These ideas were found at: http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/buildmodel/feature/famf88clay/famf88clay.html Clay Time Staples taking shape from FamilyFun by Valerie Kohn Like safety scissors and nonspill paint jars, recipes for homemade clays have won over many a parent with a penchant for crafts. In addition to being less expensive than their store-bought counterparts, home varieties are often easier to manipulate, especially for children who are just learning to think in three dimensions. The ingredients, all common kitchen staples, take only minutes to mix, which means a near-instant project for your children and one less trip to the art store for you. There are dozens of such recipes (every art teacher has a favorite), but these four have the approval of many satisfied sculptors. Valerie Kohn is an art educator at the Berkshire Museum and the Hancock Central School in Massachusetts. PLAY CLAY This popular recipe produces a clay that can be used over and over again and will remain pliant for weeks. A child just learning to model will appreciate how soft and cooperative this dough feels in her hands, especially when it's still warm. MATERIALS 1 cup flour 1 cup water 1/2 cup salt 1 tsp. vegetable oil 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar Food coloring (optional) Mix all ingredients together in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until the mixture holds together (keep mixing or it will stick to the bottom of the pan). When the clay is cool enough to touch, your child can knead it on a floured board. WHAT TO MAKE: This recipe's long drying time makes it most satisfying as a play dough (it's easy to roll into ropes and balls), but sculptures will dry eventually. DRYING TIME: 3 to 5 days STORAGE: Stored in an airtight container, this dough will last--refrigerated or unrefrigerated--for 2 to 4 weeks. WHITE BREAD DOUGH This recipe will please detail-oriented children who like their sculptures small and delicate. The dough has a consistency that's similar to store-bought clays and dries to a porcelain-like smoothness. (Note: This one is not for toddlers, who are likely to snack on their art supplies.) MATERIALS 1 to 2 slices white bread, crusts removed 1 tbsp. white glue To begin, have your child rip one slice of bread into tiny pieces into a bowl. Add the white glue to the bread crumbs, and mix with a fork until all the crumbs are moistened. Now, roll a bit of the mix between your fingers to check its consistency (this will vary depending on the dryness of your bread). The mix should be pliable and somewhat sticky. If it feels very wet, or too gummy to roll into a ball, tear up and mix in a little more bread. Now your child can gather the dough into a ball, kneading it for a minute or two with his fingers or rolling it between his palms. Soon the dough will become elastic and satiny. As your child models the dough, it may begin to dry out. If it does, he can dip his fingertips in water (have a small bowl at the worktable) and knead the dough until it becomes more pliable. WHAT TO MAKE: Unlike many homemade doughs, this recipe has a fine, elastic texture that won't crack, even during intricate modeling projects like earrings, buttons, beads or tiny figurines. Bread dough also is a great medium for taking impressions: A small piece pressed against the outside of a favorite shell makes a beautiful pendant or faux fossil. To add a hard, semigloss finish, your child can mix equal parts water and white glue and brush on several coats. DRYING TIME: White Bread Dough air-dries in 1 to 3 days. STORAGE: This recipe dries out quickly, so it's best to make only as much as your child will use in one sitting. But if you do have any extra, it will keep for a month when refrigerated in plastic bags or sealed containers. NO COOK DOUGH For the independent modeler, this simple dough recipe is the natural choice. There's no cooking on a hot stove, and the more your child squishes, tugs and pounds it, the more this pliable stuff cooperates. Suitable for either dying or painting, this dough has a distinctly homemade look when dry. MATERIALS 1 cup flour 3/8 cup salt 3/8 cup hot tap water Food coloring (optional) Have your child combine the flour and the salt in a medium bowl, then pour in the hot water and stir well. Knead on a floured board for at least 5 minutes, working in food coloring if desired. WHAT TO MAKE: No-Cook Dough's sturdiness makes it a winner for molding chunky beads or small figures (large ones have a tendency to crack during drying). The recipe also rolls out nicely with a rolling pin; your child can cut the flattened dough with a butter knife or cookie cutters, creating shapes that make great holiday ornaments, pendants, pins and refrigerator magnets. DRYING TIME: Depending on the thickness of the dough, air-drying will take anywhere from 1 to 5 days. Small or thin shapes can be dried more quickly by baking them on a cookie sheet at 200 degrees for about 2 hours. STORAGE: No-Cook Dough will keep for up to a week when refrigerated in plastic bags or sealed containers. CORN STARCH CLAY Little fingers with limited modeling experience will appreciate this dense, easy-to-shape dough. The mixture's high salt content gives it a grainy texture and a sparkly white color, ideal for dyeing with food coloring or decorating with tempera paints. MATERIALS 1 cup salt 1/3 cup water 1/2 cup cornstarch 1/4 cup cold water Food coloring or tempera paints (optional) Heat the salt and 1/3 cup of water over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. (An adult should prepare this mixture, which gets quite hot and bubbly.) Remove from heat and add the cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water. The mixture should now look like thick mashed potatoes; stir until it thickens, then let cool for a few minutes before kneading. If the dough feels too sticky at first, your child can work in some extra cornstarch as she kneads. Add food coloring, if desired. WHAT TO MAKE: When dry, this dough is heavy and durable, which makes it excellent for larger items, such as candlesticks, small bowls, trivets or a lasting impression of your child's hand. Cornstarch Clay's sticky consistency is also a plus when sculpting figures: A tail or head easily attaches to a body with a gentle push. One batch of dough is enough to make a slew of snowmen ornaments, Noah's ark figures or dollhouse characters. DRYING TIME: 1 to 4 days STORAGE: Cornstarch Clay will keep unrefrigerated for up to 2 weeks when stored with a small bit of wet sponge in a plastic bag or sealed container. Tips for Working With Homemade Clay Mixing and molding clay is a messy affair, so be sure your child wears old clothes and works the dough on a washable counter, or on a table covered with waxed paper. While working, cover any extra dough with a damp cloth or plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. To add color to the dough, knead in food coloring. For more vibrant colors, use cake-decorating coloring paste, which is available at party stores or in the baking section of your supermarket. To add patterns to her sculptures, your child can experiment with pressing shells, toothpicks, forks or combs into the moist clay. A dough ball squeezed through a garlic press makes wonderful hair. To join pieces of clay, dab a drop of water on the surface to be joined, then press the two pieces together firmly. If the pieces come apart when the sculpture is dry, simply reattach them with white glue. When dry, most doughs can be painted with acrylics. For best results, apply one layer of white paint as a primer, let dry, then apply colored paints.
