15 Adorable Clay Animal Crafts for Kids

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Making clay animals is a fun and recreational activity that helps children develop their imagination and stimulate their intelligence. Parents can spend time having fun with their children to create the cute and funny animals below!

Benefits of making clay animals for children

Develops carefulness and dexterity

The first benefit of making clay animals is to cultivate children’s carefulness and dexterity. When children shape animals, their hand muscles will be quite active, gradually helping them develop flexible and dexterous hands.

Besides, when making clay toys like animals, children will have to make many small details to connect them together. This will help them cultivate their carefulness, kneading and pressing to create the desired shape.

At the same time, having flexible hands and carefulness will be very helpful in their handwriting later on. Children will have neat and beautiful handwriting, and parents won’t have to struggle too much when teaching their children to write.

Stimulates creativity

Another benefit of making clay animals is to develop children’s creativity. From a square block of clay, a child can create many different objects, trying to make the product as similar to the model as possible. This requires children to utilize their thinking and creativity. This is also a way for parents to teach their children to recognize animals simply and effectively.

Enhances hand-eye coordination

When molding clay into animals, children will have to seamlessly coordinate their hands, eyes, and brain. They must use their brain to think about the shape of the animal, use their eyes to observe, and use their hands flexibly and skillfully to create the animal as they imagined.

The combination of brain, hands, and eyes will lay the foundation for children’s comprehensive development and stimulate their innate abilities. Therefore, parents should let their children make clay animals to enhance their perception quickly and better.

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Helps children learn color mixing

Making clay animals will help teach children to recognize colors effectively. For example, a chicken’s comb is red, its legs are yellow, and its body is brown or yellowish. Children will combine observation and choose the modeling clay color that matches the animal they want to mold. Gradually, this will help them learn which colors go well together.

Develops observation skills

Making clay animals also trains children’s keen observation skills. Children will have to observe their clay and figure out how to create the desired shape. Then, in the kneading process, they must also concentrate to observe the model and the details they are molding to see if they are similar.

Without focus and observation skills, the animal the child creates will not be as beautiful as the model. Gradually, children will learn to observe everything around them to have better thoughts, thinking, and creativity.

Provides entertainment and fun

The final benefit of making clay animals is that it’s a recreational toy, a mental treat for young children. After all, this is a game that allows children to relax, play, unleash their creativity, and do what they want.

Therefore, this game will help children relax at home or even at school. When parents play with their children, it strengthens family bonds, parents can understand their children better, and have joyful moments together.

Collection of 15 super cute clay animal models

1. Shaping a water buffalo

Water buffaloes are certainly familiar to children in rural areas. However, for some city children, this is still a rather unfamiliar animal, causing curiosity and strangeness. Shaping a water buffalo is quite complex and requires skill and meticulousness, so parents should guide their children in doing this!

Steps

  • Step 1: Parents use black modeling clay and start kneading the water buffalo’s body into a rectangular shape; the edges are rounded.
  • Step 2: Make 4 legs, the tail, and the head of the water buffalo, then connect the parts together.
  • Step 3: Use more black modeling clay to mold 2 horns and 2 ears for the water buffalo and attach them to the head.
  • Step 4: Finally, use black and white modeling clay to make the eyes for the water buffalo, use a toothpick to create 2 holes for the nose and mouth, and you’ve finished making the clay animal.
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Making a water buffalo with modeling clay

2. Shaping a beetle

Many children have only seen beetles in movies and haven’t seen them in real life. Because these animals are quite small and often appear in rural areas, children living in cities will encounter them less often.

Steps

  • Step 1: Use black modeling clay to create the beetle’s head, then use red modeling clay to create the body.
  • Step 2: Use a white paintbrush to draw eyes on the black head of the beetle and use black modeling clay to make 2 small black eyes and attach them to the white part already drawn.
  • Step 3: Use a toothpick or pen to draw a straight line on the beetle’s body to separate it into two sides like the two wings of the beetle.
  • Step 4: Mold some small black beads and attach them to the body; finally, gently press the area under the eyes inward to create a mouth, and you’ve finished making the clay animal.
làm con vật bằng đất nặn cho bé với tạo hình con bọ

Making a beetle with modeling clay

3. Shaping a turtle

Another cute animal is the sea turtle, loved by many children. However, when molding this animal with clay, it will have to be created in many separate parts to combine, so the implementation is quite complex.

Steps

  • Step 1: Parents use dark green modeling clay to make the turtle’s head and shell. The head is made into a medium-sized circle, and the body is made into a large circle, gently pressed to flatten slightly.
  • Step 2: Next, parents will use light green modeling clay to make 4 legs for the turtle and use yellow modeling clay to create small, flat circles.
  • Step 3: Parents attach all the head, shell, and legs of the turtle together and place the yellow dots on the shell.
  • Step 4: Use a white paintbrush to draw 2 eyes for the turtle and create 2 small circles to attach to the white eyes; gently press the area under the eyes to create a mouth, and you’re done.
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Making a turtle with modeling clay

4. Shaping a caterpillar

Making a clay animal in the shape of a caterpillar is very simple. With just a few simple steps, parents can guide their children to create a super cute and funny caterpillar that any child will love.

Steps

  • Step 1: Parents use green modeling clay and mold 6 small circles and 1 larger circle.
  • Step 2: Attach the circles together, with the largest circle attached first to create the head of the caterpillar.
  • Step 3: Use a white paintbrush to draw 2 eyes on the head, create 2 smaller black circles for the pupils, and attach them to the white part.
  • Step 4: Next, parents use pink modeling clay and create a long enough strand, attaching it under the eyes to create the mouth, and you’re done.
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Making a caterpillar with modeling clay

5. Shaping a dragonfly

Dragonflies are an animal that many children have seen firsthand, so creating this animal will surely bring excitement to children. Making a dragonfly is quite simple; the body is similar to a caterpillar.

Steps

  • Step 1: Parents use red-green modeling clay and mold 6 small circles and 1 larger circle.
  • Step 2: Attach the circles together, with the largest circle attached first to create the dragonfly’s head.
  • Step 3: Next, parents will use yellow and green clay to create the dragonfly’s wings and attach them to the body.
  • Step 4: Use a white paintbrush to draw 2 eyes on the head, create 2 smaller black circles for the pupils, and attach them to the white part. And that’s how you finish making the clay animal, it’s too simple, isn’t it?
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Making a dragonfly with modeling clay

6. Shaping a pig

Pigs are one of the familiar livestock of farmers. This animal is associated with the childhood of many people and is featured in many related songs such as: Three old women selling piglets, piggy banks, etc.

Steps

  • Step 1: Parents use pink modeling clay to create a circle for the pig’s body.
  • Step 2: Next, use pink modeling clay to create 4 legs and attach them to the bottom of the body.
  • Step 3: To make the pig’s ears, parents create a triangle shape and attach it to the head of the pig.
  • Step 4: Use white modeling clay, create 2 flat circles for the whites of the eyes and attach them to the pig’s head.
  • Step 5: Mold 2 smaller black circles for the pupils and attach them on top of the whites of the eyes.
  • Step 6: Finally, use pink modeling clay to make the nose, attach it under the eyes, and press 2 small holes, and you’re done.
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Making a pig with modeling clay

7. Shaping a panda

Pandas are a familiar animal to many young children, appearing in many stories and cartoons, so everyone knows them. Molding a panda is also quite simple; parents can guide their children to do it.

Steps

  • Step 1: Parents mold a circle for the panda’s head, mold another black circle and attach it to the head, pressing it slightly inward.
  • Step 2: Use white modeling clay and create 2 circles, then attach them to the black eyes.
  • Step 3: Next, use white modeling clay to make the panda’s nose, then attach it under the eyes; mold a small black triangle and attach it to the nose.
  • Step 4: Mold a white circle for the body and mold two black circles for the legs; add two small black circles for the ears and attach them to the head.
  • Step 5: Finally, use black modeling clay to create a circle and lengthen it to make the panda’s arms; attach all the parts together, and you’ve finished making the clay animal very simply.
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Making a panda with modeling clay

8. Shaping a shrimp

When it comes to shrimp, many parents think it’s difficult to mold, but that’s not the case! When doing this, you should simplify the parts to make it easier for children. Although quite simple, when the result is done, children can easily recognize it as a shrimp.

Steps

  • Step 1: Parents use red clay to make the shrimp; first, mold 4 circles for the body and attach them together.
  • Step 2: Next, mold a larger circle for the shrimp’s head and attach it to the body; create a tail for the shrimp.
  • Step 3: Use modeling clay to make 2 claws and 2 antennae; then use white clay to make the eyes and attach them to the head, then mold 2 small black circles and attach them to the whites of the eyes, and you’re done.
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Making a shrimp with modeling clay

9. Shaping an elephant

Baby elephants are animals associated with the childhood of children, appearing in many stories and songs. Molding an elephant with clay is also quite simple; with just a few steps, parents and children can complete a super cute baby elephant.

Steps

  • Step 1: First, parents and children need a piece of pink modeling clay, mold a medium-sized oblong shape for the body.
  • Step 2: Next, mold 4 smaller circles for the legs and a large circle for the elephant’s head.
  • Step 3: Then, make a large, flat circle for the 2 ears and a long circle for the tusks, and attach all the parts together.
  • Step 4: Finally, parents use white clay for the whites of the eyes and black clay for the pupils, and attach them to the elephant’s head, and you’ve finished making the clay animal for your child.
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Making an elephant with modeling clay

10. Shaping a fish

Fish are one of the easiest animals to mold that parents can guide their children to make. Fish have many rich colors and a wide variety of species, so they will surely make children feel excited and want to explore.

Steps

  • Step 1: Parents use a piece of pink modeling clay to make the fish’s body in the shape of a flattened oval.
  • Step 2: Also using pink modeling clay, parents will create 2 small ovals and 1 small triangle for the gills and attach them to the body.
  • Step 3: Next, parents mold a larger triangle for the tail and use a toothpick to create straight lines on the tail.
  • Step 4: Then, parents mold a long strand to separate the head and body of the fish; create many small, multicolored circles to attach to the body as scales.
  • Step 5: Use various colored modeling clays to make the eyes, and you’ve finished a super cute fish.
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Making a fish with modeling clay

11. Shaping a dog

Next is shaping a super cute dog that surely every child has encountered. This animal will have quite a lot of details, and the process is also quite complex. But parents can help their children create simply shaped dogs that are still very eye-catching through the following steps.

Steps

  • Step 1: Parents use brown modeling clay to make the dog; the body is molded into a rectangular shape, but the corners are rounded.
  • Step 2: Mold a long tail and attach it to the body; create 4 long legs and attach them to the bottom of the body; the legs don’t need to be attached upright but can be slightly slanted forward for a more natural look.
  • Step 3: Create an oval shape; one side is narrowed to resemble the dog’s head; create 2 long ears on either side.
  • Step 4: Finally, use white, black, and blue modeling clay alternately to create a circle for the eyes, and you’ve finished making the clay animal super simply.
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Making a dog with modeling clay

12. Shaping a rabbit

If the child is molding for the first time, simple animals like rabbits will not require too much skill, so children can easily do it. Cute white rabbits will surely make children feel excited.

Steps

  • Step 1: First, parents will choose white modeling clay to mold a circle for the rabbit’s head, 2 ovals for the ears, 2 more ovals for the arms, and 2 small circles for the legs.
  • Step 2: Parents continue using white modeling clay to create a square shape, and the corners are rounded; then connect the parts of the rabbit together.
  • Step 3: Now parents just need to add some details like eyes and 2 pink cheeks, and they’ve finished a super cute and simple rabbit.
làm con vật bằng đất nặn cho bé với tạo hình con thỏ

Making a rabbit with modeling clay

13. Shaping a starfish

Starfish appear on beaches; they usually have 5 arms similar to a star shape and are also easy to mold, so parents can guide their children to do this. This animal has many different colors and looks very eye-catching, so children will surely be interested.

Steps

  • Step 1: First, parents use a piece of modeling clay of any color, mold it into a flattened circle, then use a toothpick or pens to draw 5 arms like a star shape and separate the outer edges.
  • Step 2: Next, parents use white and black modeling clay to make the eyes and mouth for the starfish, and they’re done.
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Making a starfish with modeling clay

14. Shaping a crab

Like many other animals, crabs are known in many stories and cartoons associated with children’s childhood. Therefore, when parents guide their children to create crabs, it will surely be a fun experience.

Steps

  • Step 1: Parents use red modeling clay to make the crab’s body and claws; the body is molded into a flattened circle.
  • Step 2: Next, mold 8 small crab legs and 2 large crab claws, then attach them to the body; use white and blue modeling clay to make the eyes and mouth for the crab, and you’ve finished making the clay animal.
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Making a crab with modeling clay

15. Shaping a snail

Snails are the last animal on the list that AVAKids wants to guide parents and children to make. This animal looks quite complex with its shell, but when molding, it can be simplified, but still creates a super cute snail.

Steps

  • Step 1: First, parents use green modeling clay and create a long oval shape; mold 2 tentacles on top.
  • Step 2: Use yellow modeling clay to create a long oval shape, then roll it up to create the shell and attach it to the snail’s body.
  • Step 3: Use black and white modeling clay to make the snail’s eyes and create small circles to attach to the body, and you’re done.
làm con vật bằng đất nặn cho bé với tạo hình con ốc sên

Making a snail with modeling clay

Notes when shaping clay animals

Molding clay is a game that offers many benefits for children; however, if not carefully selected, it can become a potential hazard causing serious poisoning for children.

  • Parents should choose modeling clay with a clear brand and origin, with non-toxic ingredients, and that meets quality standards.
  • Choose modeling clay material suitable for children; it’s best to choose a soft and pliable type so that children can easily manipulate it since their hands don’t have much strength.
  • After playing, parents should remember to thoroughly wash their children’s hands with soap to ensure their safety.
  • For young children, parents should supervise them closely to prevent them from putting clay in their mouths because they cannot distinguish yet.
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A few words from AVAKids

In this article, AVAKids has introduced parents to the most detailed way to make clay animals. Hopefully, with the above information, parents and children will be able to create many cute and funny animals and strengthen family bonds.