Air Drying Clay Birds for Kids

Time for some adorable Air Drying Clay Projects for kids and our guest contributor Vin!! I love Vin’s work, as it is hands on, practical and above all TESTED in the classroom! So many fantastic ideas for you to browse and check out! We love these Clay Blue Jays and Clay Cardinals that Vin has made for us this week!!! Adorable Air Drying Clay Birds for Kids! See all of the Young School Art guest posts here.

Hi Friends! I’m Vin Giannetto from Young School Art and I’m excited to be back at Red Ted Art to bring you a fantastic project to celebrate the upcoming spring season! Today I put away the paper crafts and I’m bringing out the clay to make these lovely birds resting in a nest. My art students always love a Clay Day and I’m sure your child will be just as excited to make this 3-D craft. So grab some air dry clay and get ready to start molding and rolling!

Be sure to tag me on Instagram @youngschoolartwithmr.g so I can see what lovely birds you’ve created! It’s fun to make birds that are native to your region or maybe you’ll enjoy making birds from a far away land. Either way, these feathered friends are sure to brighten your day!

Air Drying Clay Birds Project – Supplies:

Air Dry Clay or Crayola Model Magic (you can get this here US/ UK – affiliate links)
Tempera paints (these are awesome US/ UK)
Brushes
Googly Eyes
Glue
Paper Bag (recycled or other bird nest’s materials – such as shredded paper)

DIY Air Drying Clay Birds Step by Step Directions:

Step 1: Let’s get rolling! Begin by using a palm size amount of clay and rolling it into a ball. This will create the bird’s body. Next, attach a small ball to the body to form the bird’s head.

Step 2: Let’s add the details! Roll a small amount of clay into a coil to create the beak. Then, create two flat teardrop shapes to form the wings. It’s helpful to have a picture of the specific bird as reference if your goal is to create a realistic bird.

Additional Detail Options: Add a longer tail or even a crest on the bird’s head to represent the Blue Jay or Cardinal’s pointed head.

Roll a few small pieces of clay into a ball to make eggs. It’s fun to hide them inside of the paper bag nest.

Step 3: Bring out the paints! After the clay dries and hardens (usually in a few days) paint your bird. Glue on googly eyes if you wish.

Step 4: It’s time to make the nest! Open up the brown lunch bag and fold/roll the edges all the way down. Place the bird inside the nest and add the clay eggs.

Creative Option: Find a real discarded nest in nature and use it to house your birds.

I hope you enjoyed making these feathered friends with me today! It’s a wonderful hands-on learning activity with so many creative possibilities! I’ll be back next month with another fun art project to keep your children engaged and excited about art!

To see more crafting ideas be sure to follow me on instagram @youngschoolartwithmr.g and facebook Young School Art with Mr. Giannetto.