How To Make DIY Polymer Clay Fridge Magnets At Home
Making DIY clay magnets is easier than you think. Kids and adults alike will love making this easy polymer clay craft idea for their fridge!
Oven bake clay is so easy to work with that even young artists can make cute DIY magnets in no time at all. If making these with children, please allow an adult to do the baking while taking proper precautions.
Why Kids Love Using Polymer Clay
Supplies you’ll need
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*You can purchase packs of regular magnets, mini magnets or self-adhesive ones. We like to superglue our magnets onto the clay for a stronger bond.
RELATED CRAFT IDEAS – Create DIY clay charms using similar materials next!
How To Make Clay Magnets
The examples below were made by 7- and 8-year-olds. Since we made these in the Fall, we also made adorable clay pumpkin magnets.
Step 1: Set Up Your Work Area
We let them pick the colors they wanted and limited the amount of polymer clay they used, which helped keep their magnets smaller. We also purchased this cheap sculpting kit so each child could work with a small piece of plexiglass.
Step 2: Sculpt Your Magnet
Smaller and flatter 3-D designs work best for magnets. Show children how to build with coils, slabs, and other sculpting techniques. Use a toothpick and other tools to add texture. Make sure that all clay is pushed together.
PRO TIP – Make sure that the sculptures children are creating are larger than the size magnets you purchased. You can give artists a magnet to check the size of their creation before baking.
Step 3: Bake The Clay Design
This is best done in a toaster oven at 275 degrees F for 30 minutes. For Premo clay, you bake at that temperature for every 1/4″.
Read the baking instructions on the clay you chose to work with.
PRO TIP – Use a magnetic thermometer to monitor your temperature. You want your temperature to be as even as possible to avoid cracking your pieces.
Optional: Add Clear Coat
To change the appearance of your surface, you can purchase a specific, clear gloss from Sculpey, use Varathane, or use different versions of Mod Podge. The rainbow example was painted with Sparkle Mod Podge for an added fun touch.
Step 4: Add A Magnet
Depending on the size of your sculpture and the magnet, glue 1-2 magnets on the back of your clay design. We used this super glue and love how easily you can control the amount of glue that comes out.
Tips
- Sketch out your idea first, or find a picture to work from.
- Keep clay designs simple at first.
- Use clean hands to warm the clay.
- Work on a clean surface. Colors will transfer to your clay sculpture if you are not careful.
- Work on clean surfaces like plexiglass, glazed tile, or baking sheets.
- Rubbing alcohol on a rag can help keep your surface clean.
- Your hands will help make the clay more pliable.
- Beginners can use simple tools like toothpicks and a glass cup to roll for sculpting. You can also purchase a tool kit if needed.
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Clay Magnet FAQs
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We know these little artists were so excited to display their DIY clay magnets for all to see, and we know they were proud of their creativity!
How To Make Clay Magnets At Home
Equipment
Supplies
- Polymer Clay
- Sculpting Tools
- Magnets
- Super Glue
- Clear Gloss optional
Instructions
- Set-up a work area. Build on a small plexi glass surface or plate so that you are easily able to remove the clay design when finished.
- Create smaller and flatter 3-D designs by building with small coils, slabs, and other sculpting techniques.
- Use a toothpick and other tools to add texture. Make sure that all clay is pushed together.
- Follow the baking instructions for your polymer clay and the thickness of your final design.
- Let the clay cool.
- OPTIONAL: Add a clear coat to your clay to change the surface appearance.
- Once the polymer clay is completely dry and cool, use a small dot of super glue to attach the magnet to the back of the clay.
- Let dry and starting using your cool magnet on your fridge or metal surface.
Notes
- Give artists a magnet to check that their clay design is bigger than the size of the magnet.
- We baked our small clay designs in the toaster oven at 275 degrees F for 30 minutes. Baking time will vary depending on the thickness of your clay.