DIY Alphabet Magnets from Clay!

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I made these fun DIY alphabet magnets for M to play with… But do be sure to supervise and make sure the magnets are securely attached!

I tried these a few ways and this is the way that worked best. I also gave it a cool satin finish that catches the light and looks great! Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.

 

 

 

 

 

When I first made these, I tried using Crayola air dry clay, not knowing that something so small and thin would just crumble apart. I found out the hard way…

Polymer clay is definitely the way to go with these, as they are meant for small projects. They are still somewhat delicate (they can break if they fall and smash on a concrete floor) but they will definitely hold up to some use.

 

 

You can either get a fun bright pack like I did, or stick to white and paint it with acrylics. Painting it with a satin glaze gave it a beautiful sheen instead of the typical dull finish.

 

 

M was SO excited when he noticed these on the fridge. I made them at night while he was asleep and the excitement was in line with the surprise of looking out the window to a fresh blanket of snow.

 

 

He is obsessed with the alphabet. He ran to the fridge and said “look, Mommy, an O! And a U and look it’s a C also! And a  W! And look, now it’s a M”.

As you can see, alphabet magnets have lessons built in. He has been teaching himself about the forms of letters with it.

 

 

A  while ago, my friend Alyssa made a cool wooden set of DIY alphabet magnets and I’ve wanted to do one for M. These clay alphabet magnets are perfect.  I am so pleased with the results and how they came out.

You can use these DIY clay alphabet magnets as a learning experience, or to write fun words and messages on a metal surface.

 

 

A word of caution when making DIY alphabet magnets: The magnets that I used are Neodymium magnets and they’re SMALL and STRONG. That means they require supervision, they need you to make sure that they are always securely attached. They are not only a choking hazard, but they can be fatal if swallowed.

So exercise extreme caution when using this with young kids around. I really would only recommend them for children who don’t put things in their mouths anymore (never mind the toxicity of the materials used) as my preschooler does not at this point. And if you have other young children around, do keep an eye.

 
 

 
 

You can make these DIY alphabet magnets in a jumbo size and use larger ceramic magnets that are less strong. They are likely still a choking hazard, though, so magnets should really only be used for children who are big enough.

 

Watch the video tutorial below, or scroll down for further instructions.

 

 

What you need to make DIY alphabet magnets:

 

• Polymer clay in vivid colors
• A glass baking dish
• Polymer clay glaze
• A paint brush
• Magnets (keep away from children!)
• E6000 glue

 

 

How to make DIY alphabet magnets:

 

 

1. Soften the clay in your hands.

 

 

 

2. Roll it out into a rope.

 

 

3. Form your letter using bits of rope and connecting it, then press it so that it’s a bit flatter.

 

 

 

4. Do this with all the letters and then transfer them to an oven proof glass dish. Bake according to package instructions (on 275F for 15 min. for the clay that I used.)

 

 

 

5. Allow it to cool and use a paint brush to paint on a single layer of satin glaze – or the finish that you choose.

 

 

 

6. When your glaze is dry enough to work with, use E6000 glue or another glue that will form a secure, permanent bond, to glue on your magnets.

 

 

Your DIY alphabet magnets are ready to go on the fridge!!

 

Isn’t that sheen just beautiful?!

 

 
 

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