How to Make Home Made Clay

Making clay can be more exciting than your average play doh because your creation can be left out to harden. You can then keep your creation or paint it and give it as a gift. We have a lot of fun with this recipe at our house.

You will need the following ingredients: 1 cup of flour, 1/2 cup of salt, 1 cup of water, 1 tablespoon of oil, and food coloring (optional).

To begin: Place all ingredients in a medium sized saucepan with the exception of the food coloring. You must stir your mixture continuously to keep it from sticking to the pot. When the mixture becomes thick enough to roll into a ball, take it out of the pot. You will need to knead the dough when you take it out of the pan. Please be careful and remember that the dough is still hot.

Note: If there is more dough than you need to finish your project you can store what you don’t need in a Ziploc bag and place it in your fridge.

To Continue: If you would like your clay to have colors, now is the time to separate your clay. Put a batch of dough in a bowl and add a few drops of food coloring. Mix until color is even. Use a separate bowl for each color, add a batch of clay, and mix as before.

Now you are ready to begin your creation. Use the clay and mold it in to any shape that you wish. Think about something you like. Dogs, cats, a sculpture of your Mom. Be creative. When you are satisfied with your creation, leave it out to dry. It is best not to check your clay until the following morning.

Finishing touches: If you decide not to use food coloring you may want to paint your creation. This can be done any time after the clay dries. Once you are finished painting leave your clay out again overnight to dry.

What can you do with your finished product? Share it with your friends, decorate your room, or wrap it as a gift.

One final thought: personally, I have used the clay for home schooling projects. We made a square tablet from the clay and practiced writing the ancient cuneiform. When the clay dried we had our own original cuneiform tablet. You can find a copy of some cuneiform writing (the words) by doing a search at your local library. Nowadays you may even be able to find it on the Internet.