Easy Leaf Pinch Pots - Fall Craft for Preschool

Today I am combining two of my favourite Autumn Crafts for Kids to date: the Apple Pinch Pot with the Leaf Clay Bowls…. and voila, we have easy Leaf Pinch Pots!

Easy Leaf Pinch Pots for Preschoolers and Kids. A great clay project for young kids for Fall or Thanksgiving #clay #preschool #thanksgiving #fall #autumn

Pinch pots are a great craft to get kids of all ages started working with air drying clay (or kiln clay for that matter) – they are super easy to do, are great as a finger strengthening exercise and look adorable. Today’s Leaf Pinch Pot is really is easy to make – I like to focus on “simple shapes” – so the kids are able to do these themselves too and still have great results. I hope you agree with me too!!

This Leaf Craft makes a great Autumn Craft for Kids but also a wonderful Thanksgiving Craft and decoration!

Slightly older kids may want to have ago at our Leaf Clay Bowls – they are a wonderful technique using REAL LEAVES to create your shape and patterns! And I simply adore them.

Leaf Pinch Pots – Materials

Air drying clay (we love natural air drying clay)*
Acrylic paints (though they look lovely plain too.. especially if you decide to use brown air drying clay)
Paint brushes if painting

* air dry clay is available at any good craft store or of course online. Be sure to buy the natural kind, that comes in very large bags and is very cost effective. Don’t be tempted by the heavily branded smaller packs.

How to make Leaf Pinch Pots

Once again, I have a video tutorial on auto play for you, as well as the step by step photos below. You can also scroll right down for a link to the youtube video (with voice over).

Leaf Pinch Pots Step By Step Instructions

Making pinch pots is fun and easy and a great way to get started with pottery – be it air dry clay or kiln fired clay! It is great for beginners and advanced potters too!

Take a “handful” of air drying clay – a ball of clay that sits comfortably in your hand. With your thumbs start making a dip inside the clay and forming a rim. Keep working your thumbs around the centre of the ball of clay.

Using your thumb and index finger, push into the centre of the ball and start shaping it into a little round bowl. Keeping working around the lip – evening out all the bumps and lumps. If it starts cracking, you can use a little water to smooth it down as you go!

Once you have a basic round bowl shape. Neated off any cracking on the surface of your pot with some wanter. Then, pinch one end together to shape the front of the leaf…

..and then the back to shape a stem. Keep smoothing the rim and all the lumps and bumps unitl you are happy with the shape of the pot.

Continue to use a little water to smooth down the edges and surfaces of your Pinch Pot. Until you have a ncie smooth texture without any cracks. If working in a classroom, be sure to put your initials on the bottom of your pot with a wooden tool.

Then let dry fully!

Once dry, paint in your desired colours. I decided to go for yellows and greens on one leaf and reds and yellows on the second! As mentioned we used acrylic paints to paint our leaf pinch pots – they seal the air dry clay a little. Of course using kiln clay and a glaze would be stunning too! Be sure to cover the whole pot with the paint!