Easy Pinch Pots with Air-Dry Clay

Welcome to the wonderful world of clay with easy pinch pots with air-dry clay! Clay is a crazy amazing art supply that kids love, it’s easy to find, and a little goes a long way. You’re going to love this.

Three pinch pots with air-dry clay sit on a table, each painted with different colors. In the background is a white paper plate with several puddles of acrylic paint colors and a paintbrush.

Pinch pots with air-dry clay are the perfect introduction to clay

Clay might seem like an intimidating art supply, and it can be, but air-dry clay is as simple and easy to use as it gets.

Air-dry clay doesn’t need to be fired, glazed, or anything else complicated that might make it seem tricky for young artists.

Simply make your shape, let it dry completely, paint, and ta-da: that’s how easy it is.

We’re going to make easy pinch pots with air-dry clay where our final pieces aren’t just pieces of art but are actually usable bowls.

✨ Check out our ultimate collection of the best process art projects for kids!

the materialneeded: a paintbrush, small colorful puddles of acrylic paint puddles on a white paper plate, and a plastic bucket of Crayola air-dry clay.

Materials

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Air-dry clay
Acrylic paints
Paintbrushes
Clear spray paint – optional

How to make pinch pots with air-dry clay

This is a two-part project as you’ll make the pots one day, let them dry completely, then paint another. I often would start these with my preschoolers at the end of the week and then finish the following week.

PART 1: Making pinch pots

Whenever I make pinch pots, I think of the nursery rhyme Little Jack Horner and the line “He stuck in his thumb and pulled out a plum” and I model the motions when working with kids.

First, roll a ball of clay into a ball.

Next, stick your thumb into the center of the ball of clay, pushing a little more than halfway down. Then, with your thumb still in the clay, use your index and middle fingers to push the clay into your thumb, pinching it. Rotate the ball of clay in your hands until you’ve pinched all sides.

Repeat this process, pinching the sides to create a bowl.

If you pinch and lift simultaneously, you’ll be able to add height to the walls of your bowl. If you pinch and push your fingers outward from the center, you’ll widen the bottom of your bowl.

Once done, let it dry completely (depending on the weather, this could be as quick as overnight or as long as a few days).

Note: Air-dry clay does not go in an oven.

A dried pinch pot is painted with yellow, pink, purple, teal, and green concentric circles of acrylic paint. In the background is a paper plate with several puddles of acrylic paint in different colors.

PART 2: Painting pinch pots

Time to add color!

Use acrylic paints to add any designs to your dry pinch pot.

Optional: You can spray your finished piece with clear spray paint to make the paint last longer, but this is not a required step.

Three pinch pots sit on a black kitchen scale with their combined weight showing 1 pound and 1.5 ounces.

Clay can go a long way

A 5-pound bucket of air-dry clay might not sound like a lot, but it really goes further than you might think!

These three bowls are each a good size and together weigh about a pound.

So, one 5-pound bucket of air-dry clay could make about 15 bowls of this size.

💡 Teacher Tip: divide the clay into the number of pieces of you’ll need ahead of time (ex: 15 pieces for 15 students) to make sure you don’t run out.

Three photos: (1) a look at clay inside of its plastic container, (2) a white paper plate has seven different colors of paint on it and sits next to a dried pinch pot in a shallow green tray, (3) a paintbrush adds a small teal dot into the center of a colorful painted pinch pot with acrylic paint.

Can I do pottery with air-dry clay?

One of the best things about air-dry clay is how the sky is truly the limit to what you can make.

I’ve had my students make bears, flowers, rainbows, self-portraits, and more from air-dry clay.

Do keep in mind that air-dry clay is not food-safe, nor will it be able to hold up to water (such as making it into a pot).

Pottery made into bowls, mugs, cups, pots, etc., is made from a different type of clay, and it’s an entirely different material and process from air-dry clay.

What is the difference between clay and play dough?

They might look similar, but play dough and clay are different.

Play dough is made for playing and dries hard and crumbly (sculptures cannot be saved).
Clay is made for sculpting and dries hard but firm (sculptures can be saved).
Often, play dough is man-made, and clay comes from the Earth.
Color can be mixed into play dough, whereas color is added to clay.

Both are beautiful materials, they just have different purposes.

Speaking of play dough, here are some of our favorite activities:

Three dried pinch pots sit on a green table next to paint.

Pinch pots with air-dry clay FAQ

What age is this recommended for?

Any that can safely use the materials. The skills needed for this project are also a little more advanced and I have had the most success with kids four and over (kids on the younger side still might need a little help when making the actual pot).

Can the bowls be used as real bowls?

They are can! These pots/bowls are perfect for desks, dressers, play rooms, etc. Note that air-dry clay is not food-safe and cannot be used for food.

Can you make pinch pots from play dough?

Yes and no. You can absolutely make pinch pot shapes from play dough, but play dough does not last and cannot be made into anything permanent.