Canku Ota

(Many Paths)

An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America

July 12 , 2003 - Issue 91

Playclay

Children explore and model shapes with a basic flour and salt playclay; then they press a selection of collage materials into their shapes to become decorations baked or air-dried into long-lasting sculptures.

• Make playclay. (Children like to help mix.) Mix 4 cups (500g) flour, 1 cup (250g) salt, and 1-3/4 cups (300ml) warm water in a bowl. Knead the mixture for 5 to 10 minutes before modeling.
• This recipe can be doubled or halved successfully.
  
• Place a rubber placemat in front of each child at the worktable. Put a child-size portion of playclay onto each placemat. (Children can also work on a bare table.) NOTE: This clay starts drying when exposed to air. To keep the unused portion fresh, store in an airtight container.
  
• Place loose collage items into the cups of a muffin tin, into paper cups placed on a baking tray, or into any other containers on hand. Spread out other collage items on a baking pan or tray.
  

• Explore and enjoy the playclay.
  
• Poke, model, roll, and flatten the playclay into shapes.
  
• Decorate the shapes. Press sticks, twigs, or other materials into their shapes (see list.) Notice that some materials are suggested for baking, while others are suggested for air-drying.
• Choose to air dry or bake the shapes, depending on the materials that pressed into them.
  
• Place the sculptures on a flat cookie sheet to air dry for several days, or use the following baking directions:

  Bake the shapes at 325ºF (170ºC) for about an hour (adult only). Use a flat smooth cookie sheet for baking. The baking time will depend on the thickness of the dough. A good rule of thumb is to allow half an hour of baking time per 1/4" (1 mm) thickness of dough. Extra thin sculptures will bake quickly, so watch them carefully to prevent burning. Allow the shapes to cool.

• After the playclay shapes are dried or baked, pour tempera paint into a shallow dish.
  
• Paint shapes with tempera paint. Air dry on paper plates.

• Children love mixing and pouring in the water more than any other step of the recipe.
  
• This dough is not meant to be eaten. However, it will not harm children if it is ingested.
  
• Children can work on a covered or bare table, individual placemats, trays, or wax paper.

Variations

• Glaze -- For a shiny surface, glaze the completed shapes before baking by brushing them with a beaten egg white, evaporated milk, or mayonnaise.
  
• Handprint -- Make a large flat circle and ask the child to press her hand in the center. Then bake it or let it air dry.
  
• Cookie Cutter Shapes -- Roll the dough flat and cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Poke a hole at the top with the end of a straw before baking. When it is done baking, tie a short or long string through the hole to make an ornament or necklace.

Canku Ota is a copyright © 2000, 2001 of Vicki Lockard and Paul Barry.

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