How to Make a Clay Sundial

19th August 2025

Words by Claire, age 10

Hello! I’m Claire and I’m going to show you how I made my very own sundial.

It’s made from clay, decorated with real herbs from the garden, and it actually tells the time using the sun.

You will need:

• Air-dry clay

• A rolling pin

• A wooden stick or dowel (this is called the gnomon – it makes the shadow)

• Paint pens or paints

• Some pressed herbs or flowers (I used lavender and yarrow)

• A ruler and pencil

• A bit of water to smooth the clay

What to do:

1. Roll out your clay – Make it about 1cm thick and as round as you can.

2. Make the hole – Stick the dowel in the middle. This is where the shadow will come from.

3. Add the herbs – Gently press your herbs into the clay to make patterns. I pressed mine around the edges.

4. Draw the numbers – Use a ruler to help space them evenly. I put 1–12 around the circle.

5. Paint your design – I painted a big sun in the middle because I thought it looked happy.

6. Let it dry – Mine took a day or two to go hard.

7. Set it up – Put it in a sunny spot and tilt it so the shadow falls on the right number.

 

I hope you enjoy making one as much as I did!

If you do, please post a picture on Instagram using #theherbsocietysundial hashtag. I’d love to see it.