Ironstone

Ironstone is a kind of rock that's really handy for making things like plates and bowls. It's called ironstone because it has a lot of iron in it, which makes it strong and durable.

Think of it like making a sandcastle at the beach. When you first start building the sandcastle, it's all soft and crumbly. But if you add water and squish it together really hard, it becomes much stronger and harder to break. That's kind of like how ironstone is made.

Ironstone is made by taking clay and mixing it with iron particles. Then it's baked in a super hot oven (called a kiln) until it becomes really hard and strong. Once it's cooled off, it can be shaped into all kinds of things like plates, bowls, and even mugs.

So why is ironstone so great? Well, because it's so tough, it can withstand a lot of use and won't easily break if it's dropped. Plus, it can look really pretty too! People have been using ironstone for a long time to make beautiful dishes and other decorative items.