Enjoy creating Pinch Pot Monsters for a fun clay making project for kids! This clay art and craft is sure to be a hit with kids of all ages! It's a great way to unleash creativity, sneak in fine motor skills, and explore texture and mark-making!
post contains affiliate links.
In our sequel to 99 Fine Motor Ideas for Kids Ages 1-5
, we shared a fun and simple clay making activity for kids-- pinch pots. Pinch Pots are GREAT for fine motor skills as you work to manipulate a ball of clay into a bowl.
, we shared a fun and simple clay making activity for kids-- pinch pots. Pinch Pots are GREAT for fine motor skills as you work to manipulate a ball of clay into a bowl.
Well, after reading a fun book called Miss Turie's Magical Creatures
, we upped our Pinch Pot-making game!
, we upped our Pinch Pot-making game!
The book inspired us to make Pinch Pot Monsters!
Pinch Pot Monsters
Go beyond a simple pinch pot bowl and try this creative activity making Pinch Pot Monsters!
Supplies:
(optional)
To begin making your pinch pot monsters, you need to form a basic pinch pot.
Grab a handful of clay and work it into a ball by rolling it between your palms.
Next, push your thumb into the middle to create the "bowl." From the edges, begin pinching around to create a larger opening.
** Note: We used Crayola Air Dry Clay, but Polymer Clay
should also work just fine.
should also work just fine.
Next, we read through Miss Turie's Magical Creatures
again to get some inspiration for our clay monsters.
About Miss Turie's Magical Creatures
We received this fantastic new children's book for free, but it's such a fun read with colorful illustrations that I encourage all ya'll to add it to your book wish-list for the kids or grab a copy from your library.
From Amazon:
"Dragons, Chimeras, and Hydras, oh my!
Come explore Miss Turie's Magic Creatures, the most exotic pet store you've ever seen! Miss Turie guarantees to "have the pet that's right for you," but can she find a match for her toughest customer yet?
Told in an upbeat, fast-paced rhyme, children will laugh as they learn about mythical creatures and contemplate what they might be like as a household pet. Following the story is a catalog of each featured creature with a more detailed history. "
From Clay Bowl to Pinch Pot Monsters
The pinch pot bowl you just created will become the monster's mouth.
Now begin creating your monster by adding more clay to form eyes, teeth, and even a tail!
Grab more clay and begin pinching, rolling, and shaping it into elements to add to your monster.
My 11 year old created the coolest Pinch Pot Monster- by far! (see above). Through our homeschool co-op, he just so happened to finish up a unit working with clay, so he knew how to smooth out the clay with water and how to add marks to create lines and details.
Below is the Pinch Pot Monster my 7 year old created!
I even made a pinch pot monster, too!! Indeed, this creative clay art and craft is great for all ages!
Tip!! As noted above, to smooth out fingerprints and cracks, went a small sponge of paper towel with water and rub out the imperfections in the clay.
Also, adding lines and other details need to be made before the clay dries!
The Crayola Air Dry Clay we used began hardening soon after we left our monsters un-touched to dry.
We waited a couple days to paint them, but they were dry long before that.
Note: I'm not sure if it was the clay or perhaps we rolled out our pieces too thin, but several pieces did break off through gentle touch and movement of the monsters. Thus mine went from two- eyes, to a one-eyed monster!
To finish off our Pinch Pot Monsters, we dazzled them up with color!
Using Crayola's Washable Paint, we created some of the most colorful monsters you have ever seen!!
They truly belonged in Miss Turie's Pet Shop, too!! ha!!
My Pinch Pot Monster is quite the beast-- with a polka dot tongue and octopus-like tentacles!
This was such a fun art project!! Clay making is a super fun and simple activity for the kids!
And whether you decide to get crazy and create monsters or not, pinch pots make wonderful kid-made gifts!!
Enjoy this fun Clay Art & Craft idea!!
Comments
Leave a Comment! I'd Love to Hear From You!