Modern clays have come a long way and the best air dry clay for kids may be the best clay invention of all. You don’t need a kiln or an oven or chemicals to create a hardened finished sculpture! For older kids’ creations our number one recommendation for best air dry clay kit for kids is Mont Marte White Hardening Clay.
For younger kids, my recommendation is more colorful and fun. I love the ESSENSON 36 Colors Air-Dry Magic Clay kit !
Jump Ahead To:
If you’re short of time, here’s our quick list:
1. Mont Marte White Air Hardening Modeling Clay
2. ESSENSON 36 Colors Air-Dry Magic Clay kit !
3. Sago Brothers Modeling Clay 24-Color Kit–
4. VANKERTER 24 Bright Colors Air-Dry Clay Kit
5. AMACO Air Dry Modeling Clay- Best for Full-Body Sculptures
7.DAS Air-Hardening Modeling Clay, 1.1 Lb. Block
8. Szsrcywd 36 PCS Colorful Kids Modeling Soft Clay Air-Dry Clay–
9. Anyumocz 24 Colors Super Light Air Dry Clay
Some air dry clays aren’t clay at all: there are no earthen ‘clays’ in the product. Rather, it may be a modern poly concoction that is really more of a foam than a clay. Our number one priority in our reviews is to find the air dry clay that is fun, economical and non-toxic for your family.
Our Best Air Dry Clay For Kids Reviews
1. Mont Marte White Air Hardening Modeling Clay– Best for Professional Use
If you are looking for air-dry clay for professional art and student projects, consider Mont Marte Air-Hardening Clay. You can get this clay in 1.1lb and 1.5KG packs. These large packs will be enough for making big clay sculptures.
The impressive bit about this air-dry clay is that it is easy to smooth and knead. It remains flexible after kneading so you can easily mold it in different styles. The clay also has a fine and even texture that makes for a more finished end product.
The clay takes 24 hours to fully dry, giving you a lot of time to achieve the desired shape. Once dried, it acquires the hardness of earthenware without needing any fire treatment.
- Available in terra cotta shade
- Can be drilled, varnished, painted, and sanded once dried
- Offer great value for the money
Our Rating: 98%
>>Check price on Amazon<<
2. ESSENSON 36 Colors Air-Dry Magic Clay-
Note: this stuff isn’t ‘clay’. This color air-dry clay set by ESSENSON is one of the most assorted clay sets on our list. Kids will have a blast with this kit….heck, we’d have a blast creating with them! With an amazing variety of 36 different air dry colors, six tools, and 51 accessories, kids and teens will have a ball creating odd-ball items that will harden permanently (can you say good-bye to play dough fast enough??) If you want your kids to develop fine motor skills and better hand-eye coordination from the beginning, fun activities centered on this ESSENSON Clay Set will come in useful.
A feature that makes this clay a perfect option for kids is its ultra-lightness.
- Easy to stretch and mix and kids can play with it without tiring their hands
- Hypo-allergenic and non-toxic.
- Free of gluten and wheat
It IS somewhat stinky. After about 10 minutes it won’t stick to itself so make sure you have some glue handy if you want to glue individual pieces together later.
Comes with extra seal bags to store the mixed clay for next time Includes a project booklet
Highly rated by users
Our rating: 96%
3. Sago Brothers Modeling Clay 24-Color Kit– A Good Quick-to-Dry Clay Option
Sago Brothers has put together an air-dry clay kit that is equally good for kids’ activity and small decorative objects. The kit consists of 24 color clay packs with three tools for mixing, kneading, and shaping the clay. It also comes with a 30-page tutorial book so that beginner clay artists can make their first art pieces without too much hassle.
We like this clay kit due to its vibrant colors that don’t fade over time. Also, the clay doesn’t get brittle and breaks once dried. You can mold it in any form and shape without worrying about the integrity of the object.
This clay is faster to dry than other air-dry clay options. This property makes this clay a great option for making instant decoration pieces.
- Perfect for mixing to make new color gradients
- Comes with 10 extra sealed bags
- Hypoallergenic— Free of all grains
Our rating: 95%
>>Check price on Amazon<<
4. VANKERTER 24 Bright Colors Air-Dry Clay Kit
More like FOAM. If you like to make small clay accessories like pendants, earrings, and keychain, you should consider buying this air-dry clay kit by VANKERTER.
This kit includes everything that you would need to make small beautiful objects. Apart from 24 packets of colored clay, you get various clips, hooks, and pins to make sculptured accessories.
The kit also includes three plastic knives that are strong enough for shaping the clay mixture. We also like this clay for its packaging. All 24 clays come in transparent ziplock bags so that you can effectively store the remaining clay with no dry-ups.
The color options, non-toxicity, and softness of the clay make this kit a suitable option for kids as well.
- Made of eco-friendly, non-toxic materials
- Remains non-sticky during use
- Dries to make long-lasting clay objects
Our rating: 94%
>>Check price on Amazon<<
5. AMACO Air Dry Modeling Clay- Best for Full-Body Sculptures
If you want air-dry clay for bigger projects like slab work and full-body sculptures, then this AMACO clay product is worth considering. It is a package of 10 pounds of air-dry clay that the manufacturer has introduced for large modeling projects.
The best about this AMACO clay is that the quantity does not affect its quality. It is non-toxic and easy to use as any other clay. Also, you have the option to order this large supply of clay in brown, white, and gray colors.
- Perfect for large clay models and objects
- A great bang for the buck
- Can also be fired and glazed!
Our rating: 94%
6. Jovi Air-Dry Modeling Clay
If you want to work on simple gray clay to make small sculptures and other art projects, you should consider investing in this Jovi Air-Dry Modeling Clay. The Spanish manufacturer has been selling clay and other creative products for more than seven decades and has mastered their manufacturing. Jovi knows how to create air-dry clay that is easy to work on and can be used in various projects. Therefore, this clay product starts out soft, making it easy to knead and shape.
You can cut it in shapes as well. Also, you can use the Jovi Air-Dry Modeling Clay to create standalone figures as well as with frames made of wood, wire, and cardboard. Also available in white and terra cotta.
Our rating: 92%
7.DAS Air-Hardening Modeling Clay, 1.1 Lb. Block
This air drying clay is sticky to use when it is first out of the block. It feels like it has paper shreds in it. It dries fairly fragile, but it’s fun to use! My grand kids loved working with this. The more you knead it, the less sticky it is. I must admit the joy of using this clay is in the creating. The finished products are fragile, crumbly and not durable until you heavily varnish the finished creations.
Our rating: 90%
8. Szsrcywd 36 PCS Colorful Kids Modeling Soft Clay Air-Dry Clay–
This product is also a great clay gift for kids. Szsrcywd air-dry clay set consists of 36 color non-toxic clays. Besides those 36 colors, kids can also make various other shades by mixing the given clays. To make sure it remains easy to use, the manufacturer has kept it ultra-soft.
Once it dries up, it hardens into a fairly solid object. The other great thing about this colored air-dry clay is it doesn’t leave colors when you mix, knead, and use it. So, you don’t have to worry about any stains on kids’ clothes and other house articles.
Easy to knead and easy to blend clay— perfect for kids, this is more like foam clay- very gooey and dries fast.
Our rating: 89%
9. Anyumocz 24 Colors Super Light Air Dry Clay
We are rounding off our list with another set of colored air-dry clays. The kit consists of 24 colored clays along with modeling tools. Each clay color comes in an airtight packet of 0.45oz. You make more shades from the existing 24 colors by mixing and blending them with each other in different proportions.
The clay in this kit is super light, making it a good option for people who have just started clay modeling and sculpturing. The lightness of the clay makes it easy to knead and mold it. The clay is also super stretchy. This pliability comes handy while making coils and other twisted patterns.
- Remains lightweight even after drying up
- Also available in a 36 color set
- Completely non-toxic to use
Our rating: 89%
Things to Consider While Buying Air-Dry Clays
Take these factors into account while buying air-dry clay from anywhere:
Color
Large supplies of air-dry clays usually come in white, gray, and terra cotta colors. If you are buying for your art studio, opt from those options. However, if you are buying it for kids or for your own leisure time activity, clays sets in multiple colors will be a better choice.
Drying Time
A good air-dry clay takes almost 24 hours to fully dry and acquires its final hard form. They are better to use because you get a lot of time to work out your intended design and put right any mistakes. Ask the seller or read the label to find out the drying time of any clay pack.
Level of Hardness
Different clay products get to different levels of hardness. For instance, clay for kids remains soft even after drying up. In contrast, air-dry clay for professional work hardens to an extent where you can paint, varnish, sand, and drill it. It will not be as hard and as durable as earthen clay that is fired in a kiln, or polymer clay.
Non-Toxic
If you have noticed, all our reviewed clay products are non-toxic. Any top-of-the-line clay product will be free of harsh and harmful chemicals. However, make sure that the label of the clay categorically states that it is non-toxic.
Benefits of Using Air-Dry Clay
- It lies at lower prices points in comparison to other clay types
- It is easy to work with
- You don’t need a kiln or oven to cure it
- It exhibits better pliability than many other clays
Check Out Our Other Clay Articles:
Best Polymer Clays For Beginners
Things To Make With Air Dry Clay
Inspirations:
Useful but safe tools:
FAQs
Can you fire-cure air-dry clay objects?
Yes, you can cure clay objects in a fire kiln if you want to increase their hardness. However, fire-curing will not be effective on super-soft clay variants. In addition, air dry clays work best when they can air dry slowly and evenly. Forcing a dry will mean the top layers of clay will dry fast and the inner layers will be wet. The problem is, this will create cracks on the surface similar to clay soil drying in a desert environment.
Do colored clays leave stains?
No, if you buy a top-quality clay kit, its colors don’t leave stains on your hands and clothes.
Is air-dry clay suitable for making cookware?
No, the objects made of air-dry clay remain porous after drying up. Even if varnished, they are not safe or appropriate for food use.
Conclusion
We hope that the above reviews and discussion help you in picking the best air-dry clay for your particular use. If we are to make a suggestion, then we would recommend you should buy DAS Modeling clay for your studio work for its supreme quality and reasonable price. For kids, the ESSENSON’s set of 36 colored clays with a host of accessories will remain suitable.