# Pumpkin Pie Spice Clay Ornaments
> Cook a fragrant baking soda and cornstarch clay scented with pumpkin pie spice. Kids cut it into leaves with cookie cutters, let it dry, then paint and glitter the shapes for a fall mantle garland.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/homemade-clay-recipe-pumpkin-pie-spice-ornaments/
- Ages: 3–8 yrs · Difficulty: medium · Mess: medium
- Time: prep 30 min, activity 40 min
- Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class · one batch serves about 4 kids
- Skills: fine-motor, sensory-exploration, painting, creativity
- Cautions: corn, ingestion-risk

## Materials (one batch)
- 2 cup Baking soda
- 1 cup Cornstarch
- 1.5 cup Water (household)
- Pumpkin pie spice
- 1 piece Saucepan (household)
- 1 piece Spoon for stirring (household)
- Wax paper (household)
- Leaf cookie cutters
- Drinking straws (household)
- Acrylic paint
- Thick paintbrushes
- Glitter (optional)
- String or twine for the garland (optional) (household)

## Safety
- Adult does the stovetop cooking. The clay mixture bubbles and gets hot, so keep kids away from the stove.
- Let the cooked clay cool enough to handle before anyone kneads it. Check the inside, not just the surface.
- It smells 'yummy' but it is not food. The clay is mostly baking soda and cornstarch, so don't let kids eat it.
- Acrylic paint is not taste-safe and can stain clothes. Use smocks, and supervise young painters.
- Keep glitter and spice powder away from eyes. Wash hands after the activity.

## Before you start
- Adult: cook the pumpkin pie spice clay and let it cool before the kids arrive.

## Steps
1. Adult: put 2 cups baking soda, 1 cup cornstarch and 1 to 1.5 cups water in a saucepan on medium heat.
2. Adult: stir in pumpkin pie spice until you like the scent.
3. Adult: cook and stir until it bubbles and thickens. Don't let it stick to the sides, and keep stirring until it comes together (about 7 minutes).
4. Turn off the heat, let it cool enough to handle, and knead it by hand on wax paper.
5. Press the clay flat and cut out shapes with leaf cookie cutters.
6. Poke a hole near the top of each shape with a straw for hanging.
7. Let the ornaments dry for about a day.
8. Paint each ornament with acrylic paint using a thick brush.
9. Sprinkle on glitter while the paint is wet.
10. Let them dry, then string them into a garland for the mantle.

## Tips
- Choosing a thick brush seemed to be the best situation, since just a drop of paint on a thick brush was enough to cover an entire leaf.
- It took a day for the clay to dry. Honestly, the kids painted a few even before they dried.
- Cutting out the leaves with cookie cutters was great for their developing fine motor skills.
- For every new season we create new decorations for our mantle, and the kids take pride in seeing their work on display.
- Ended up with a liquid mess? Keep cooking. Within 7 minutes or so the mixture should come together, and a quick knead on wax paper gives you the clay.
- One reader got a runny, good-smelling liquid twice, once with 1.5 cups of water and once with 1 cup. Cooking time seems to be the key. (from readers)

## FAQ
**Why did my clay turn into a liquid mess?** The author asks how long it was cooked. Within 7 minutes or so on the stove the mixture should come together. Then give it a quick knead on wax paper.
**How long do the ornaments take to dry?** About a day before painting, although the kids painted a few before they were dry.
**How do you make the hanging holes?** Poke them with a straw before the clay dries.

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2013)

It's time to change up our mantle garland. We have made [**Easter ornaments**](https://www.funlittles.com/homemade-cornstarch-clay/), [**4th of July Bunting**](https://www.funlittles.com/july-4th-crafts-splatter-art-display-craft/), Summer [**flip flops garland**](https://www.funlittles.com/kids-craft-ideas-flip-flop-craft/). In order to embrace the pumpkin season, we made pumpkin pie spice clay. It smelled fantastic and made a wonderful canvas for quick [**art activities.**](blogmemom.com/category/art-projects/)



Materials

- Homemade clay
- Leaf cookie cutters
- Acrylic Paint
- Glitter -optional

The children had a great time using leaf cookie cutters to cut out several shapes



This exercise was great for their developing fine motor skills.



The fragrance was fantastic and the kids enjoyed the whole process. For every new season we create new decorations for our mantle and the kids take pride in seeing their work on display.

We added holes using straws to help in making a garland.



It took a day for the clay to dry and then it was painting time. Honestly the kids painted a few even before they dried.



My 3 year old enjoyed painting her own clay leaf. Choosing a thick brush seemed to be the best situation since just a drop of paint on a thick brush was enough to cover an entire leaf.



Good dose of glitter should always accompany paint.



The colorful sparkly leaves and acorns were a beautiful sight!



All the beautiful clay leaves all glamed up!

 **Homemade Clay Recipe : Pumpkin Spice Clay** 2 cups baking soda 1 cup cornstarch 1-1.5 cups of water Pumpkin Pie Spice - add until you are satisfied with the scent. Add cornstarch, baking soda and water to a saucepan on medium heat on a stove top. Cook and stir until it starts to bubble. The mixture should thicken up pretty past. Don't let it stick to the sides. Keep stirring until the mixtures comes together. Turn off the heat and start kneading by hand. You will have some yummy, fragrant homemade clay.

**Thanks for reading**