Family Fun Series - Clay

Remember playing with mud pies and building sands castles? For most of us, it's been a while since we enjoyed the satisfaction of building something with dirt, mud or clay. The clay in the Oogly Kit doesn't have to be used exclusively to make ooglys. In fact, it can be used like any sculpting medium - and all the great qualities of the clay still apply. It's easy to manipulate, doesn't have to be fired and can be reused if you want to start something new.

The clay in the Oogly Kit can be used for so much more than just making ooglys.

So this week, I'm going to share a few of my students' favorite clay projects that are easy for kids of any age. I'll give step-by-step instructions with photos so you can try them at home with your kids. If you prefer, you can use "real" clay and I'll let you know what types would work best and what give of glaze or finish we usually do in my classes.

Kids have lots of fun experimenting with 3-D building in clay.

The projects we'll demonstrate this week:

1. Frogs - a fun and surprisingly simple animal that bring out the funny side of most kids.

Frogs are an easy clay project.

2. Masks - Clay is a traditional mask making material in many cultures and kids enjoy creating another identity.

Masks can be a great decorative element for your garden.

3. Bugs - I'll show you how a pinch pot can be transforms into a silly bug in just a few simple steps.

Bugs can be fun and funny to make with clay!

Time to roll up those sleeves and get messy!