DLTK's Christmas Crafts for Kids
Clay Ornaments or Decorations

Val says, "I use a clay recipe (air dry #2) to make Christmas ornaments with my kids.
They can paint them when they are dry, and they're really cute."

You can stamp into the clay (a handprint or other shape), you can cut out with cookie cutters or you can cut out by hand.

Thanks to Val for sharing this idea with us!

So many people have provided us with recipes for making clay ornaments.  There are recipes for air dry versions and baked versions as well as one really neat recipe for cinnamon clay.   You can cut the clay with cookies cutters or shape it with your hands before it dries and paint them afterwards to make wonderful original ornaments.  Take a look and choose the recipe that will work best for your purpose:

• Air Dry Clay
• Air Dry Clay #2
• Air Dry or Bake Clay.
• Air Dry or Bake Clay #2  -- Dries whiter than the previous version, but requires cooking.
• Air Dry Sawdust Clay  -- Dries to a very hard finish. 
• Cinnamon Dough-- Air dries to make wonderful smelling ornaments!

Handprint Santa:

• Press out or roll out a large piece of clay about 1.5 inches thick.
• Have the child firmly press their hand into the clay. Encourage them to use their free hand to push the fingers and thumb more firmly into the clay.
• Cut around the handprint with a knife.
• use a bamboo skewer to make a hole in the top.
• Let dry and then paint.

Footprint Reindeer:

• Press out or roll out a large piece of clay about 1.5 inches thick.
• Have the child press their foot into the clay.
• Cut around the footprint with a knife.
• use a bamboo skewer to make a hole in the top.
• Let dry and then paint.

Cookie Cutter Ornaments:

• Press out or roll out a large piece of clay about 1.5 inches thick. Any thinner and it may crack.
• Have the child firmly press a cookie cutter into the clay.
• Remove the excess clay from around the cookie cutter.
• optional: use a bamboo skewer to gently draw some details into the clay. don't push right through the clay
• Remove the cookie cutter.
• Use a bamboo skewer to put a hole in the shape
• Let dry and then paint (unpainted looks nice too and make a great gift for mommies and aunties who have neutral color schemes heh).
• put a string through the hole you created to hang it on the tree.

Being realistic:

Sometimes the treasures kids make don't quite turn out the way moms might imagine. This is a version designed and painted by my five year old! She made a lovely coil clay pot and then attached shapes to the outside and then ... she squished it all flat. Um.

When I carefully asked what it was... she responded unapologetically and with pride, "A Christmas ornament for Grandma!"

I didn't think to put a hole in it. Grandma displayed it with pride on a little pedestal for years.

Printable version of these instructions