at an art supply store, and of course, many household items can be used, such as:
- A rolling pin is a handy tool to flatten sheets of clay. A piece of wooden dowel works well too.
- Wire is used by potters to cut clay. Start with a 9 inch length of telephone wire, and twist-tie the ends of the wire around two wooden handles leaving 5 to 6 inches of wire between.
- Bend paperclips into interesting shapes, then duct tape them onto wooden handles to make clay carving loops.
- Bits of sponges dipped in water for earth clay
- A garlic press is great for making squiggly clay hair!
- Any gizmo that creates an interesting texture when pressed into clay is great fun for kids – silverware, combs, old buttons, scraps of lace and old crochet doilies, baskets, a piece of tree bark, thick rope, a fingernail brush, things from the hardware store.
Do not give small objects to really young kids. Work along with your kids! Adult supervision is always suggested.