Crafts for kids at home: 7 creative activities with air-dry clay

Air-dry clay is not only limited to adults. there are many craft ideas for kids to DIY at home, and here are some!

Air-dry clay has always amazed me since I was a little. There is so much potential behind this clay that can be easily adapted to create multiple items in different shapes and forms.

Air-dry clay is not only limited to adults. Although there are plenty of ideas that you can implement with this magic clay such as summer gadgets and accessories, Christmas ornaments, or other home décor items, there are many craft ideas for kids to DIY at home.

So, whether you are looking to entertain kids during a playdate, or after school here are 7 creative activities with air-dry clay. Kids love creating personal items, and nothing better than air dry clay to give them this privilege while they learn through play and develop their motor skills. From a flower bowl to keychains, necklaces, crayon holders… and other ideas, the list is long. And how to DIY these items, let’s see together!

First, how to make air-dry clay at home?

Making air-dry clay at home is not a hard chore. Start first by mixing cornstarch and white glue in a non-stick pot. Next, put the pot on medium to low heat and start stirring. You will need to cook the mixture for a couple of minutes. Then add salt, oil, and lemon juice.

For more details about how to make air-dry clay at home, check out this article.

Air-dry clay sunflower bowl

Photo credit: emmaowl.com

Once your air-dry clay is done, transforming a piece of clay into this beautiful sunflower bowl is easy. Let kids use a clay rolling pin to roll the clay. Then with a clay cutter, let them cut the shape of a circle. Next, with the same cuter, let them cut the petals. Finally, a brush and acrylic paint are all they need to give this bowl its nice colors!

Ceramic hand dish

Photo credit: mypoppet.com

First, kids will have to knead well the clay to soften and get rid of any bubbles. Next, using a rolling pin, they have to spread it and cut it in the shape of a hand. After that, they have to place it over a bumping bowl or glass and let the clay dry before coloring.

Christmas ornaments

Photo credit: littleyellowwheelbarrow.com

How beautiful are these ornaments? Do you know how easy it is to make them? All you need is a mold or printed paper with the shape of the ornament you want. Roll the clay to the thickness desired, cut, make a hole on the top and insert a jute thread. Done! Kids will be super excited to hand their handmade ornaments to their Christmas tree.

Keychains

Photo credit: averageinspired.com

Making keychains with air-dry clay is simple to DIY. Kids can choose the thickness of their keychains and their preferred shape. Then roll the clay, cut, and color. Help them engrave their names, preferred words, or prepare personalized keychains for their friends. They will be immensely proud of themselves!

Mini garden pots 

Photo credit: journeycreativity.blogspot.com

As you start the new planting season, get your kids busy making these cute pots. Guide them to make the base of the pot then elevate it with the remaining clay. Once the pots are dried, they can go creative with the coloring part.

Clay Necklace

Photo credit: Mommypotamus

Just like keychains, making these necklaces are fun and easy. Kids have to follow the same process to make their preferred design. For the necklace, they can use jute strings, or any other material they deem fit. Imagine you have two kids, they can create two similar necklaces, one holding the word best, and the other holding the word siblings.

DIY Rainbow Crayon Holder

Photo credit: Lines Across

Yes, you are right! This may be one of the cleverest tricks to ask your kids to arrange their crayons. The shape does not have half to be a semi-circle. Kids can create the shape they want, then draw the 7 spaces to make the coloring process easier. And finally, with a brush and acrylic paint, a beautiful rainbow will be formed.

Air-dry clay, ceramic clay, or polymer clay: call it what you want. In all cases, it can easily be nominated as the magic clay that helps create multiple useful items. And if you think these kids’ projects are fun, try making these 10 Décor Items to do with Air-Dry Clay.

Check out my art and craft page for more learning through play activities. Please rate and leave a comment below if you like this article. Let’s connect on social media. You can find me on Pinterest, Tiktok, Instagram, and YouTube. Please follow & subscribe! Thank you for your support!