Make Your Own Clay Face (and Scavenger Hunt)

22nd August 2018 Kids

Fresh from Just So Festival last weekend, I have a certain little lady that loved clay face making so much that she asked on the day whether she would be allowed to make one at home in our garden to keep. Luckily the team from Barefoot Ceramics who were running the event for Just So, were selling little clay packs to come home with us. £4 later and we had in our hands a little bundle of cellophane wrapped clay which the Bear continued to carry around for the next 2 days. We were barely unpacked before she was demanding to make her clay face so off we went to do exactly that. Here’s how it went.

PREPARATION

If you follow the blog, then you know I like to pad out any craft we do for as long as possible and with as many steps as we can. The reason is that my two have the attention span of a gnat. Also, I may be creative and love crafts, but if I need to think of a new one every half hour then I will without a doubt go slowly insane. Therefore, our clay face making started with a scavenger hunt.

Out came the wicker baskets and off we went to the tiny little wooded area we have in front of our house. We don’t need to go far and my two love nothing more than wandering around looking for certain treasure to find. Strangely it all became very organised – dictated by the Bear of course – and before I knew it she was collecting leaves, I was collecting twigs while the Boy was responsible for conkers. Which apparently, we weren’t going to use but were a necessary step in the process. I have no idea what goes on in her mind but it’s a weird and wonderful place!

Now, with our baskets of woodland treasures and our lump of clay. We were ready to begin.

MAKE YOUR OWN CLAY FACE

This really is the most simply activity but is so much fun.

Simply roll the clay into a ball and squish onto the bark of a tree. As the Bear very kindly reminded me, smooth trees don’t work very well so you need to look for one that has a lovely rough bark to it. Once squished on you simply need to style your face. It can be a person, an animal, a shape……the only limit is your own imagination.

Be sure to use all your woodland treasures you created to add features, hair and (in Henry’s case) make it even more three dimensional. Before you know it, you have a piece of natural, woodland art proudly displayed.

I’ve been trying to find a replacement clay for re-ordering and came across this one on Amazon from Baker Ross (affiliate link) which I think would work just as well. This is what we will be using once my two are ready to go again and make a new face.

 

So, there we have it: clay faces with a built-in scavenger hunt. This kept my two entertained for a little over an hour and they have been proudly displaying their work to every visitor ever since. Therefore, it’s easy to say it’s been a big hit in this house with very little cost other than a little modelling clay. A great, fun activity which gets them outdoors which is perfect for when summer turns to autumn and the forest floor becomes rich pickings for woodland treasures.

So, what would you make on your tree?

If you enjoyed this little idea, then why not check out the creations for kids section of the site for more.