Last Updated on April 15, 2020 by Sheryl Cooper
I’ve had the privilege of visiting several Reggio Emilia-influenced preschools, and I noticed the love they have for working with clay. I was intrigued.
What is clay, and how do preschoolers benefit from using it? I searched the internet and found this article most helpful.
And so, when my co-teacher decided to add clay to our art table, I was thrilled!
We gave each child a bit of clay with no instructions.
We observed as they touched it. Then placed their palms on it. How does it feel, I asked.
Cold.
Wet.
Like dirt.
Then we gave them pony beads to poke into them. (Note: because these are small and a choking hazard, the preschoolers were supervised the entire time.)
Poking and pinching works those fingers!
Because clay isn’t as soft as play dough, they have to work their fingers and palms a bit more.
After squishing and poking, the preschoolers rolled the clay flat and pressed more beads into it.
First clay creations.
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What a great activity! And I bet that it’s pretty cheap in terms of collecting the right supplies!
Oh yes, Stephanie! And so worth it, because they really enjoy the process. Thanks for reading!
It’s always so fun watching children experience a material for the first time and seeing what they do with it – usually not what you’d expect! (At least that’s been the case with my own daughter!)
So true, Emma!
It is sad that some services,do not have clay accessible.
This is a really great activity and so simple