We did this little DIY clay creations project after a walk around our neighborhood. Along the walk, we stopped and picked up a few nature items like rocks, pinecones, leaves and twigs. Gemma had fun pressing the different pieces of nature into the clay, and I cut out little squares that I thought we could make pendants or magnets out of later. I am surprised at how good this cheap Crayola clay was — a tub was only about $5 and we have gotten three projects out of it. I will definitely be buying more.
To make these little clay creations we used:
- crayola air dry clay
- a rolling-pin
- a plastic knife
- parchment paper
- some found nature objects (leaves, flowers, pinecones, etc.)
- later after they were dry we painted them with acrylic colors
We simply rolled out the clay and pressed in the objects and then cut out squares around each object. When Gemma lost interest, she had fun free-playing with the scraps of clay building clumps and sticking it together. I left these outside to dry overnight and then we painted them the next afternoon.
I love projects that can turn into two or three-day crafts that we can return to. The transformation is fun for Gemma to see. Plus this project encompasses both art and nature, fun relaxing stuff with no real agenda and lots of room for creativity.
blogger / pomegranate / 3300 posts
How fun!! My kids love nature walks and making little collections, it would be fun to add the extra art projects to it.
blogger / pomegranate / 3201 posts
So fun! I think we have some time before Liam is ready for clay, but I’ll have to remember this for the future.
kiwi / 500 posts
So great! I’ve been trying to look for more art projects to
Occupy our time stuck at home from these snowstorms! This looks like fun! Do you have to use acrylic paint? Would other paints work?
blogger / pomegranate / 3491 posts
Adorable!! great tip about the crayola clay
blogger / nectarine / 2010 posts
Wow! This is such a cool project? At what age do you think she was ready to start doing something like this? I’ve started with crayons and just today markers with Little M and he’s really into playdoh, I think he’d love something like this.
coffee bean / 26 posts
What a fun idea! Where did you get the clay?
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
What a creative project!
blogger / clementine / 998 posts
nice! reminds me of an “adult” (but very kid friendly!) art project i saw in a book where you take a walk with some paper and graphite or a crayon without the paper wrapping, and you rub impressions of different surfaces you come across – whether it’s an engraved plate on a park bench or a textured wall or leaves or whatever you find
blogger / kiwi / 675 posts
@Mrs. Stroller: hrmmm I’m gonna say 18mo-2? We did this about 21/2 but I’m sure she could have done it sooner
@anewme: hrmm im not sure, probably most would work but more kid style washable would be light colored I would think?
@kuhlsarse: target
coffee bean / 26 posts
Thanks!
blogger / persimmon / 1231 posts
Gorgeous! All these fun art projects… Lucy needs to grow faster so we can do these fun things together!
blogger / nectarine / 2600 posts
Love this will have to try with DS in the spring when we can go out to collect stuff
blogger / nectarine / 2608 posts
I think Lorelei would really enjoy this. She loves nature and finding small things outside.
hostess / wonderful honeydew / 32460 posts
Definitely doing this with my daughter! Thanks!
guest
Hey this is such a creative learning activity! Amazing! I will use this for our first signs of Spring nature walk! Thank you for the inspiration I have a few different ideas for adding words to make this a preschooler literary activity! THANKS again!