“Can you bake them to dry quicker?” · marissa
Author Yes, you can bake the ornaments instead of waiting a day for them to air-dry.
The story behind it
By TurkeyMom · March 2013
Ages3–6 yrs
Prep30 min
Activity45 min
Leveleasy
MessMedium
Works for1:1 · Small group · Class
Cook cornstarch, baking soda and water into a soft white clay for squishing and cutting out spring shapes. Let the shapes dry for a day, then paint them, add glitter and string them into a garland.
⚠️ Safety first
- Adult does the stovetop cooking. Let the clay cool before kneading it or handing it to kids.
- Not edible. The author was glad both her kids were past the mouthing stage, since they played with the clay independently. Supervise younger children closely.
- Acrylic paint and glitter are not for mouthing and can stain clothes. Supervise and wash hands after.
Before the kids arrive
- Adult cooks the clay on the stovetop and lets it cool before the kids arrive.
Steps
Adult: put 1 cup cornstarch, 2 cups baking soda and 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups water in a saucepan.
Adult: stir over medium heat until it looks like mashed potatoes, then turn off the heat.
Let the clay cool down, then knead it until it's ready for play.
Squish, squash, stretch and create whatever you like.
Flatten the clay and cut out spring shapes with cookie cutters.
Poke a hole near the top of each shape for hanging.
Set the shapes out to dry for a whole day.
Paint the dry shapes with acrylic paints.
Add lots of glitter.
String the ornaments onto a string to make a garland.
Tips
- It was supposed to be a busy sensory activity, but it turned into so much more. The kids settled down with cutting out shapes once they had the new Easter/spring cookie cutters.from the author
- Squishing, stretching and cutting out shapes is a great fine motor exercise.from the author
- Plan it over two days: day 1 is sensory play, and day 2, once the clay has dried (it took a whole day), is painting day.from the author
- As a kid anything white begs to be painted! The ornaments turned out really pretty with lots of glitter.from the author
- Want them to dry quicker? You can bake them.from the author
Make it your own
- Hang the ornaments on a string as a garland for the mantle.
- Keep it a simple sensory play with no shaping or painting.
Questions readers asked
Can you bake them to dry quicker?
Yes, the author says you can. The post gives no oven temperature or baking time.
What readers say
💬 2 comments ✍️ 1 answered by the author
Answered by the author
🛠️ Troubleshooting
Bake to dry them quicker
Air-drying took a whole day. A reader asked whether the ornaments can be baked to dry faster, and TurkeyMom confirmed you can.
“can you bake them to dry quicker?”
Read all 2 comments
marissa · Jun 2013
can you bake them to dry quicker?
TurkeyMomAuthor · Jun 2013 · replying to marissa
Yes you can..