Air Dry Clay Ideas for KIDS!

Here are a few air-dry clay ideas for KIDS that spark imagination & creativity! Molding is a fun & easy art project to try. Creating simple animal figures, blobs, or creative shapes is a fun & easy art project that KIDS love to do!

Today, Sofia is going to share air dry clay ideas for KIDS! Sharing a few ideas on what you can create with air dry clay along with some helpful tips. Our favorite brand of air dry clay is by DAS & it is amazing for adult crafting, too!

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What can I make from air dry clay?

Just about anything you’d like!

Clay pots
Sculptures
Paperweight
Magnets
Clay beads
Jewelry
Vase
Ornaments
Play food for dolls
Mini pot for air plants or pom poms
Animals, blobs, or shapes
Letters (your initials)

Tips for air dry clay ideas for KIDS!

Keep a small bowl of water next to you to lightly dip your finger in (if your clay becomes dry)
Be sure not to get your clay too wet or it won’t hold the shape
If it is very hot & dry in your home you can add a lightly damp cloth over your clay figures as they are drying. This is to prevent them from drying too quickly, unevenly & cracking.
(See step 5 if you do get cracking or uneven parts)
Be sure to score any piece of clay that you are adding to your main piece, This is to help it hold on better.

Tools & Materials for air dry clay ideas for KIDS!

DAS air dry clay (our favorite brand)
Acrylic paint (our favorite brand)
Puffy fabric paint (to fill in cracks)
Mod Podge (to seal)
Parchment paper (work surface protector)
Clay tools
Small piece of fine-grit sandpaper (if you get uneven spots that don’t fill in well with puffy paint)

How to make air dry clay ideas for KIDS!

1- grab some clay & start kneading
2- get your clay wet not too wet
3- mold clay into the shape of your choice

How to score your clay

Score any clay piece that you are going to attach to the main piece.
Make crisscross marks on both pieces & brush on a light mixture of water and clay before you join them together.
Then take your tool & smooth out the edges of the piece to blend them together as one.

Drying your air clay figures

4- put your clay creations on a plate with parchment paper or lightly damp cloth

5- once the top of your clay figures turn white & dry, flip them over to dry the bottoms

6- fix cracks with slick puffy paint and paint (avoid cracks by covering with a damp cloth as they dry)

7- let fabric paint dry (if you need a smoother finish you can take a small piece of fine-grit sandpaper and LIGHTLY smooth out the clay).

8- paint your figure with two coats of acrylic paint & let dry ( you can use a paint pen for small details)
9- add a coat of Mod Podge sealer

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Shop Our Favorite CRAFT & DIY Supplies for KIDS!

Here are our FAVORITE art & craft supplies for KIDS! They have been KID tested & Mom approved! These items will be used in countless craft and DIY projects that we will be sharing with you! I have added the shopping links to the products below so you can have these items on hand as well!

Paint

Tulip Dimensional Fabric Paint (extra bottles of white for the look of icing)
Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint by Plaid (even though it’s very inexpensive we have never had a problem with coverage or paint drying out.
Kassa Watercolor Set – Painting Kit for Kids & Adults – Bundle Includes Water Brush Pen (3 Assorted Sizes), Water Color Paper (30 Sheets) & Watercolor Paint Set (21 Colors) – I can not say enough about the quality of this set – and it is mess-free!

Clay

4. Sculpey Polymer Clay – I could do an entire post just on the different things my kids create each week with this amazing clay!
5. Air Dry Clay by DAS– This is the easiest to work with brand that we have found. Both the kids & I use this brand in a variety of projects.

Markers & Pens

6. Permanent Sharpie Markers – Of course, for younger kids, these need supervision or you may find permanent artwork in places you’d prefer not to. There are some art projects that welcome a non-smearing or fading marker & these fit the bill! 30 colors of Sharpies
7. Chalk Markers by Kassa – The colors are vibrant & go on smooth! We love using these vs regular chalk, less dust & sticks to surfaces better.
8. Arteza Gel Pens (metallic) – Love this brand for all kinds of gel pens! They seem to not “smudge” like other brands. You can buy replacement cartridges so it is less waste & saves money!

Glue & Sealer

9. Mod Podge Water-based Sealer, Glue & Decoupage Finish (gloss version) & (matte version). They have a variety of different kinds of sealers depending on your project needs.
10. Gorilla Dual Temp Glue Gun – Parent supervision for younger kids. We like this brand for a smaller glue gun – this set even comes with the sticks!

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Thank you for stopping by! We hope you enjoyed this post about “Ideas for Crafting with Air Dry Clay.

Please share with us by commenting below if you have ever tried air dry clay? What did you make with your clay?

Blessings,
Kim & the tween team

*Classy Kids Create offers ideas for crafts, DIY’s & Activities that may not be suitable for all ages. Please use your discretion on what is best and safest for your child. Some steps in our tutorials may need adult assistance (like the use of certain glues or paint).
Please keep in mind that the kids testing these activities are in their tween years & have been crafting since they were toddlers. (Some steps, like spray paint or use of strong glue I do completely for them)