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A Pinch Pot is one of my absolute ‘bestist’ things to do with children – especially younger ones!
Why?
They are able to create a pot, ALL BY THEMSELVES!! A 3-year-old is able to do this – with instruction and a little help of course, but at no point do you
You can make a pinch pot out of a few things – Salt Dough – here is the recipe, clay, or air dry clay – this is the one we always use…
Salt dough, whilst cheap and easy to use does not last, not unless you seal it perfectly. When we make something special – or something sea we going to gift, we use air-dry clay instead. It is cheap and mouldable and needs no oven firing like regular clay!
3-dimensional art – like this pinch pot idea gives children the opportunity to look at art as more than a flat picture which they are so often exposed to. Looking at all sides of an object encourages creativity and children get to explorethe medium with their hands, not just the end of a paintbrush!
Pinch pots make the best gifts! Handmade and precious!!
So let’s get started!!
A good size pinch pot is made from a ball of clay / dough about the size of a tennis ball.
- Roll your clay into a ball
- Stick your finger into the middle of the ball – as pictured above. This is the part where children love to hold up their super big thumbs in the air!
- With your thumb and forefinger pinch around the sides until the hole in the middle gets bigger and the pot sides get thinner. Do this with a few pinches rather than one big squash!
When your pot looks more like a pot and less like a ball, use your fingers to push the bottom flatter and mould into the shape you want!
Once your pot is made, you have a few options to decorate it…
You can add beads and any other decorations you would like to push into the clay.
If you would like to paint it, wait for it to dry and then paint with acrylic paints – use a sealer to finish it off and protect it!
We decorated this clay pot with impressions – using pasta… and left it otherwise natural…
You can now use your pinch pot – or give it away as a gift!
We have used ours as a vase and a tiny holder to keep jewelry and hair clips in!
Here are some other fabulous child made gift ideas!! They are always the most special:
- Hama Bead Key Rings
- Love you to the Moon and Back Christmas Decoration
- Easy to make – no dye or wax – Batik Table Cloth
- Apron walked on with tiny feet!!
- Lemon and Lime Bath Salts
Pepermint Sugar Scrub