Looking for a fun and creative Halloween project that’s easy, affordable, and classroom-friendly? (Images below are from Canva)
This week in Art Club, our students explored air dry clay to build their foundational sculpting skills.
They began by crafting miniature clay pumpkins to learn the fundamentals of clay work, forming, joining, and texturing, applying those same skills with imaginative flair.
It’s the perfect project for developing technique, creativity, and confidence in working with clay.
🧰 What You Need
- Air dry clay
- Clay tools or paddle pop sticks
- Small bowl of water (one per desk)
- Acrylic paint and brushes
- Clear water-based varnish (for shine – we use ZART Supergloss)
- Chux for students to work on
- Cling Wrap also works well for students to work on (or if you aren’t finished, wrap in cling wrap so it doesn’t dry out!)
Note: Our clay baskets have paddle pop sticks, a kidney, clay tools, joining triangles in them. The baskets themselves are from Kmart (kids shopping baskets)
🎃 Part 1: Clay Pumpkins
Step 1 – Get Ready
Make sure your hands, tools, and workspace are clean. Use only a small amount of water, too much can make your clay soft and sticky.
Step 2 – Shape the Pumpkin
Use your paddle pop stick to press grooves around the sides to look like pumpkin lines.
Gently flatten the top and bottom so it doesn’t roll away.
Step 3 – Add a Stem
Roll a small coil of clay for the stem. Scratch both pieces where they will join (scoring) and dab a little water before pressing them together.
Step 4 – Add Details
Carve a small face or add patterns like leaves or vines. Keep it simple so it doesn’t break when it dries.
Step 5 – Dry and Paint
Let your pumpkin dry for 1–2 days.
Once dry, paint it orange, green, or gold. Add shadows in the grooves and highlights on top.
Finish with clear varnish to make it shiny and strong.
💡 What We Learned
- How to shape and join clay safely
- How to create form and texture
- How to build with support forms (toilet roll and paper)
- How to paint and seal a sculpture
- How to use imagination to create fun Halloween art
This Halloween Air Dry Clay project was a fantastic way to build clay skills while having creative fun in the art room!
Cultivating Creativity: Best Practices for the Art Classroom 