How to Make Clay Animals

If you can't go to the zoo, bring the zoo to your house. This is a great little project to keep kids occupied when the weather prevents them from being outdoors. It's inexpensive, relatively quiet and kids love it. Making animals with clay allows children to use their hands and their imaginations. Here's how to make clay animals:

Things You'll Need

• 2 cups baking soda
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup corn starch
• 2 quart saucepan
• Wax paper
• Mixing stick

Instructions

Making the Clay

1. Mix the dry ingredients together in a saucepan.

2. Stir the mixture with a stick over medium heat. Be sure to stir the mixture constantly until it thickens. When it thickens to the consistency of mashed potatoes, you're done.

3. Scrape the mixture from the saucepan and onto a piece of wax paper. Let it cool for approximately 10 minutes.

4. Roll the clay with your hands into a ball and then flatten. Continue doing this until the clay is smooth.

Creating the Animal

1. Roll the ball of clay into a tube shape. This will be the animal's body.

2. Break off a portion of the tube and roll into a ball for a head.

3. Break off another piece of the tube for the legs and roll it into a longer thinner tube.

4. Cut the long thin tube into 4 even pieces and use them as legs.

5. Shape the legs so that they can support the weight of the larger tube and attach the legs to the body tube.

6. Place the head on one side of the body tube. At the other end, pinch the clay to form a tail.

7. Make facial features on the head. You may use your fingers or for finer details, use a toothpick.

Tips & Warnings

• The more you practice with clay, the better your animals will look.

• Don't get discouraged if your animal doesn't turn out the way you anticipated. Go with the flow. Sometimes what you intended to create turns out into something else.