How to Make Kid-Friendly Crafty Homemade Clay

For seven years I taught at a nonprofit, art based organization. A main theme in the nonprofit places is lack of funds. Because of this, I complied projects that could be made from inexpensive, easy to obtain products. These are great fun for chilly winter snow days, or bored summer nights.

Flour Based Dough
4 cups of flour
1 cup table salt
Various food coloring
Water

First mix your dry ingredients in a bowl. Slowly add water, enough to moisten dry ingredients. Mix it with your bare hands, which is helpful in feeling if you have the proper texture. If you feel its still a little too dry, add the water in a tablespoon or so at a time. Once you have the clay to the proper consistency, start adding your coloring and kneed the clay. You can keep this in the refrigerator to help firm it up. When you use it to sculpt, you can color it with acrylic paints, allow to air dry. Store in an airtight container. This will keep for about a week.

Modeling Clay
3/4 cup of flour
1/2 cup of table salt
1.5 teaspoon powdered alum
1.5 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup of boiling water
food coloring

Mix dry goods in a large bowl. Add vegetable oil and hot water. Stir with quick and firm motions, using a large spoon. Allow time to cool. This clay should be a smooth consistency, not grainy. Store in an airtight container. This will keep for more than a month.

Salt Dough
2 cups of flour
1 cup of salt
3/4 cups of water

Mix ingredients until its a doughy consistency. You can add food coloring, and/or sparkle/glitter. Store in an airtight container. You can make several batches with various food coloring, or leave it uncolored and simply paint it. This will keep for about a week.

Sawdust Clay
2 cups of sawdust
1 cup of dry wallpaper paste
Water

Blend sawdust and wallpaper paste together. Slowly add water and stir until you achieve a clay like consistency After you sculpt clay into your shape leave it to dry for about 24 hours. After it dries, you can sand it to smooth it and paint as desired.

While making any of the clay/dough, if they are too dry, simply add more water. If you have added too much water and its too gooey add a little of the dry ingredient, just a little bit at a time.