Playing Clay
away from smartphones back to real play & creativity
An exciting educational activity
at home!
Classes for preschoolers
in the ceramic studio!
Free play, communication, creativity
in the daycare center!
at home!
Classes for preschoolers
in the ceramic studio!
Free play, communication, creativity
in the daycare center!
Playing Clay is not just fiddling with dirt
Playing Clay approach takes elements from
- art therapy
- play therapy
- clay therapy
- storytelling
and makes a unique activity to develop communication, concentration and creativity.
.
Sometimes, we play our favorite fairy tale.
Or we make up a story right away
.
Every kid chooses any character, makes it from clay, and plays with it
.
Parent or teacher helps everyone and encourages everybody to play together.
Playing Clay approach takes elements from
- art therapy
- play therapy
- clay therapy
- storytelling
and makes a unique activity to develop communication, concentration and creativity.
.
Sometimes, we play our favorite fairy tale.
Or we make up a story right away
.
Every kid chooses any character, makes it from clay, and plays with it
.
Parent or teacher helps everyone and encourages everybody to play together.
The method is very easy to start with.
Neither kids, nor adults need any artistic abilities or education.
Neither kids, nor adults need any artistic abilities or education.
Playing clay improves:
- balance and movement coordination,
- fine motor skills,
- emotional intellect,
- speech,
- constructive abilities,
- communication skills,
- releases stress.
- balance and movement coordination,
- fine motor skills,
- emotional intellect,
- speech,
- constructive abilities,
- communication skills,
- releases stress.
I, Alex Lelchuk, came up with playing clay in 2004.
.
While living in Russia, I encouraged and developed open education and art therapy.
.
For many years, I have been running classes and writing about them in social networks.
.
I published two editions of the book about Playing Clay method. Thousands of parents and teachers have read it, and play with clay across the country.
.
Now, I live in Israel and wish to bring this wonderful practice to a broader audience.
.
While living in Russia, I encouraged and developed open education and art therapy.
.
For many years, I have been running classes and writing about them in social networks.
.
I published two editions of the book about Playing Clay method. Thousands of parents and teachers have read it, and play with clay across the country.
.
Now, I live in Israel and wish to bring this wonderful practice to a broader audience.
Open creative play with clay helps...
- ... implement kids' inner visions, feelings and ideas in a soft bulky natural material,
- ... communicate creatively with kids and adults, improve communication skills and self confidence
- ... improve fine and gross motor skills, intellect and emotions
- ... better understand the child, solve psychological problems in a safe environment
Photos of Playing Clay will always make you smile
You will never forget those magic hours you have spent with your kids building castles and roads, knights and cars, flowers and cats.
To get inspired and see the examples of classes, please
- see my Facebook page about Playing Clay: https://www.facebook.com/playing.clay.kids/
- see the #игравглину hashtag on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/игравглину
Some texts are in Russian there, but the photos speak better than a thousand words.
You can start playing clay right away after reading this site.
Though,
after reading the book you will understand the principles and will learn many practical methods.
My unique online course will give you a deep feeling of clay and intuitive modelling, through a series of original excersises.
Though,
after reading the book you will understand the principles and will learn many practical methods.
My unique online course will give you a deep feeling of clay and intuitive modelling, through a series of original excersises.
Clay for playing
You might think that clay is dirty and you'll have to do a lot of cleaning. No way!
.
With my recommendations, your play with clay will be clean and easy.
We use well-prepared soft clay, so we do not use water during play at all.
The whole process is no dirtier than kneading dough for pies.
.
After the class, kids wash their hands and run away.
It takes no more then 15 minutes for a teacher
to put the clay back to buckets and sweep the floor under the table.
.
No water, no dirt, no cleaning.
.
With my recommendations, your play with clay will be clean and easy.
We use well-prepared soft clay, so we do not use water during play at all.
The whole process is no dirtier than kneading dough for pies.
.
After the class, kids wash their hands and run away.
It takes no more then 15 minutes for a teacher
to put the clay back to buckets and sweep the floor under the table.
.
No water, no dirt, no cleaning.
Look what you need to start playing with clay at home or in your studio:
- Professional modelling clay in tightly closed buckets with fleece rags for keeping clay wet enough
- Two buckets of 7-8 kilos is enough for home playing with a couple of kids or individual clay meditation
- Сover the whole table with thick heavy cloth which doesn't stick to clay
- Insturments: only sticks for drawing and cutting small details
You can purchase clay in a professional ceramics supply store or in any art supply store.
.
Any low fire clay or earthenware for hand modeling will do it.
.
Clay can be used multiple times. After each class we collect most of clay back to the buckets. The initial set will cover your needs from couple of months to a year.
.
Or you can leave the clay toys dry, paint them or play with them, or take them to closest ceramics shop for firing.
.
Any low fire clay or earthenware for hand modeling will do it.
.
Clay can be used multiple times. After each class we collect most of clay back to the buckets. The initial set will cover your needs from couple of months to a year.
.
Or you can leave the clay toys dry, paint them or play with them, or take them to closest ceramics shop for firing.
Articles about Playing Clay
After reading these articles, you will be able to start using Playing Clay method with your kids.
Also, you will learn some important things about children art and creativity, children psychology, etc.
Also, you will learn some important things about children art and creativity, children psychology, etc.
Come to Playing Clay classes now
Playing Clay classes in Haifa, Israel:
Every Saturday at 16.00 at Merkaz ha-Karmel, Masha and 3 Bears kids bookstore, sd. ha-Nasi 107, Dan-Panorama hotel lobby
Every Wednesday and Thursday at 17.00 at Nave-Sha'anan, Olya Fridland home studio, ha-Rav Maimon st, 22 apt 5
See table below for classes in other places and countries
We play with clay with kids from 3 to 7 years old and their parents
.
At each class, we choose a different theme together with the kids, and start playing right away
.
I help kids to make their characters or forms, encourage them to go ahead with the story and to communicate with each other
.
At each class, we choose a different theme together with the kids, and start playing right away
.
I help kids to make their characters or forms, encourage them to go ahead with the story and to communicate with each other
Parents are always welcome to join the fun, it is included in the cost of the class
.
It is a great chance to spend some time with your children in an exciting creative activity.
.
It is a great chance to spend some time with your children in an exciting creative activity.
We usually build a lot of big things, so we do not save or fire them
.
At the end of the class we collect all the clay back to the buckets for future use
.
But, kids can take home something small that they like most.
.
At the end of the class we collect all the clay back to the buckets for future use
.
But, kids can take home something small that they like most.
Playing Clay at home
A perfect way to
.
- give your kids a new natural material for play and creativity
.
- give yourself an hour or two of personal time while kids are busy playing
.
- spend some time with your kids doing something simple, funny and useful
.
- give your kids a new natural material for play and creativity
.
- give yourself an hour or two of personal time while kids are busy playing
.
- spend some time with your kids doing something simple, funny and useful
Start playing with clay together with your kids right away.
When kids get comfortable with clay, they will easily play by themselves.
.
You would just have to give them some new ideas once in a while, help solve complicated play or technical situations and praise all their creations.
.
You would just have to give them some new ideas once in a while, help solve complicated play or technical situations and praise all their creations.
Playing Clay in a studio or a daycare center
A perfect way to
- attract preschoolers to a ceramics studio,
- introduce clay modeling to a daycare center,
- make parents participate in their kids' classes
- attract preschoolers to a ceramics studio,
- introduce clay modeling to a daycare center,
- make parents participate in their kids' classes
Playing Clay in a daycare center usually takes the form of a free moderated creative role play.
.
In the beginning, the teacher suggests a theme -- favorite fairy tale, cartoon story or a situation from life and starts to create characters, landscapes and machinery for this story.
.
Kids choose the characters or other things they would like to make and play with -- houses, trees or roads. If somebody wants to make something different, that's fine, too.
.
Kids start to play with what they have just made. The teacher adds more creations, helps the kids to make specific things and tries to integrate everybody's creations into common action.
.
In the beginning, the teacher suggests a theme -- favorite fairy tale, cartoon story or a situation from life and starts to create characters, landscapes and machinery for this story.
.
Kids choose the characters or other things they would like to make and play with -- houses, trees or roads. If somebody wants to make something different, that's fine, too.
.
Kids start to play with what they have just made. The teacher adds more creations, helps the kids to make specific things and tries to integrate everybody's creations into common action.
In a kids studio, we usually invite the parents to join the play at no additional fee, especially for kids under 5 years old.
.
Mother or father would play along -- make their own characters, buildings, trees or mushrooms. They give their kids an example how to model and play. They help their kids to make something only if asked.
.
Adults should make very simple toys, so that kids would be able to make something similar.
.
Playing Clay is especially good for dads, granddads and big brothers. It's heavy, bulky, technical.
.
Mother or father would play along -- make their own characters, buildings, trees or mushrooms. They give their kids an example how to model and play. They help their kids to make something only if asked.
.
Adults should make very simple toys, so that kids would be able to make something similar.
.
Playing Clay is especially good for dads, granddads and big brothers. It's heavy, bulky, technical.
The book will tell you all you need to start Playing Clay
Playing Clay
Modeling, playing and storytelling with kids. Self-expression, emotional and social development
To buy the book on Amazon bookstore click here.
In Russia, the book was published on paper in 2015 under the name Igry s glinoy (Playing with Clay) by a major educational publishing house. About 7000 copies were sold.
The Russian book is on sale in major internet bookstores:
Ozon and Labirint.
Short annotation with sample pages from the English book see below.
Modeling, playing and storytelling with kids. Self-expression, emotional and social development
To buy the book on Amazon bookstore click here.
In Russia, the book was published on paper in 2015 under the name Igry s glinoy (Playing with Clay) by a major educational publishing house. About 7000 copies were sold.
The Russian book is on sale in major internet bookstores:
Ozon and Labirint.
Short annotation with sample pages from the English book see below.
Theory
Basic principles of art therapy, play therapy, creativity, child psychology and common sense applied to clay modelling with kids.
Parents participation
Parents and teachers will understand what clay modelling really means for a child and how they can participate in children creativity process
Methodology
Detailed description of the teaching process, themes for classes and clay modelling methods
Practical experience
Real cases from the classes, photos of children's works with comments from psychological and artistic view point
How to
Step-by-step instructions for fast and easy making of all necessary characters and buildings needed for play
Future
Description of clay modelling classes for teens. Preschool teachers and parents should know what their efforts will lead to
Right now, I am ready to answer your questions about playing clay, buying the materials and starting your home or studio sessions.
Tel/whatsapp: +972 555 044 393
Facebook: alexey.lelchuk,
Email: alexey.lelchuk@gmail.com
Tel/whatsapp: +972 555 044 393
Facebook: alexey.lelchuk,
Email: alexey.lelchuk@gmail.com
