My Favorite Materials for Sculpting with Young Artists

It’s another edition of my favorite materials for young artists. This time we’re talking sculpture! Sculpture is such a wonderful, tactile medium to explore with young children. Children are naturally inclined to touch, build, and manipulate objects and sculpture is the art form to lean into those tendencies. When most people think of sculpture they think of clay. Clay is certainly an excellent material to explore three-dimensional art making but it’s not the only one. For sculpture based making, I often turn to recycled materials. They provide a sustainable option that also allows for deep critical thinking and problem solving when making. I encourage everyone to start a “MAKING STUFF” box at their home with recycled materials. I know I have one, or five, at my home. If you’re looking to add to those materials with other sculpture based products, these are tried and tested materials I have used for years. I use affiliate links and any purchase you may make using the links below might result in a small commission for me. Thank you for supporting Start With Art!

• Model Magic

  • This material lives up to its name. It is a magical modeling compound that is perfect for small hands. While a lot of modeling clay requires some hand strength to use, model magic feels soft and pliable. I like to use the white version as markers can be added to it and blended with the hands to create marbled colored dough. It air dries within 24 hours or so or can be kept in an air tight container and used over and over again. If you prefer colored doughs, this pack includes a variety.

• Crayola Air Dry Clay

  • If you’re looking for more of a natural clay feel for your young artist, this is a great air dry clay that doesn’t require a kiln. It comes it an economical 5 lb. resealable bucket that will last a long time.

• Wooden Pottery Tool Set

  • Most of the time, sculpting tools can be items you already have at home. Plastic utensils, toothpicks, wooden dowels, cookie cutters, etc. However, if you are looking to add to your collection, this set provides a starter set of quality wooden tools for working with air dry clay. These tools definitely require some adult supervision, but they will provide your young artist with a variety of ways to experiment with clay.

• Twisteez Sculpture Wire

  • This is one of my top five most asked about materials. This plastic coated wire is such a fun and expressive material to work with. It’s completely coated so there is no fear of getting scraped. It comes in long strands but can easily be cut shorter by an adult prior to creating. It can be twisted and shaped on its own or stuck into clay, styrofoam, or cardboard.

• Pipe Cleaners

  • While pipe cleaners are often thought of as a “craft” material, I love using them for a variety of purposes with young artists. They are particularly helpful in sculpture and can be used alone or to complement clay or paper sculptures. I also always recommend them for beadwork.

• Large Pony Beads

  • Speaking of beads! These beads are large enough for small hands to use but small enough that you can use a lot of them to have that bead stringing experience. This bucket will provide endless amounts of sculptural experiences whether using them to create jewelry or to enhance an existing sculpture.

Have fun and keep on creating!