How to Make Toy Food

Making Clay Toy Food

• 1

  Cover your work area with a vinyl tablecloth. Fill a bowl with water and place it near you. Dip your hands into the water. Place the clay in front of you.

• 2

  Roll a ball of clay the size of an orange in your hands in a circular motion. Keep your hands damp. Cut the ball in half with a soap cutter or sharp knife. Soap cutters are flat, rectangular blades with a handle, available at craft and hobby stores. Cut carefully to form a flat side on each half of the ball. Pinch a stem into place at the top of one half of the ball, if you're making an apple. Round clay toy food can be shaped into many varieties, like apples, oranges, tomatoes, onions, or plums. The possibilities are endless.

• 3

  Allow clay to dry for about 24 hours. According to Air Dry Clay, air-drying clay doesn't require baking.

• 4

  Paint your toy food its appropriate color. Allow the paint to dry. Paint the fruit halves with a clear coat of paint. Allow clear coat to dry.

• 5

  Apply epoxy to the adhesive side of the hook tape. Press it onto a flat side of one fruit half. Hold the tape in place as recommended by the epoxy's manufacturer. Apply epoxy to the adhesive side of the loop tape. Press it onto the other flat side of the fruit half. You can buy hook and loop tape in fabric, discount, grocery, and craft stores. Allow glue to dry.

• 6

  Put the fruit halves together with the hook and loop tapes touching. Use a pretend knife to "cut" the fruit by pressing down on the hook and loop tapes, separating the halves.

Making Boxes of Toy Food

• 7

  Save empty food boxes, macaroni and cheese, TV dinners, or pasta boxes.

• 8

  Close the opened ends or box flaps.

• 9

  Tape ends closed with transparent tape. Cut sponge or foam to fit inside the box to make the boxes sturdier. Buy sponge or foam at craft stores.