What happens when your child brings home artwork that doesn’t feel like a masterpiece?
They dug and dug in their backpack, yanked a crumpled mess, and handed it to you. Was it a poem, a drawing, or a paper sculpture? Who knew because the construction paper faded.
You bit your lip and praised them for the “beautiful” masterpiece even though it was a crumpled mess.
We’ve all experienced this! Every single piece of artwork isn’t a masterpiece. And it’s okay! Your little artists will only remember your praise and forget about the rest.
Let me show you how to make a sweet project with your child, that will stand the test of time.
Alphabet Plates with Air Dry Clay is a project you and your kids will love and cherish.
Alphabet Plates With Air Dry Clay
Air dry clay is a wonderful medium to try if your kids love to play with clay. It’s a staple in our home and studio because it dries quickly without an oven or kiln. Unlike play dough or modeling clay, kids can create permanent pieces with air dry clay.
I made this project with my preschool and kindergarten art classes.
Materials
- Crayola Air Dry Clay
- Rolling Pin
- Plastic Cutting Mat
- Alphabet Stamps (We use the Melissa and Doug brand)
- Tempera Cakes and Paint Brush
- Mod Podge
How We Made Air Dry Clay Alphabet Plates
- Roll a 6″-8″ ball of clay in your hands.
2. Roll out clay into 8″ circle and 1/4″ thick.
3. Use a circle template (like a large yogurt cap) and stamp the clay.
4. Use scissors to score the clay and trim up the circle shape.
4. Have your child find the first letter in their name, and they can stamp, stamp, stamp, on the clay. If you don’t have alphabet stamps, you can improvise and use any other stamps you have in the house.
5. Let the plate dry for 2-3 days. Once completely dry, take sandpaper, and smooth any rough edges.
6. Use tempera paint (or watercolor paint) to decorate the plate. Once the paint has dried, apply a layer of glossy mod podge to the front and back.
In the end…
You can use these Alphabet Clay Plates as coasters in your living room or just display in a cool frame on the wall. The possibilities are endless! Meanwhile, these definitely won’t get tossed into the “file it later” pile!
More Kid Projects With Air Dry Clay: