What can I and a 3yo do with modelling clay?

[mrsgboring]

I am rubbish at art and craft, and usually let DS attack whatever materials in a thoroughly messy and self directed fashion, but would like to actually end up with some creations in clay we can dry out, not just random lumps.

I tried rolling out napkin rings, writing names on them and getting DS to decorate them but he just wanted to cut them up.

Anyone got any tips for clay modelling beyond just letting him squelch it about and hack it up with scissors/knives/rolling pins like playdough? Also how long will it take to dry?

Spoon Bugs

have a look at Cbeebuies/mister maker

monsters

ship in a jar

creatures

age 3 i would really advise letting him get on with it unless he specifically asks to be helped to make something
he can learn much more from exploring in his own way than from being expected to produce something that looks like an adult's idea of art
honest

i would agree with Franny - just let him play with it.

if you get air drying clay and a tea light you make a big blob of it and he wedges the tea light into it and then decorates it however you choose - we chose jewels (plastic) and gave it to his Aunty for Christmas but you could just as easily make it have other rocks on it and make it more manly.

Sorry.
Can't read this thread without innuendo and silent weeping laughter at Franny's, er, 'experience' with free-wheeling clay-play.

I'll get my coat now.

buy him some shaped cutters and let him get on with it - nephew likes the train shaped ones but is very particular about using the yellow cutter on the yellow clay etc!

sorry - I agree, free play is best. Squelching/hacking is perfectly age appropriate and is how he will learn best - and very good for his muscles and fine motor control.

Leave him be!

oh you swine wilf
she is talking about the time my 5 year old was left to squelch around with clay and produced a really accurate scale model of erm, a penis

I am SURE that won't happen to you mrsgboring

Hello all. Sorry for non-response, didn't notice I'd had replies.

I think I had in the back of my mind your DS's creation, Franny. Maybe that's why I was so uptight about letting him just get on with it. (Also the knowledge that we have several lumps of saltdough he made when he was 18 months old I will never be able to throw out and don't want too much clay to follow the same way.)

Thanks for the fab ideas. Will do them while DS is at preschool and pass them off as his own work to the local competitive mummies. No seriously, I think we could have a bash at some of those.

Tried to get my 3yo to make food out of salt dough for her new toy kitchen. She succeeded mainly when given cookie cutters to make cookies. So now we have a good range of play cookies for her pretend picnics and teas.

Well, the squelching is pretty cool!

If you get any interesting small shapes, let them dry, paint them and stick them onto ribbon and make bookmarks for the grandparents. (It's a little known fact that old people can't have too many bookmarks) Or buy cheap notebooks and stick interesting clay artefacts onto the cover.