Make your own clay plant markers

A lovely sensory activity where you can use storebought clay to make your own custom plant markers.

Clay plant markers next to a green plant in a terracotta pot. The label says Peas

Who is this for?

This is a crafting activity for people who are deafblind or have complex disabilities and can be enjoyed by anyone.

Why does this make a difference?

This is a creative and sensory activity that helps people learn by engaging with nature and using their senses to connect with their surroundings, exploring touch and different textures while supporting independent choice.

How to do this activity

What you’ll need

  • Air drying clay
  • Letter stamps or skewer (not needed for braille version)
  • Knife
  • Rolling pin (plastic is better if possible)
  • Wipe-able surface
  • Sandpaper (optional)
The hands roll the clay out using a plastic rolling pin with wooden handles

Step 1

Start by rolling out your desired amount of clay. We cut about 150g from the block and rolled ours to about 5mm thickness.
Hand is shown cutting away rough edges.

Step 2

Cut your clay to shape. Start by cutting the uneven edges off.
Image shows the hand cutting a strip of clay, using a letter stamp to mark out the required width for the slice.

Step 3

Then, cut a slice about the width of your stamps, or to your desired width.
Hand is shown stamping the word “Peas” onto the clay slice.

Step 4

Now write the names of your plants, either using a skewer or with your stamps. If you’re using stamps, make sure to press them firmly into the clay. 
Hands shown rolling tiny balls of clay

Step 5

For the braille, roll little balls of clay and press into the marker as needed. You could use your off-cuts for this.
Knife is shown cutting an arrow shape on the end of the slice.

Step 6

Cut the end of the slice into a point. Leave markers to dry fully before using. 

If you like, fully dry, lightly sand the edges so that they are smoother. You could also sand the front very slightly of any that you wrote on with a skewer to neaten it up.

Image shows 3 finished plant markers, top one has black bold letters, the second braille and the third stamped letters.

Top tips

  • To increase the contrast of the print letters, try colouring them in with a marker once dry.
  • You could make hanging plaques instead if you want more space for bigger letters or braille. Simply poke a hole in the top corner of a rectangle and hang on string when dry.