If you don’t have access to natural clay, kids can still make a clay pot that looks like earth by using either coffee clay or tea leaf dough. Both clays offer such interesting textures kids won’t even need to paint these pots. The play dough mixtures are easy to work with in forming a pinch pot, coiled pot, or slab pot. After an afternoon of crafts with these fun kids’ activities, think of what you can place in these miniature pots and then give them as gifts.
Make Tea Leaf Play Clay
For one small pot you will need
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons used tea leaves
Mix the ingredients in a bowl. If the dough is crumbly, add a ½ teaspoon of water and blend. Form a ball and then knead the dough on a clean countertop or table.
Make Coffee Dough
For one small pot you will need
- 1 cup flour
- ½ cup salt
- 1 cup used coffee grinds
- ½ cup cold, leftover coffee
- Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and stir until blended. Knead the dough on a floured surface until it is smooth.
Clay Activities for Kids
Unlike working with natural clay, you want to avoid wetting your hands while working with these play doughs. This will make the dough too soft and sticky.
Make a Pinch Pot – Form the dough of your choice into a ball. Push your thumbs into the center of the ball. Use your fingers to build up the sides and your thumbs continue to thin the walls of the pot. Continue until you get the shape you like.
Make a Coiled Pot – Form several small balls of play clay. On your work surface, roll them into snake shapes. Use one snake to make a tight coil that will be the base of your pot. Build up the walls by place a coil around the edge of the base. Gently smooth where the coils touch so the pot won’t fall apart. Keep adding coils until the pot is as tall as you want. Smooth the coils inside the shape.
Make a Slab Pot – Roll the dough so it is ¼” to ½” thick. Use a dull knife to cut five small, equal-sized squares. You may want to cut a cardboard template to follow. One square will be the base. Attach the others as the walls. Carefully smooth the seams where the squares touch so the piece will stay together as it dries.
Both the coffee clay and the tea leaf dough will air dry. The thickness of the pot and the humidity in your area will determine how long it will take the pots to dry. An adult can apply a clear acrylic sealer to protect the final, dried pieces. Then set some tea bags, wrapped candies, pens and pencils, or whatever else you can think of in each pot. Set in a cellophane bag and give as a gift.
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