by Jennifer Geitenbeek

Created on: October 13, 2010

Kids who love to build and make things will love using air-dried clay. A small carton will only set you back around $AUD7.00 and is available from most discount stores. Some of the easiest things for kids to make with this clay is the ever popular volcano, the little farm house and any number of little animals. The best part about this clay is that once you have finished making your piece of art, put it out of the way and wait for it to dry. Within 24 hours it has set hard and is ready to paint, or just to admire on the mantelpiece.

Making a volcano:

Begin by cutting the bottom out of a cardboard box, leaning about an inch of the sides on. Cover the bottom with sand or dirt. Next, get a snap-lock bag and half fill with sand. This will be what you mould your volcano around. On the top of this, tape an empty toilet roll. This will form the peak of your volcano. Separate small pieces of clay from the block and place them around the top of the toilet roll, being sure to lightly wet down each edge of the piece so that it adheres to the piece above and below. Continue this from the top to bottom, remembering to come out from the bottom of the volcano about an inch. Leave to dry for 24 hours and then paint.

Making animals:

You can make any type of animal you choose, but a good tip is to use toothpicks inside the clay to help support the legs, as these are likely to fall off if you only rely on the clay to hold them together.

Any animal that you choose to make that has a long neck, or long legs, or even a large head that could fall off after drying, use either toothpicks or icy-pole sticks covered in clay as a support.

Making farm houses:

It is a good idea to use polystyrene squares or similar to build your house around. This wont be visible in the end product but it will stop the walls collapsing in on themselves, or the roof caving in. Using icy-pole sticks glued together with p.v.c glue make cute little fences to go around the farmhouse, and your child may wish to add some farm animals to their creation. Along with some hills, trees and greenery. These can all be painted once the clay has dried to make your child's artwork even more unique and special.

The best part about using this clay is there is no end to the things you can make with it, and as it does not require a kiln or oven to set, there is no risk of small ones burning themselves by getting too close to hot surfaces and objects.

Any unused clay should be wrapped in plastic and stored in a cool dry place for next time.

This clay is still delicate and will not stand up to hours of play from little ones, but it is a lovely way for them to get crafty and then be able to see their creations on display somewhere safe.

Other than clean surfaces, an apron and a small bowl of water, the only other things needed is an active imagination and parental supervision.

Learn more about this author, Jennifer Geitenbeek.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.