20 Must-Know Tips for Using Air-Dry Clay with Kids
Kids love working with air-dry clay! There’s something magical about turning a lump of soft material into almost anything you can imagine. While kiln-fired clay produces the most durable and lasting results, not everyone has access to a kiln.
Thankfully, Crayola Air-Dry Clay offers a fantastic alternative to kiln-fired clay. It lets kids experience clay in a very accessible way.
Crayola Air-Dry Clay is non-toxic and safe for kids ages 4 and up. It’s smoother, finer, and less sticky than traditional clay, which makes it easier for kids to work with. You can use most traditional clay techniques to create with air dry clay, like coil, slab, pinch, carve, and score-and-slip .
Air dry clay takes impressions well from rubber stamps, small objects found inside or outside, and almost any textured material. Clean-up is easy, and it air dries into a hard solid form in a day or two—no baking required!
Once dry, it can be painted with tempera, acrylic, or even watercolor paints. For durability, you can seal finished pieces with Mod Podge or an acrylic spray.
But here’s a very important caveat…
Kids often want to make bowls or mugs they can really use. But air dry clay cannot be used to hold food or drinks, as it remains somewhat porous after it dries. So you can’t wash something made with air dry clay like you can with kiln glazed and fired pieces.
Finished items must also be kept away from flames, so that means no candle holders! And you can’t put something made with air-dry clay in the oven or microwave.
For food-safe pottery, you need a kiln, pottery clay, and non-toxic glazes. But there are still plenty of creative and fun things kids can make with air-dry clay.
What Can Kids Make with Air-Dry Clay?
Here are some creative ideas to try:
Animal Sculptures – Favorite pets, zoo animals, or imaginary creatures.
Clay Beads – For necklaces, bracelets, or keychains.
Impression Tiles – Press leaves, shells, or stamps into flat slabs.
Miniature Pretend Foods – Like pretend donuts or pizzas for play (not eating!).
Picture Frames – Build simple frame shapes and decorate them.
Pencil Holders – Cylinders with texture or fun designs.
Wall Hangings – Flat, hangable art pieces with realistic or abstract designs.
Paper Weights – Small decorative objects with flat bases to hold papers in place.
Holiday Ornaments – Hearts, stars, trees, pumpkins—seasonal fun!
Treasure Boxes – Small lidded containers for trinkets or jewelry.
Name Plates – Personalized signs for desks or bedroom doors.
Magnets – Small flat shapes with a magnet glued to the back.
Clay Faces – Practice sculpting miniature self-portraits.
Abstract Sculptures – Explore shape and balance. Try my Clay ‘Therapy’ Sculpture!
Jewelry Dishes – Small, flat plates with texture or painted designs to hold rings, bracelets, etc. on a vanity or dresser.
Game Pieces – Custom pawns or tokens for homemade board games.
Clay Mosaics – Combine small shapes into a larger design.
Figurines – People, robots, monsters, or superheroes.
Inspiration Stones – Flat pieces with meaningful words or designs carved or painted on them. These make great paperweights!
…and so much more!
So choose your project and follow these 20 must-know tips to help you and your students get the most out of air-dry clay.
1. Start with Clean Hands and Surfaces
Clay picks up every bit of lint and dust—wipe down tables and have kids wash hands first. (Unlike pottery clay, any debris that gets stuck to air-dry clay stays there, instead of burning off in the kiln.)
2. Use Small Portions
Start with small pieces of air-dry clay for each child and give them more as needed. This keeps the clay fresh and easier to control.
3. Keep the Clay Covered
Store unused clay in airtight bags with a damp (but not dripping wet) paper towel to prevent drying out.
4. Prep Your Workspace
Use placemats, plastic trays, or Press’n Seal Wrap to protect work surfaces and make cleanup easier.
5. Start Simple
When first introducing air-dry clay, start with simple techniques like rolling coils, creating textures on slabs, or making small pinch pots.
6. Score and Slip to Attach Pieces
When attaching two pieces together, lightly score (or scratch) and moisten connecting areas to help them bond. A stiff toothbrush or an opened-up paper clip works well for scoring. Then use a small paintbrush to help you apply just a little water over the scored area.
7. Use Water Sparingly
A little goes a long way! Too much water weakens the clay, so add water a little at a time if your clay is drying too quickly.
8. Don’t Make Projects Too Thick
Thinner, evenly shaped pieces dry faster and crack less. But try not to make anything thinner than ¼” to give your project strength.
9. Allow Plenty of Drying Time
Most projects dry in 24–72 hours. You can carefully turn them over after the first day to help them dry evenly.
10. Fill Cracks with Wet Clay
Minor cracks can be smoothed over by adding a little wet clay to those areas. Then let it dry again before painting.
11. Paint Only After Fully Dry
Wait until the clay is bone dry before painting. This usually only takes a day or two for a small project.
12. Choose Your Paint Wisely
Tempera and acrylic will work best. Watercolor can be used for a soft look but avoid using too much water, as that can weaken the clay.
13. Build on a Sturdy Base
Working on a sturdy base makes moving projects easier and safer. A small paper plate or foil covered cardboard can work great. You can also write students’ names on their bases for easy identification.
14. Handle With Care After Drying
Air-dry clay is more fragile than kiln-fired clay. Let students know that pieces will break if handled roughly.
15. Use Tools for Texture
Try forks, rubber stamps, small leaves, and buttons to make creative surface patterns and designs.
16. Label Work While Wet
Use a toothpick or a dull pencil to write names or initials on the bottom of each piece before it dries.
17. Organize Drying Spaces
Use trays or drying racks labeled by class to keep pieces organized if you work with lots of students.
18. Don’t Try to Rehydrate Old Air-Dry Clay
Once fully dry, air-dry clay can’t be reconstituted or made soft again like pottery clay can. Be sure to keep extra clay sealed while not in use.
19. Start with Small Projects
Have kids practice their clay techniques on projects like beads, tiles, or small animals when they’re first getting started with air-dry clay. Small projects like these dry quickly and are fun for kids who are new to this medium.
20. Set Expectations About Functionality
This might be the most important thing of all… Make sure your students understand that air-dry clay is for decorative use only. While it can’t be used to make things for eating, drinking, or holding candles, it can be used to make lots of other fun stuff!
You’ll find that many projects designed for pottery clay can be made with air-dry clay as well. As long as a project is small in scale, and for indoor use not involving food, liquid, or flames, then it will probably work with air-dry clay.
With these tips and project ideas, you can give kids all the joy of creating with clay while avoiding the problem of not having a kiln. Crayola Air-Dry Clay is an affordable and flexible medium that brings clay projects to any home or classroom—no kiln required!
an inspiring quote
“In every block of clay, there is a statue inside and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” ~ Michelangelo
This quote is a great reminder that creativity is about discovery—not perfection.
When kids work with clay, they’re not just crafting objects. They’re learning to express themselves, solve problems, and see potential in something ordinary.
The process of using their imagination to find what’s hidden inside the clay is where the true magic happens. And sometimes, what kids discover will surprise even them!