The Health Benefits of Pottery

As you shape and knead clay, you are building fine motor skills, hand eye coordination and spatial awareness. Pottery-making is also a great way to exercise your wrists and hands. It is recommended for those prone to arthritis in their hands as it is gentle and strengthens muscles over time.

Pottery is a wonderful creative outlet that helps to alleviate stress and depression. It teaches us to focus on our own creativity and gives a sense of achievement. Pottery making also boosts our self esteem and self-identification as we showcase our own unique artistic style.

Kids love to squish, wiggle and play with clay. This is because the tactile (touch) sense is the first to develop, prompting children to explore and touch everything they can – the squishier the better! Pottery engages this sense, and the rest of the world melts away as you become immersed in a deeply meditative state. After 30 minutes of molding clay, cortisol levels decrease significantly, reducing stress and relieving pain and tension in the body.

Pottery is also an effective way to relieve symptoms of mental health conditions such as PTSD and C-PTSD. Creating art in any form helps to reduce the intrusive feelings associated with these conditions and allows you to focus entirely on the process at hand. This focused attention, coupled with the release of dopamine from engaging in something enjoyable, encourages you to continue doing it over and over again.