The Art of Play

Three Dimensional Art

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Madeline's Sculpey sculpture of a Scottish Terrier
Clay is a great medium for teaching action and reaction.  A child pokes his finger in a ball of clay, and an indentation results.  Children learn how to manipulate clay to suit their needs.  They learn about aesthetics of three dimensional form.  
There are many different options regarding clay.  Play Doh is a readily accesible and inexpensive option.  Click here for a recipe.  Sculpey/Fimo clay is a bit more expensive, but used in small amounts children can make colorful sculptures.  Sculpey and Fimo are easy to manipulate and once a sculpture is completed, it can be baked in a home oven until hard.  

Sculptures Made from Recycled Materials

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Grant building an outdoor sculpture at Columbus Community Festival
Old cans, boxes, paper tubes, etc. make great building blocks for large scale sculptures.  These sculptures can be as big as your imagination can make them!  Large cardboard appliance boxes also make wonderful structures for outdoor sculptures.  For added fun, have children paint the recycled materials to personalize their sculptures.  

Sculptures Made From Natural Materials

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Source: http://blog.frenchtoastgirl.com/2009/06/house-for-fairies.shtml
Twigs, leaves, pine cones, flowers, rocks and pebbles all make great materials for sculpture.  Children learn how to combine natural materials and don't even need glue to build sculptures outdoors.  Creating fairy houses is a wonderful way to connect children with the natural world and foster creativity.