Kids love hearts, so this week in preparation for Valentine’s Day we made clay hearts and decorated them with just about everything!
Materials:
- Air Dry Clay
- Heart Stencil made from flexible cutting boards found at the Dollar Tree
- Paintbrushes
- Tempera Paint
- Paint Stirrers
- Wooden dowels (rolling pin)
- Sponges
- Clay Tools (optional)
- Shells, Beads, Buttons, etc.
We opened class with some free play with the clay to familiarize everyone with the texture and to allow them to explore what clay is capable of.
We use the paint stir sticks to control the clay thickness so it’s consistent throughout the rolled out slab. Because this is geared at our younger classes, some parents provided the pressure to flatten the clay, while simultaneously allowing the child to do the rolling motion.
The students used a simple clay tool to cut the clay along the edges of the heart stencil.
The sponges and water are used to smooth both the surface of the clay, as well as the edges of the heart after it has been cut. The sponge really only needs to be slightly damp.
After the clay is shaped and its edges smoothed, it is ready to paint! Each heart is entirely unique.
We even has a few rebels just doing their own thing!
A few of the final modge podged projects!
