Once dry and aged, these skeletal remains can be hung around the neck, hooked on a key chain, turned into fridge magnets, or hidden in a secret box to be unearthed at a future date.
	You’ll need: Play clay (see recipe below) and a drinking straw. For the necklace you’ll need a round black shoelace, wagon-wheel pasta, vinegar and food colouring.
	1. In a food processor or mixing bowl, stir together ¾ cup (175 mL) salt, ¾ cup (175 mL) water and 1 tsp. (5 mL) vegetable oil. Add 2 cups (500 mL) flour all at once and knead for 7 to 10 minutes. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight bag until ready to use.
	2. Knead a handful of clay until smooth, adding a little water if too stiff or a little flour if too sticky. Dust work surface lightly with flour. Always knead stored clay thoroughly before using.
	3. To shape a small bone, roll out a ball of clay 2 cm (3/4 in.) in diameter. With a floured finger, gently roll the ball back and forth, creating a narrow section in the middle and wider knobs at each end. Be careful not to make the middle of the bone so thin that it breaks! With the curved surface of a straw make a small indentation in each end of the bone.
	4. Place the clay bone on a flat tray. To make a hole (if making a bead) press the end of the straw all the way through one end of the bone. Twist the straw and lift it out. A tiny plug of clay should stick in the straw, leaving a clear hole in the bone. Allow the bone beads to dry for 24 to 48 hours.
	5. Necklace: Soak a handful of dry pasta in a cup filled with water, food colouring and 1 tbsp. (15 mL) vinegar for about 15 minutes. Remove pasta, blot on a paper towel and leave it to dry on a cookie sheet. Thread the bone beads and pasta beads onto the shoelace. (Be sure to have your child remove the necklace before active play.)

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