Chemical Clay

Chemical clay can be made from kitchen ingredients. Chemical clay pieces must be moistened with water before they stick together. This clay dries strong with a stonelike finish and can be painted with tempera paints.

This recipe makes a lump of clay about the size of a softball.

Materials:

• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup salt
• 3/4 cup water
• cooking pot
• old pie tin or aluminum foil
• mixing spoon

1. Mix all of th salt and cornstarch in the pot.
2. Slowly stir in all of the water. Keep stirring until the mixture is smooth.
3. Cook and stir the mixture over low heat until it is stiff to the consistency of mashed potatoes. This should take about 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Spoon the mixture out onto a pie tin or a piece of foil, then let it cool for about 10 minutes.
5. When the mixture is cool enough to handle, squeeze and press it until it feels like clay. This should take about 3 or 4 minutes.
6. To store unused clay, wrap it in wax paper. It should be alright for several days. If it gets too sticky, add a little water into the clay.