Clay is a great (and inexpensive) material your little one can play with, with endless possibilities and a fantastic way to make decorations that last.
Did you know clay is also an eco-friendly material?! Due to its natural origin, it has little impact on the environment and is easily recycled!
So, with the festive season here, we’ve put together this activity guide to make a gingerbread person Christmas tree ornament using air-drying clay.
Although we’re making a gingerbread person, you can make any shape with the same awesome effect.
You’ll need:
- Air-drying clay,
- String or ribbon,
- Old buttons/beads or other crafting accessories,
- Gingerbread person cookie cutter (you can also use another shape or use a toothpick or carving tool to cut this out yourself),
- Optional: a straw or toothpick to poke out a hole for the string.
The method:
This one is super easy!
Roll out (or spread out) the clay to about a 0.5 to 1cm thickness.
Then, simply cut out the shape using a cookie cutter. If your little one is carving the shape out themselves, please be sure to supervise to ensure they do this safely.
Next, you’ll need to carve a hole at the top for the string.
Once you’ve got your shape it’s time to get creative!
You and your little one can go all out, sticking buttons, beads, and other decorations to the gingerbread person while the clay is still wet.
Eco tip: Don't use googly eyes as these are typically made from plastic and have a big environmental impact.
Did you know you can even make stamps using buttons or leaves and flowers resulting in different textures?!
Once decorated, leave to dry. We recommend 24 hours but be sure to check the manufactures recommendation.
Finally, once your gingerbread person is dry you can add the final touches:
- Pull a string through the top to allow for hanging up on the tree,
- Optionally you can stick on any other crafting accessories or even paint it a different colour!
And voilà! Your very own handmade Christmas tree ornament.
A big thanks to teaching2and3yearolds.com for the reference images (our Christmas elves have unfortunately been too busy to try this one out themselves).
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