So much of our sensory play started with this clay. Something I had whipped up in the kitchen and presented to Quinn when he was 17mo and it’s been our lockdown savior!
It’s the texture, how it feels in our hands, the bright white of it! Purely magical.
Honestly, looking back through our images to compile how much we’ve done with the clay the last few months took me by surprise, had we really used it 22 different ways?! It’s just that open ended!
Here We Go! I’m Sharing With You 22 Ideas of What to Do With Our Air Dry Clay!
The Recipe.
Ingredients
1 Cup Baking Soda
1/2 Cup Corn Starch
3/4 Cups Water
How To:
Add all ingredients to a non-stick pan and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly until it reaches the consistency of mashed potatoes- about 3-4 minutes.
Here’s What It Looks Like When It’s Done.
Once off the heat, store in an air tight container while it cools down, about 3 minutes, then knead well and have fun!
Yes it’s that simple!!!!
So now this brings us to 22 things you can do with it!
1. Create stamps with hot glue and cardboard to make air dry clay birch trees.
Use the clay as play clay with woodland stampers. Air Dry Clay is a great way for toddlers to discover textures.
2. Create The Moon.
So white and bright this clay is perfect for some process art moons and teaching your little ones about space, shapes, and color. So many language development opportunities!
3. Use natural Dyes to experiment with coloring the dough.
Create woodland shapes to paint later on!
4. Painted Woodland Shapes
Remember Those Woodland Shapes? Time to paint them! Turn them into a fun counting activity like this one!
5. Fathers Day Plaque
Air Dry Clay makes the most perfect keepsakes, we used it with Hot Glue and Cardboard Stamps.
6. Clay Snowmen
Use the clay as play clay to build and unbuild lots of clay snowmen!
7. Nature Mobile
Using loose parts and flowers to mix into the clay we strung them up with dried grapefruit and make a mobile.
8. Rose Petal Clay
The whiteness of the clay makes for the most beautiful base with floral petals!
9. Nature Invitation to Play
I love setting out this clay with dried flowers and I invite Q to make his own petal clay.
10. Hand Prints
Even now looking back at this handprint he’s grown so much in just a few short months!
The white clay naturally takes on the colors of the flowers, so pretty!
11. Colored Clay
You can so easily dye this clay with food coloring or natural dyes and color. Use it like play dough!
12. Create a Flower
You can press into this clay just like play dough. I love presenting it with nature for Q to explore with.
13. Clay Houses
These make for cute decor AND a cute play village!
14. Mixed Sensory Materials
I love setting it out with mixed materials for some process art play with Q.
15. Color With Markers
Q made this discovery all on his own when he chose to color the clay. It turned out beautiful!!
16. Clay Pieces
You can use this clay to make little ornaments for recycled egg carton trees! They make for cute stars and candy canes too!
17. Dinosaur Bones
I love including the clay in invitations to play and drying some as bones for a fun DINO play!
18. Garland
Create some fun cookie cutter shapes and wrap them in twinkle light. Perfectly festive decor.
19. Play Snow
This clay makes for a relatively low mess play snow. We set it out in small world play.
20. Ornaments
This clay makes for the cutest ornaments! You can use anything to stamp into them and cut out some fun shapes!
21. Air Dry Clay Trees
These trees are made with clay and wire hanger! So simple and cute as decor!
22. Gift Tags
This clay makes for a fun eco friendly gift tag option! Stamp some fun shapes into them, add some names, tie on some nature – endless opportunities!
How will you play? Tag me @livethescottcottage so I can share how you’ve created with air dry clay!
https://www.instagram.com/livethescottcottage/
I love all of your ideas! I can’t wait to try the air dry clay! When would you use air dry clay compared to your salt dough?
Thank you so much! I like salt dough for hand print decorations best and anything larger! Air dry clay is great for more details pieces 🙂