If you are looking for a fun activity for the kids, these Clay Art Projects for Kids are easy to do. My daughters really loved making them, and the clay is made of 3 simple ingredients.

• 1  1/4 cups warm water
• 1 cup salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour

Directions to Make Clay:

• Combine the water and salt in a bowl and mix well.
• Add the flour and mix until the ingredients are combined.
• Then mix the clay with your hands.

• Sprinkle flour on a flat surface and place the clay on the flour. Knead the clay until smooth.
• Tip: If the clay is sticky, add more flour. If the clay is dry, add more water and knead until smooth.
• Create a project of your choice (Below are step-by-step instructions of how to create a picture frame, snake, pig, and cat).
• Keep the leftover clay fresh for several days by placing it in a plastic bag or container.

• Tip: If you are making a project that is thicker than 1 inch, crumple aluminum foil into the shape you want to make the project. Use a rolling pin to flatten the clay to about 1/4 inch thick. Cover the foil with the clay and smooth out the seams using a little water on your fingers. I used this method for the pig and cat. By placing aluminum foil in the middle, you use less clay and it won’t take additional hours to bake in the oven.

• Place your projects on a baking sheet, and bake at 200 degrees for 2-4 hours. The smaller projects only need about 2 hours. The larger projects such as the pig and cat need about 4 hours.
• Tip: If a crack appears in the clay after it bakes or if a part of a project falls off while baking, wait for the project to cool. Use dough to fill in the cracks or attach the part that broke off. Bake the project again until the clay is hard and dry.
• Allow to cool. Paint your projects using acrylic paint. Allow to dry and then apply a sealant such as Mod Podge or make and apply your own sealant using equal amounts of glue and water.

PICTURE FRAME CLAY PROJECT

Picture Frame Clay Project Directions:

1.  Choose two cookie cutters and make sure one cookie cutter fits inside the other.
2.  Using a rolling pin, roll out the clay.
3.  Take the large cookie cutter and cut out a shape. Take the smaller cookie cutter and cut out the shape inside the large shape.
4.  Press a paper clip into the top of the frame. This will be used to hang your frame.
5.  Bake at 200 degrees for 2-4 hours until hard and dry. Allow to cool. Paint and seal the frame. Tape a picture on the back.

SNAKE CLAY PROJECT

Snake Clay Project Directions:

1. Take a piece of clay and roll your hands back and forth over the clay until it becomes a long rope.
2. Shape one end to be the head, and shape the other end into a point to be the tail.
3. Form the clay into an S shape or curl it up into a coil.
4. Bake at 200 degrees for 2-4 hours until hard and dry. Allow to cool. Paint and seal the snake. After the paint dries, embellish with googly eyes.

PIG CLAY PROJECT

Pig Clay Project Directions:

1. Using a rolling pin, roll out the clay to about 1/4 inch thick.
2. Crumple aluminum foil into a round or oval shape to make the body. Cover the foil with the clay and smooth out the seams using a little water on your fingers.
3. Make a smaller ball of clay to create the head and attach it to the body.
4. Roll four small balls for the feet and place them on the bottom of the body.
5. Make a curly tail by wrapping a thin rope of clay around a toothpick. Attach the tail to the body. I used the toothpick to secure the tail so it wouldn’t fall off.
6. Make the nose by flattening a small ball. Poke two nostril holes using a toothpick. Attach the nose to the head.
7. Make two triangles for the ears and attach them on top of the head.
8. Use a toothpick to create two holes for eyes.
9. Bake at 200 degrees for 3-4 hours until hard and dry. Allow to cool. Paint and seal the pig. After the paint dries, embellish with googly eyes.

CAT CLAY PROJECT

Cat Clay Project Directions:

1. Using a rolling pin, roll out the clay to about 1/4 inch thick.
2. Crumple aluminum foil into an oval shape to make the body. Cover the foil with the clay and smooth out the seams using a little water on your fingers.
3. Make a smaller ball of clay to create the head and attach it to the body.
4. Roll four small balls for the feet and place two of them under the head, and two of them at the back of the body.
5. Roll out a short, thick rope to create the tail and add it to the body.
6. To make the face, roll two small balls for the cheeks and put them side-by-side right above the feet. Roll a smaller ball for the nose, and place it on top of the cheeks.
7. Make two triangles for the ears and attach them on top of the head.
8. Use a toothpick to create two holes for eyes.
9. Bake at 200 degrees for 3-4 hours until hard and dry. Allow to cool. Paint and seal the cat. After the paint dries, embellish with googly eyes.