Making DIY clay charms is easier than you think. There are so many adorable themes and ideas you can explore. These clay creations are perfect for keychains, jewelry, and more! The best part is some charms can be sculpted in less than 5 minutes!

food clay charms on table. — A 6-year-old artist made these clay charms.

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Oven bake clay is so easy to work with that even young artists can make cute DIY charms. If making these with children, please allow an adult to do the baking while taking proper precautions.

Why Kids Love Using Polymer Clay

KID FRIENDLY – Any aged artist can sculpt with oven-baked clay.
EASILY CHANGE SUBJECT MATTER – The sky is the limit when designing charms.
CAN BE DONE AT HOME – This easy sculpture idea for kids uses polymer clay that can be baked at home. We prefer using a specific toaster oven to bake polymer clay.

Supplies you’ll need

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Polymer Clay (we are using Sculpey Premo)
Optional: Gloss
Tools (such as a toothpick, glass cup, etc.)
Small Eye Hooks
Toaster Oven

PREMADE KITS – We love this DIY charm kit for kids that would have everything you need.

Tips For Sculpting With Clay

Sketch out your idea first, or find a picture to work from.
Keep clay charm designs simple at first.
Use clean hands to warm clay.
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.

DIY Charm Tutorial

Step 1: Sculpt Your Charm

We will make a simple pizza charm for this example by layering different colors together. You can see how we added layers and other textures with the toothpick.

Kids are always creative in making food sculptures, like our fun Model Magic food art lesson.

Step 2: Add Your Eye Hook

Before baking, stick an oven-safe eye hook into the clay sculpture.

pizza clay charm with container of gold eye hooks.

Step 3: Bake The Clay Charm

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″. Our pizza sculpture is almost 1/4″ thick, so we baked it in our toast oven for 30 minutes.

Read the baking instructions on the clay you chose to work with.

PRO TIP – Use an oven 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.

Clay Charm FAQs

If you want to change the surfaces appearance then adding a clear coat would work. However, it is not necessary to seal your clay charms.

It is best to store your oven bake clay in air tight containers or bags to avoid lint and other dust from getting stuck in your clay.

We like baking our polymer clay in a toaster oven we specifically use for crafting. We recommend doing your own research about baking polymer clay in your regular oven. One thing to note is that you should never try to bake your clay in the microwave.

colorful polymer clay charms on a white table.

More Unique Clay Ideas

UNIQUE WAY TO ADD COLOR TO CLAY: Forget The Glaze! Create An Oil Pastel Resist
SCULPTURE IDEAS: 6+ Clay Animal Projects Kids Love Building
EASY ART: How To Make A Pinch Pot At Home

Whether you add these awesome DIY clay charms to keychains or jewelry, showing off these clay creations is so much fun.

Prep:5

Creating:15

Baking:25

Total Time:45

Equipment

Toaster oven or oven approved for polymer clay
Oven thermometer
Toothpick or clay sculpting tools
Smooth work surface

Supplies

Polymer clay in assorted colors we used Sculpey Premo
Small oven-safe eye hooks
Polymer clay-compatible clear gloss

Instructions

BEFORE YOU BEGIN: Choose a simple charm design and gather your clay colors. Work on a clean, smooth surface. An adult should handle all baking and follow the manufacturer's directions for the specific polymer clay being used.
SCULPT YOUR CHARM: Warm the polymer clay in your hands until it is easy to shape. Use small balls, coils, and flattened pieces to build your design. For our pizza charm, we layered different clay colors and used a toothpick to add texture.
ADD AN EYE HOOK: Carefully insert a small oven-safe eye hook into the clay before baking. Make sure it is securely positioned so the charm can be attached to jewelry or a keychain.
BAKE THE CLAY: Have an adult bake the charm according to the manufacturer's instructions. For Sculpey Premo, the recommended temperature is 275°F for 30 minutes per 1/4 inch of thickness.
LET COOL: Allow the baked charm to cool completely before handling or adding accessories.
ADD A CLEAR COAT (OPTIONAL): Brush on a compatible clear gloss if you want to add shine to your finished charm.

Notes

Let kids choose their own designs and experiment with simple clay-building techniques. I love starting with small food sculptures because kids can combine basic shapes to make something completely unique!
Keep your first charm designs simple. Small food shapes and animals are great for beginners.
Work with clean hands and on a clean surface to prevent lint and dust from sticking to the clay.
Use a toothpick to add small details and textures.
Check the baking directions for your specific clay brand and use an oven thermometer to monitor the temperature.
A clear coat is optional. Polymer clay does not need to be sealed.

Tried this Crafty Art Idea?Please consider !

Author: Erin Nutter

Cost: $5-$10