Creative workshops for kids with plaster: ideas and a guide for schools and summer camps

TL;DR: Creative workshops for kids with plaster work well at school and at summer camps because they combine hands-on skills, a little patience and a real object to take home. With Aqua Resin the adult prepares the mix, the children pour it into silicone moulds, the pieces are demoulded after 30 minutes and decorated in the next session, 24 hours later.

Introduction

Running creative workshops for kids with twenty pupils, little time and a classroom to hand back clean is not easy. The right plaster is ready in a few minutes, cleans up with water and leaves every child with an object that lasts. In this guide for teachers, educators and activity leaders you will find how to organise a creative workshop for kids, 6 school craft activities for primary school and a method to work out the materials. If you are looking for ideas to do at home instead, have a look at our creative activities for kids with the family.

Contents

• Key points
• Why plaster works in a workshop
• How to organise a creative workshop
• 6 school craft activities for primary school
• Workshops for summer camps and parties
• How much material you need
• Common mistakes
• Recommended products
• FAQ
• Bring plaster into your workshop

Key points

• Safety: Aqua Resin is not an epoxy resin: it is a premium alpha plaster, non-toxic and water-based, suitable for children aged 5 and over with adult supervision.
• Division of tasks: in a group workshop the adult prepares the mix; the children pour, demould and decorate.
• Timings: demould after 30 minutes and fully dry within 24 hours, so the ideal workshop runs over two sessions.
• Ratio: 100 g of powder to 30 g of cold water, adding the powder to the water.

Why plaster works in a workshop

• Non-toxic and water-based: no solvents, no odours and no catalysts to measure out.
• Cleans up with water alone: spatulas, bowls and hands can be washed at the sink. Gloves are not required.
• Optional mask: the adult who pours and mixes the powder can wear one, but it is not a requirement.
• A rewarding result: the finish is smooth and porcelain-like, and the object stands up to everyday use.
• No release agent needed: in silicone moulds the piece comes out by flexing the mould, with no oils or sprays.

Children can take part from the age of 5, always with an adult supervising. The rule we follow in our workshops is simple: the adult prepares the mix, the children do everything else.

How to organise a creative workshop

A successful creative workshop for kids is planned before you open the bag of powder.

Small groups and clear roles

Split the class into groups of four or five children. Within each group, rotate the roles: one fills the mould with a spoon, one taps it on the desk to release the bubbles, one checks that every piece has its owner's name.

Stations and protected desks

Cover the desks with plastic tablecloths or newspaper and give each station moulds, spoons and a damp cloth. There is only one mixing station, with scales, water and powder, and the adult is in charge of it.

The stages of the workshop

1. Preparation: the adult weighs 30 g of cold water for every 100 g of Aqua Resin, sprinkles the powder into the water and stirs until it forms a smooth cream.
2. Pouring: the children fill the moulds and tap them to remove the bubbles.
3. Demoulding: after 30 minutes the silicone is flexed and the piece comes out whole. The name is written in pencil on the back.
4. Decorating: after 24 hours the plaster is dry and can be painted.

This is why school craft activities with plaster almost always run over two sessions. Here is the timetable we use.

Pro tip: prepare the mix in small batches, one per group: you only have a few minutes of working time before the plaster starts to set, and a slower group should not make the others waste their material.

6 school craft activities for primary school

These workshops link plaster to a school subject: they are primary school crafts designed for groups and for two sessions.

1. Antique-style medallions (art history)

After a lesson on Roman coins or bas-reliefs, the children pour a round medallion and, when the plaster starts to set, use a cocktail stick to engrave a profile, a symbol or their own initial. In the second session they brush on a diluted dark colour and wipe it off straight away with a cloth: the colour stays in the grooves and the medallion takes on an antique look.

2. Fossil prints (science)

Pour the plaster into a shallow mould and, as soon as the cream thickens, press in a shell or a leaf and lift it out gently. The spirals and veins remain, just like a real fossil. For the leaf version, you will find the method in our tutorial on leaf prints.

3. Geometric solids (maths)

Cubes, pyramids and prisms to touch and count: with the geometric moulds each group pours a different solid. In the second session the children paint faces, edges and vertices in different colours and count them.

4. Handprints with alginate

This is the most moving workshop, but it needs one firm rule: hands must never be dipped directly into plaster. You use the Love Cast Kit: the alginate creates the mould of the hand, then the adult pours Aqua Resin into the impression to make the cast. Perfect for Mother's Day or Father's Day.

5. Decorations to paint (art)

Stars, hearts, animals and seasonal shapes to pour in white and paint in the second session with poster paints or acrylics. To get pastel colours straight into the mix, you can add Aqua Pigment. You will find more simple shapes in our guide to creative crafts with kids.

6. Initials for the first days of school (identity)

In the first days of the school year, each child pours their own initial with the Alphabet mould and decorates it their own way. The letters then become a class display.

Workshops for summer camps and parties

At summer camps and parties there are mixed ages and tighter timings. Three rules make the workshop manageable.

• Choose a theme: the sea, animals, space or the celebration of the day. A themed mould, such as the Teddy Bear mould, brings the group together and makes the result recognisable.
• Plan the timings: at a summer camp it is best to pour one day and decorate the next. At a birthday party, on the other hand, prepare the dry pieces yourself in advance and leave only the decorating to the children.
• Plan how the object goes home: a bag or a small box with each child's name.

For objects that will be handled a lot you can use Aqua Shield, which is optional: in the mix instead of water, 50 g for every 100 g of Aqua Resin (in this case demould after at least 1 hour), or brushed onto the dry piece. It is clear, but it leaves a glossy finish and may slightly alter the colour.

How much material you need

There is no number of pieces that works for everyone: it depends on the moulds.

1. Measure a mould. Fill the moulds one child will use with water and weigh the water: this is your reference for the weight of mix per child.
2. Multiply. Multiply that figure by the number of children and add a margin for tests and broken pieces.
3. Work out the powder and water. The ratio is always 100 g of powder to 30 g of cold water: so every 130 g of mix needs 100 g of Aqua Resin.
4. Do a test. Before the workshop, prepare a batch with the moulds you have chosen and check the real yield.

Common mistakes

• Letting the children prepare the mix. In a group, weighing and mixing stay with the adult.
• Preparing all the mix at once. The plaster sets before everyone has poured: work in small batches.
• Demoulding too early. Before 30 minutes, thin parts break.
• Decorating in the same session. Paint on damp plaster leaves marks: wait the full 24 hours.
• Forgetting the names. Write the name on the back when you demould.
• Putting hands into the plaster. For handprints, always use alginate.

Recommended products

• Aqua Resin — the white porcelain-effect alpha plaster for every workshop
• Geometric moulds — solids for maths workshops
• Alphabet mould — initials for the first days of school
• Love Cast Kit — handprints with alginate
• Aqua Pigment — to colour the mix
• Aqua Shield — optional protection for the most handled objects

FAQ

From what age can children take part in creative plaster workshops?

With Aqua Resin, children can take part from the age of 5, always under adult supervision. In a group workshop the adult prepares the mix, while the children pour, demould and decorate.

Is Aqua Resin plaster suitable for a classroom?

Yes. Aqua Resin is non-toxic and water-based, with no solvents, odours or catalysts, and it cleans up with water alone. Gloves are not required; a mask is optional for the adult who pours and mixes the powder.

How long does a creative plaster workshop take?

It is best split into two sessions: in the first you prepare the mix, pour and demould after 30 minutes; in the second, after at least 24 hours of drying, you paint and decorate.

Can you make children's handprints in plaster?

Hands must never be dipped directly into plaster. For handprints you use the alginate in the Love Cast Kit, which creates the mould of the hand; Aqua Resin is then poured into the impression to make the cast.

How much Aqua Resin do you need for a class?

It depends on the moulds you choose. Fill the moulds one child will use with water, weigh the water, multiply by the number of children and add a margin; then do a test with the ratio of 100 g of powder to 30 g of cold water to check the real yield.

Bring plaster into your workshop

Choose the theme, set up the stations and, in two sessions, every child goes home with an object made with their own hands. To start with everything you need, take a look at the DIY plaster kits and the shapes in the moulds and accessories collection.
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