How to Make a T-Rex Dinosaur

A T-Rex inspires fear in people; make your own fierce-looking dinosaur creation.

The towering Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur was 30 feet long, 20 feet tall and weighed close to five tons. This large beast evokes both fear and curiosity in children as they learn about another era in Earth's history. Making a Tyrannosaurus Rex as a craft project serves as a hands-on learning tool and form of creative expression.

Things You'll Need

• 1-gallon plastic milk jug
• Marker
• Scissors
• White spray paint
• Green or brown polymer clay
• Pointy clay tool
• Toilet paper roll
• Non-toxic green acrylic paint
• Paper
• Glue

Instructions

Milk Jug T-Rex

1. Remove the labels and thoroughly clean and dry a plastic gallon milk jug.

2. Hold the jug so the handle faces upward.

3. Draw the outline of the teeth along the bottom edges using a marker. At the point of the milk jug that falls in front of the handle and above the teeth, make an oval outline on either side, with a smaller oval behind each of the larger ones.

4. Cut through the milk jug using the point of a pair of scissors and cut around the outlines.

5. Spray paint the milk jug exterior white to finish your Tyrannosaurus skull.

Polymer Clay T-Rex

1. Form an oval ball from brown or green polymer modeling clay to create a T-Rex body.

2. Roll a smaller oval shape to create the head. Press the pieces of clay together to attach the head to the body, using your fingers to mold them into an accurate Tyrannosaurus Rex shape.

3. Form the long tail, short upper limbs and larger lower limbs and attach them to the body.

4. Carve details for the eyes, sharp teeth and nostrils into the polymer clay with a pointy tool or sculpt them with different colors of clay; press them into place.

5. Bake the polymer clay T-Rex based on the instructions on your specific clay brand to complete the project.

Toilet Paper Roll T-Rex

1. Paint a toilet paper roll green with non-toxic acrylic paint.

2. Draw the outline of a Tyrannosaurus Rex head, arms, legs and tail on a piece of paper and color them green to match the paint. Cut out the outlines.

3. Place the painted toilet paper roll in an upright position. Glue the legs to the bottom sides, the head to the top, the arms just below the head and the tail to the back.

Tips & Warnings

• The T-Rex skull project is only appropriate for older children, as it involves sharp objects. The clay T-Rex and toilet paper roll T-Rex are appropriate for younger children.

References

• Honolulu Community College: Tyrannosaurus Rex Head
• Danielle's Place: Milk Jug Tyrannosaurus Rex Skull Craft
• Disney Family Fun: Clay Critters
• DLTK's Crafts for Kids: Tyrannosaurus Rex TP Roll Craft