Ceramics for Kids: Creative Clay Projects to Pinch, Roll, Coil, Slam and Twist

Ellis offers a clear introduction to techniques children can use to create a variety of projects. There’s lots of fun to be had here, and it’s refreshing to see attractive finished products that look like youngsters have actually made them.”—Booklist.

“Appealing...Ellis provides clear directions, uses simple procedures, suggests inexpensive tools, and usually offers several photo examples of completed projects....Imaginative pieces.”—School Library Journal.

Give a child a ball of clay, and hours of creative fun are sure to follow. From coiled goblets and elegant vases (with impressions of real leaves) to slab-rolled lanterns with cutout shapes, kids can make so many fantastic things. Every one of the 26 projects, shown in color how-to photographs and whimsical illustrations, is visually captivating. Help youngsters set up their own “artist’s studio” and experience the pleasure of creating fabulous ceramics from scratch. You won’t even need a kiln, because there’s advice on finding places to fire the clay—plus all the basics on tools and materials. Hand-building techniques include pinching, coiling, slab-making, and press molding; children will even learn how to shape clay around an inflated balloon. “Clay Clues” answer common trouble-shooting questions, and a gallery of ceramics by real kids offers inspiration. From the beginning stages of creation to the final firing, these projects rock.