Project for Kids: Clay Sea Sculptures
Sculpt sea creatures and bake them to populate your own underwater world.
Materials and Tools:

sculpting clay
cookie sheet
newspaper
toothpicks
string
Steps:
- Choose a clean work surface, and be sure to lay down newspaper so that the clay won't stain your surface.
- Lay out the colors you want to use for your sea animals. Have fun with it! Who says a sea turtle has to be green? Maybe a shark can be purple.
- Start molding. Pick your colors and form clay into different shapes. To make the body of a fish, you can pick up a piece of clay and roll it between your palms until it forms into an oblong shape. Then, choose a different color for the eyes and roll the clay between your thumb and pointer finger to make a ball. Put the ball on either side of the fish's head so that it can see. Finally, choose a flat piece of clay and make a triangular shape with it. Press it onto the fish's body, and you've got your first sea creature.
- If you are hanging the creatures from an object or from the ceiling, use a toothpick to poke one small hole into the top edge of each creature. The hole must be wide enough for you to hang string through it.
- Thread string through the holes.
- Place your school of fish onto a baking sheet.
- You'll need an adult to help you with this step. Follow the directions on the clay packaging to bake the clay until hardened. This should take approximately 10-15 minutes. Keep an eye on the pieces to make sure they don't burn.
- After the pieces are pulled from the oven, wait about 5 more minutes for them to cool down. Have an adult make sure that they have hardened enough to play with.
- Choose the place where you want them to hang and have an adult screw hooks into that place.
- Hang the creature by the string from the ceiling or wall.
- Enjoy your underwater friends!
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