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Make Your Own Clay Tools

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.

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