Make a Decorated Clay Wall Pot

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Sculpting with clay is a great activity for young children because it lets them get artistic while helping them develop their fine motor skills at the same time. They also get some practice with color and shape recognition, without even realizing it.

Your preschooler will learn the artistic process as she makes her lump of clay morph into a functional hanging wall pot that she'll enjoy filling with grasses she's collected herself. Added bonus? This project makes a great kid-made gift-- perfect for Mother's Day, Easter, or any other holiday where your child doesn't want to come empty-handed.

What You Need:

Baker's Clay (recipe follows)
Measuring cup
Rolling pin
Other kitchen tools such as a spatula or knife (for moving and working with the clay)
Items to press into the clay such as toys, buttons, nuts, or bolts
Cookie sheet
Fork
Yarn
Collection of dried weeds and grasses
Oven

What You Do:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Place two balls of clay on the table and help your child roll each one out flat. Place one piece on a cookie sheet.
Have your child decorate the clay by pressing toys or other items into it.
Carefully lift the decorated piece and lay it on top of the plain piece. Lift the top edge of the decorated piece of clay to create an envelope-like opening.
Press the rest of the edges together with a fork or pinch with the fingers, making sure to keep the top open and the center hollow.
Have your child poke two little holes in the top of the clay pot.
Bake the completed pots in the oven for about an hour or two or until nicely browned and hard all the way through.
Remove the pots from the oven and let cool.
When cool, stick bits of weeds, dried flowers, or grasses into the opening of the pot.
String a piece of yarn through the holes in the top of the design and hang the finished pot on the wall as a decoration.

It might be useful to experiment with different doughs and clays before attempting to make this project. Many artists like to see how a dough acts before making a craft or sculpture.

Baker's Clay