Clay Crafts Kids Will Love

This adorable Model Magic caterpillar will love to bask in the summer sun on a pair of your child's favorite colorful sunglasses.

Make It: Roll eight medium balls of Crayola Model Magic or clay for the caterpillar's body and one large ball for the head. Add eyes by rolling two small balls and adding tiny black balls to the centers. Press the caterpillar onto the sunglasses (if you're using clay that needs to be baked, read the package directions before pressing onto the sunglasses; you may need to hot-glue the caterpillar on after baking). Let the caterpillar dry completely before wearing the sunglasses.

Made from nothing more than clay, this faithful elephant is sure to capture your child's heart and imagination.

Make It: Have your child roll the following from Crayola Model Magic or basic clay: a large ball for the elephant's body, a medium ball for the head, two small balls for the ears, two smaller balls for the eyes, and two tiny balls for the center of the eyes. Assemble as shown, flattening the ears before attaching to the head.

Roll a long snake-shape from the same color and use a plastic knife to trim a trunk and four legs. Press these in place. Roll up one more bit of clay so it has a point on one end and attach as the tail. Let it dry for 24 hours.

A grinning flowerpot is the perfect storage for your child's colored pencils -- or a great way to transport plastic silverware to a fun summer picnic.

Make It: Have your child roll the following from Crayola Model Magic or clay: a large pink ball of for the smile, two medium neon pink balls for the eyes, and one medium neon green ball for the eyelids and lips. Flatten the large pink ball, roll smooth, and cut in half to make the smile. Roll a long thin green snakelike tube and arrange at the bottom of the smile.

To make the eyes, flatten the green ball and cut it in half to make the eyelids. Flatten the neon pink balls and press the green eyelids over them. Press the eyes and smile onto the pot, adding black or brown balls for pupils on the eyes and seeds on the watermelon smile. Let it dry before using.

Update the view from your child's bedroom window by crafting this simple hanging flower garden out of clay.

Make It: Tie a bead onto a piece of long string. Help your kids pull and twist grape-size pieces of two different colors of Crayola Model Magic or clay together until it appears marbled. Roll this into a large ball for the center of the flower. Press the bead into the center and mold the ball around it with your fingers. Create six medium marbled balls for the petals and press each onto the center ball. Repeat to create a total of three flowers. To hang them, tie each string onto a colored pencil and add one more string at each end to make a hanger. Place a little clay over the knots to secure them and hang from your child's bedroom window.

This darling rendition of tic-tac-toe will have you and your little ones wondering why this classic game never revolved around this slow-moving reptile before now.

Make It: Roll a large green ball and a small green ball from Crayola Model Magic or clay; press them together and flatten to make a turtle head and body. Next, roll a thin green snake-shape and cut four short pieces for legs. Use neon green clay to roll two tiny eyes; press them onto the body. Add a neon green "X" or "O" to the turtle's back. Repeat to create more playing pieces.

To make the pond-shape game board, flatten a large piece of blue clay and roll smooth. Add four thin brown snake-shapes to create the lines. Let dry for 24 hours before playing.

Create these weather-inspired stick puppets from clay and craft sticks; then sit back and watch as they fuel hours of theatrical fun for your kids.

Make It: To make the sun stick puppet: Roll a large yellow ball of Crayola Model Magic or clay and press in a craft stick. Flatten another piece of yellow clay, trim long triangles for the sun's rays. Press them onto the ball.

To make the cloud stick puppet: Roll two large white balls and flatten. Press a craft stick onto one ball and add the other ball onto the back (trapping the craft stick between the white clay balls). Roll four medium white balls and press around the large balls to form the rest of the cloud.

To make the star stick puppet: Flatten an egg-size piece of yellow clay with your hands. Use a star-shape cookie cutter to cut two identical stars. Sandwich a craft stick between the stars and press them all together.

To make the rainbow stick puppet: Roll long snake-shapes of several different colors. Arrange so they are all side-by-side and form a rainbow shape. Use scissors or a plastic knife to cut even ends for your rainbow and press a craft stick into the underside of the bend.

For all stick puppets: Press on two small balls layered with two tiny balls to create eyes. Gently press the end of a craft stick below the eyes to create a smile.

These adorable clay beetles are anything but scary -- and they're so easy to craft that your kids can assemble them by themselves.

Make It: Have your child combine grape-size pieces of three colors of Crayola Model Magic or clay and twist them together until marbled. Roll into a ball. Create another ball of another color, flatten it, and press onto the marbled ball to make the head. Roll two small balls layered with two tiny balls to make the eyes. Trim a smile from a thin rolled snake-shape to make a bug mouth. Press a line down the middle of the back to create wings. Have an adult cut a black chenille stem into six legs and let the kids press them into place with three on each side of the bug.

Once you get started it will be tempting for you and your little ones to decorate your kitchen fridge with a whole ocean of magnetic fish!

Make It: Have your kids create three grape-size balls of Crayola Model Magic or clay and then twist the colors together until they look marbled. Flatten with your hands and roll smooth. Use a fish cookie cutter or cut a freehand fish shape with a plastic knife. Let the kids decorate by pressing in colorful beads. Let dry for 24 hours and then add a self-stick magnet to the back of each fish to finish.

Your child will love being the center of attention as he leads your family in a parade around the yard with this bright and colorful wand.

Make It: Roll out a long snake-shape tube using one color of Crayola Model Magic or clay and wrap it around a stick. Roll out a second snake in another color and wrap it around the stick between the first color twist. Combine egg-size pieces of three different colors of clay and marble them together. Roll them into a large ball and press to the top of the stick. Let the wand air dry completely before beginning your neighborhood parade festivities.

Use clay to turn an empty snack container into an imaginative dune buggy that your child will love to take off-roading just about everywhere.

Make It: Using five different colors of Crayola Model Magic or clay, help your child roll the following: 4 large black balls for tires, 4 medium balls for wheels, 2 medium balls for the headlights, 1 medium ball for the driver, 2 small balls for the driver's eyes, 2 tiny black balls for the center of the eyes, and 3 long snake shapes for the buggy body. Wrap one snake around an empty snack container or plastic piece, stretching the other two snakes over the top of the container at the front and back. Assemble the balls as shown. Allow to dry for 24 hours.