What Can I Make With Clay For Mother'S Day?

Making homemade clay crafts is a thoughtful and creative way to celebrate Mom on Mother’s Day. The process of designing and sculpting clay allows you to put care into making a gift that comes straight from the heart. Clay crafts also make wonderful keepsakes that can remind Mom of your love for years to come.

Clay is an incredibly versatile material that allows for all kinds of DIY crafting. With just a few simple tools and some creativity, clay can be formed into jewelry, decorative objects, kitchenware, garden items and more. The best part is that clay crafts can be made by crafters of all ages and skill levels.

This guide will provide tips on choosing the right type of clay, walk through clay craft ideas suitable for children and adults, and offer inspiration for turning clay into meaningful Mother’s Day gifts. With just a little planning and effort, you can create a customized, handmade gift this year that Mom will treasure.

Table of Contents

Basic Clay Types

The two main types of clay that can be easily worked with at home are air-dry clay and baking clay. Each has their own properties and are suited for different projects.

Air-Dry Clay

Air-dry clay is very easy to work with. It can be molded into any shape and will harden and dry at room temperature over the course of 24-48 hours. The finished piece will be solid and durable. Air-dry clay is inexpensive and accessible. It’s a great choice for simple projects with kids. Air-dry clay cannot be baked in a kiln. It may also be called pottery clay or modeling clay.

Baking Clay

Baking clay requires being fired at high temperatures in a kiln to harden it, but this allows it to become ceramic, glass-like, and food-safe. Baking clay holds fine details well. There are many types of baking clay, including polymer clay which hardens when baked at low temperatures. Work can be painted or glazed after baking. Baking clay is recommended for more complex projects and sculptures.

Clay Crafts for All Ages

Simple clay crafts are a great way for young kids to explore their creativity while developing fine motor skills. Toddlers will enjoy squishing and molding clay just for sensory fun. Preschoolers can make basic shapes like balls, snakes, and pancakes. Here are some easy clay craft ideas for young kids:

Clay beads – Roll pieces of clay into balls and pierce with a straw to make bead necklaces and bracelets.
Mini animals – Form basic shapes like balls and snakes to create creatures. Add googly eyes for fun.
Imprint sculptures – Press objects like buttons, sequins, or Lego pieces into clay slabs to make designs.
Clay alphabet letters – Help kids roll out and shape their names or initials.
Fairy house bricks – Make cubes for magical construction projects.
Clay bowls – Roll slabs and use cups to stamp out circular bowls.

Supervise young kids when using clay and avoid small objects that could pose choking hazards. But otherwise, let their imaginations run wild!

Keepsake Gifts

Making keepsake gifts out of your kids’ handprints or footprints is a heartwarming Mother’s Day craft. These special mementos capture your child’s hands or feet at a particular age and become cherished lifelong possessions.

Handprint/footprint clay keepsakes make wonderful gifts for any mom, grandma, or mother figure. Here are some ideas:

Make a handprint plaque – Roll out some clay and have your child press their hands into it to leave their prints. Write their name and age below. Bake the plaque according to package directions. Once cooled, apply a protective sealant.
Footprint stepping stones – Let your child step into clay with bare feet to imprint the bottoms of their feet. Allow imprints to dry fully, then give the stones a good coat of outdoor sealant and place them in the garden.
Ornaments – Roll clay into a ball and gently press your child’s handprint or footprint into it. Use a straw to pierce a hole for hanging. Bake ornaments and thread decorative string through holes for hanging on the tree.
Keychains – Imprint letter charms with your child’s initials and add a jump ring for keys. Or imprint their name and year and add a key ring.

Decorate these keepsakes with paint, beads, glitter and more after baking. Write the child’s name and date on the back or bottom. These heartfelt homemade clay gifts will remind Mom of this precious time in their child’s life for many Mother’s Days to come.

Jewelry

Making jewelry with clay is a fun way to create a thoughtful, handmade gift for mom. Clay is very versatile and can be shaped into beautiful beads, pendants, and earrings.

Clay beads are one of the easiest jewelry pieces to make. Simply roll small balls or tubes of clay and poke a hole through them before baking. Add a jump ring after baking to turn them into necklace charms or bracelet beads. Get creative with colors and patterns like stripes, swirls, and sprinkles to make each bead unique.

Slab pendants are another beginner-friendly option. Flatten a piece of clay, cut out a shape like a heart or flower, add texture, and bake. Make a bail out of clay or attach a purchased finding to create a necklace pendant. Handwritten initials, words, or designs can be imprinted into the clay before baking for a personalized touch.

For clay earrings, cut shapes out of thinly rolled clay slices. Or roll balls of clay to make round stud earrings. Bakes the pieces, then glue on earring findings. Dangle earrings can be made by cutting clay into shapes and attaching a finding before baking.

Jewelry made from clay taps into creativity and makes a heartfelt gift. With simple shaping and baking, clay can become beautiful personalized accessories any mom will treasure.

Home Décor

Homemade clay crafts make wonderful gifts for Mom that she can proudly display around the house. Wall hangings, figurines, bowls, and more can be customized with Mom’s favorite colors, patterns, or designs.

Clay wall hangings are a simple way to add personalized art to any room. Make impressions in clay using cookie cutters, natural objects like leaves or seashells, or your own hands and fingers. Add color with paints or inks and seal with a glossy finish. Hang with a ribbon once dry.

Sculpt clay into sweet figurines like birds, bunnies, or angels. Use a modeling tool to add details like feathers or fur. These can be left natural or painted in cheery colors. Apply a clear glaze when dry for a smooth finished look.

Handcrafted bowls make thoughtful gifts, especially in Mom’s favorite hue. Roll slabs of clay and use circular cutters to make nested bowl sets. Or pinch bowls from solid clay for a more freeform style. Add texture by pressing designs into the clay before firing. Bowls can hold trinkets, jewelry, keys, or display flowers and potpourri.

Planters

Clay planters make wonderful Mother’s Day gifts, especially for moms who love gardening or decorating with houseplants. Planters allow you to get creative with shape, color, and design. Best of all, you can plant flowers, herbs, or greenery inside the planter you make.

Start with a basic clay pot shape. Roll coils and attach them to form the walls of the planter, then score and slip the seams to blend them together. Add texture by pressing designs into the clay with rubber stamps, rolling pins, or other tools. Consider making a rectangular window box, spiral planter, or fun animal-shaped planter.

Decorate the planter before baking with clay cut-outs, beads, or rubber stamp impressions. You can leave some areas undecorated to paint later. Use non-toxic acrylic paints to add color after baking. Consider painting the interior a different color than the exterior.

Don’t forget to poke a drainage hole in the bottom before baking. You can cover the hole with a clay disk, cork, or pebbles after planting. Make the planting process easier by baking the planter without soil or plants inside. Then simply add soil and plants after gifting it.

Picture Frames

Picture frames are a popular gift made with clay that allow you to preserve memories with photos of loved ones. They make for a thoughtful present that shows you put time and care into creating something by hand. Picture frames are also an option that both kids and adults can work on together.

Some ideas for clay picture frames include:

Handprint frames – Have your child or loved one press their handprint into a slab of clay to make a custom mold, then carefully cut out and bake the mold to frame their handprint. This makes for a special personalized gift.
Sculpted frames – Get creative sculpting the frame itself out of clay into different shapes, designs, or characters. Sculpt flowers, animals, hearts, or anything meaningful.
Decorated frames – Roll out slabs of clay to cut basic square or rectangle frames, then let the gift recipient decorate it themselves by adding clay shapes, beads, stamps, or paint.
Photo transfer frames – Print out a photo, then transfer the image onto a slab of clay before cutting into a frame and baking. This seals the photo into the clay for a unique effect.

Picture frames made from clay make a memorable DIY gift for Mom. Get the kids involved and watch their faces light up when giving Mom a homemade present showcasing their creativity and craft skills.

Magnets

Clay magnets make wonderful homemade gifts for Mother’s Day. They are easy crafts that kids of all ages can make, and they are sure to make mom smile every time she uses them. Here are some fun clay magnet ideas to try:

– Handprint magnet – Let your kids make clay handprint magnets by pressing their hands gently into a rolled out slab of clay, cutting around the shape, and decorating it. Add a magnet on the back before baking.

– Photo magnets – Roll out thin slabs of clay and cut into shapes or frames. Press a photo printed on regular paper into the clay then seal the edges to hold it in place. Add a magnet back.

– Sculpted magnets – Sculpt any shape your kids can imagine, like hearts, flowers, animals, or their mom’s initial. Make sure creations are not too thick so the magnet can hold.

– Textured magnets – Use clay tools, cookie cutters, or household objects to imprint patterns and textures into flat slabs of clay before cutting into shapes. Get creative with different designs.

– Painted magnets – Bake plain clay magnets first, then let kids paint them with acrylics once cool. Add cute doodles, messages, or realistic designs.

The options are endless for making functional yet sentimental Mother’s Day magnets out of clay! Let your kids’ creativity shine through these homemade clay crafts.

Finishing Touches

After the clay has been shaped and allowed to dry and harden, it’s time to add some finishing touches to really make your creation stand out. Here are some ideas for finishing off your clay crafts with paint, glaze or sealant:

Painting

Acrylic paints work great for adding color and designs to dried clay. Make sure to use an acrylic paint that is specifically formulated for clay, ceramics and pottery. Apply a base coat of acrylic paint after the clay has dried, then let the base coat dry fully before adding additional painted details. Acrylics allow you to get creative with patterns, textures and color effects.

Glazing

For an elegant, glossy finish, apply a ceramic glaze to the dried clay object. Clear glazes work well to give the clay a smooth, glass-like coating while tinted glazes can add vibrant color. Brush or dip the glaze onto the clay, covering all surfaces evenly. Allow the glaze to fully dry before heating the clay according to package directions to set the glaze.

Sealants

For clay crafts that won’t be fired in a kiln, sealants help protect and preserve the clay. Once the clay is fully dry, use an acrylic sealant or polyurethane designed for clay and ceramics. Apply 2-3 thin, even coats letting each coat dry in between. This will give the clay a finished look and prevent paints or glazes from rubbing off over time.

What Can I Make With Clay For Mother’S Day?