Pinch Pots Who doesn't love Pinch Pots. These kids sure did. We discussed the steps it took for these clay pieces to be finished. First, the kids molded the balls of clay by placing their thumbs in the middle of the ball and pressing down. Then, they "pinched" their way around the clay with their thumb and pointy fingers creating a wider and deeper opening. The kids could also add texture by using texture sheets and pressing them into the clay or create ridges with popsicle sticks. There was, of course, some time to wait for the clay pieces to dry and be put in the kiln, but the last step for these young artists was to glaze their containers to give their pinch pots a nice glossy finish.