Playing with Clay: What are the Benefits?

Admit it. You enjoy playing with clay as much as the kids in your class enjoy it.

 

Clay is one thing that could makes those little heads pop up in anticipation in any class, regardless of age. The moment those little hands sink into that soft dough, you’ll know for sure that this could keep them busy for hours.

 

THE BENEFITS OF CLAY PLAY

 

What are the benefits of letting kids play with clay?

• It develops a child’s motor skills.

 

They pound it. They pinch it. They tear it apart.

 

Knowing how many different actions a child can do with a small pile of clay, you can just imagine ow much their motor skills are developed by giving them time to play with clay. Through time, they are better able to control the way their hands move as they try to create the figures they need.

 

• It sparks their imagination.

 

When you work with clay, the possibilities are endless. You can build cities, farms, and communities. You can build planes, spaceships, and everything else that those creative minds can think of.

 

Playing with clay requires imagination, something that has to be encouraged and developed early. Remember that they may be imagining clay cities now, but they could be building real ones in the far future.

 

• It has a calming effect.

 

Did you know that playing with clay is therapeutic? The act of molding clay in your hands has the ability to release all the stress from your body and keep your mind as calm as possible.

 

Try to observe your class the next time they play with clay. You may have noticed it before, or there’s a possibility that you missed out on it. But when they start playing with clay, you’ll notice that the class is quieter than usual. Even their movements are more relaxed. It’s another version of the stress ball, but with more opportunities.

 

• It boosts a child’s confidence.

 

The thought that every small movement they make with their hands can make the clay look the way they want to is a great esteem booster for kids. It gives them the sensation of being in control, and the idea that they can decide what their creation would look like is a highly empowering thought for children.

 

 

Seeing all the benefits that come with clay play, you definitely have to make it a more regular part of your classes.

 

CLAY ACTIVITY IDEAS

 

Here’s the problem. Most of the time, when it comes to clay time, it always ends up the same way – give children clay, make them form random things.

 

But that gets boring after a while.

 

To add something new to your usual clay time, here are a few activities that you can try

 

Scavenger Make and Hunt

 

You have probably organized a few scavenger hunts in your class. Well, here’s a cool way to make it even more interesting.

 

 

1. Instead of the usual list of things that they have to search for, come up with a list of things that they have to make using clay.
2. Hide globs of clay around the room. Make sure that they are different colors.
3. Assign a specific color to each item on your list. For example, you can ask them to make an apple if they find red clay, or you can have them make a turtle should they find some green ones.
4. At your go signal, have the kids look around the room for the clay.
5. Every time a child finds clay, have them make the specific item assigned to that color.

 

It’s fun, it’s creative, and it has clay in it! You can even incorporate other materials into it. You can also hide a few Lego blocks for example, and ask them to build something for your clay turtle, apple, or anything else you want them to mold.

 

Clay Nature Imprinting

 

If your class enjoys making decorative art, then this is a great way for them to do that using clay. It also allows them to use things from nature and preserve them in a unique way.

 

 

**Note: Make sure you use clay that would harden easily when left out to dry. There are a number of recipes for homemade clay available online.

 

1. Have them collect flowers, leaves, and other things that you believe would have a distinct shape and would leave a clear imprint on clay.
2. Have the kids form different flat shapes using clay. Make sure that each would be around a centimeter thick.
3. Have them press the random things they collected from nature against the flattened clay’s surface. It should be hard enough to leave a clear imprint of the object on the clay.
4. Once you’re sure that you have clear imprints, have the kids remove the flower, leaf, or branch.
5. Leave the clay out to dry, preferably under the sun. This will make the clay harder, and will permanently leave the imprint on its surface.

 

Once the clay hardens, you can ask the kids to display them around the room, or take them home and display them around the house.

 

Monster Village

 

Just because they’re called monsters does not mean that they won’t be adorable. With clay and a few choice materials, monsters can actually turn out to be a lot less scarier than kids think they are.

 

1. Give the kids different colors of clay.
2. Put an assortment of materials in the middle of the table. It could be anything! You can add beads, pipe cleaners, feathers, and a lot more. Just make sure you add in a LOT of googly eyes.
3. Have the kids create their own monsters. Encourage them to make the monsters as grotesque as possible, using unique shapes and different colors.
4. Now that the monsters are formed, have the kids create a small village for all of their monsters. You can let them use building blocks or Lego to create houses and buildings.

 

With the creativity that each child would put into their own monsters and the cooperation they would need to create an entire community out of their individual creations, this could definitely mold and develop those creative minds.

 
With these activities, your class would definitely want more clay time everyday. Be creative and think of more activities that would help develop these young minds. Remember that what they create with their hands now could be a sneak peek of what they can do in the future.