Summer is here, and the perfect time to explore 17 easy clay art ideas!
Let your imagination run wild, making anything from cute watermelons to Hawaiian-themed clay art.
Do you like the beach? You won’t believe how astounding this ukulele and mini beach in a jar I made looks!
This list features 17 fantastic clay art ideas that utilize various textures.
The talented artists on Pinterest showcase truly unique creations!
Experimenting with many different materials, including modeling clay, polymer clay, and air-dry clay. It makes art-making enjoyable.
Try different techniques to see what works best for you and your children.
Once you’ve finished your creations, display them on a shelf or table to help your kids remember the fun memories you’ve made together.
Still unsure about which clay to use for your child? Check out this quick one-minute tip below!
Different Types of Clay To Use With Pros and Cons
- Air-Dry Clay: This is often the top choice for kids.
- Pros: It hardens naturally at room temperature, so no oven or kiln is needed. It’s easy to mold, less sticky than traditional clay, and often comes in various colors or can be painted once dry. It’s great for general sculpting and crafting.
- Cons: It’s generally less durable than fired clay and not food-safe.
- Good examples: Crayola Air-Dry Clay, Das Air Hardening Modeling Clay, Jovi Air Dry Modelling Clay.
- Polymer Clay: This synthetic clay stays soft until you bake it in a regular oven.
- Pros: It comes in a wide range of vibrant colors, is easy to shape, and hardens permanently when baked. It’s great for making jewelry, figurines, and other small projects.
- Cons: Requires adult supervision for baking.
- Good examples: Sculpey III, Premo Sculpey.
- Modeling Clay (Non-Hardening): This type of clay stays soft and can be used repeatedly.
- Pros: It’s excellent for young children as it’s very fun to use. It also allows for endless reshaping. Modeling clay is excellent for developing fine motor skills.
- Cons: It doesn’t harden, so it’s not for creating permanent pieces.
- Good examples: Play-Doh Sculpt Non-Dry Modeling Clay.
Which one to choose to make clay art ideas depends on the child’s age and what they want to create:
- For younger kids (preschool and early elementary), air-dry clay and non-hardening modeling clay are excellent choices. This is due to their ease of use and the lack of need to bake.
- Polymer clay can be a lot of fun for older kids who are ready for more detailed projects. They’ll have a great activity time with an adult’s help for the baking step.
17 Easy Clay Art Ideas
1. Miniature Watermelon Summer Fruits
Watermelon is a favorite treat amongst many people across the world.
Making a miniature watermelon is a great reminder to hydrate.
Along with being a tasty, nutritious treat, it has a unique look.
You can use red, white, black, and light and dark green clay to achieve this cool look.
2. Ukelele Island Paradise With Beach in a Mini Jar
I created this ukulele island Paradise with a beach and a mini jar, inspired by my mouse pad.
I used airy dry clay and was very impressed by how it came out.
My room has a beach theme to it.
The ukulele was not as challenging as it looks!
I will happily provide tutorials for anyone interested.
3. Ocean Creatures Clay Art Ideas
These cute and silly ocean creatures are very fun to make.
You can use modeling clay or polymer clay.
Various colors are optional to make multi colored fish and ocean animals.
It’s fun to make these little creatures with little ones.
4. Ice Cream Cones Clay Art Ideas
Let’s dive into fun ice cream cones and create any flavor.
These ice cream cones and the ocean creatures are fun and easy to make because they’re perfect for little hands.
You can change the color of the waffle cone and the color of the ice cream.
There’s a lot of variety with this activity.
5. Stromboli’s, Vegan Wraps, and Hot Dogs with Fries
I asked my sons what they wanted me to make for dinner, and these are the fun ideas they came up with.
On the left is mine. You’ll see the Stromboli, which has been cut open to reveal the inside, which contains pepperoni, cheese, and sausage.
In the middle is the vegan wrap, which is very healthy and has olives that Rudy likes.
Lastly, to the right are the hot dog and fries, Anthony’s favorite, served with ketchup and mustard.
Each plate has its own mini cup with a drink inside. One of the cutest clay art ideas we’ve done involves food.
6. Flower in a Pot
It’s time to start gardening better so that you can have a beautiful reminder in your home: a flower and a pot.
It is easy to create a flower in a pot because you can choose any color of flower.
Create a backdrop setting to take amazing pictures of these creations.
Something like a sunny day, bright baby blue skies, and some grass in the background.
7. Bug World Caterpillar Clay Art Ideas
Who else remembers the story of the very hungry caterpillar?
This cute little neon red caterpillar reminds me so much of the one from that story.
Help your little ones explore and learn about nature with the bug world caterpillar.
You can also make a leaf for the caterpillar to rest on top of.
Another fun idea is to create different-sized holes in the leaf so it looks like the caterpillar has been munching on it.
8. Miniature Food Picnic
Having a picnic is a great idea and a wonderful way to spend time with your family outdoors.
You can create a miniature food picnic using modeling, air-dry, or polymer clay.
Make it a fun game by having each family member create their favorite dish for a picnic outside. See how many ideas you all come up with.
9. Super Mario Mushroom Clay Art Ideas
These adorable, super Mario mushrooms are easy and fun to make.
Mario World was my childhood growing up! I saw this idea and love it.
Use beige, red, green, white, and black for the same results.
10. Clay Animals Pets
Have you been to the zoo recently?
The zoo has so many intriguing animals to observe and learn about.
What better way to learn about zoo animals than re-creating them with clay dough?
There are many fun images of animals online that you can use to draw inspiration for making your 3-D model effects.
11. Polymer Clay Duck
This Polymer clay duck is extremely popular on Pinterest and for a good reason!
It is a simple yet adorable duck made out of polymer clay.
The creator of this duck, Natalie, wanted to share with the world something that is easy yet fun to make and nailed it.
I love how the cute little legs sit out from under!
12. Hawaiian Outfit with Island Insects Clay Art Ideas
I was inspired to create this Hawaiian outfit after watching Moana.
Both of my sons decided to join in and created the creatures to see on the left of the Hawaiian outfit.
A stick bug, a salamander, some cool marbles, and sandals.
I made a beautiful orange top with shimmering gold buttons and a long, cool skirt with bright purple flowers.
To complete the look, I made some blue and green sandals with yellow.
13. Clay Mushroom for Fairy Garden
I love the idea of a fairy garden home!
You can create this with clay and, with a bit of imagination, add things around the hut.
Create an environment for your happy critters and fairies to enjoy with mushrooms.
14. Colorful Messages From the Kiddies
When Rudy and Ginipher were little, they enjoyed playing with Play-Doh and modeling clay.
I decorated this cute notification for myself because Anthony was a baby, and at times, I was tending to him.
Therefore, the kids left me a message on the counter that read these words.
Rudy and Gin are going outside to play. Very sweet!
15. Halloween Trick or Treat Sweets Clay Art Ideas (non-edible treats)
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays because there are countless activities to do that revolve around the color orange.
Not to mention spooky activities and fun decorations!
Anthony decided to create the faces, and I created the treats above, so there are cookies, candies, tricks, and treats.
They are not edible, but they look very tasty.
16. Outer Space Creations
Who wouldn’t like to take a trip with Elon Musk to space? Raise your hands, everyone!
I think outer space is interesting because many unknown things have not been discovered.
Have fun with your children imagining different things that can live in outer space and create them.
17. Pizza Clay Art Ideas
Lastly, a nice vegan pizza night is an all-time favorite in my home.
You can make your pizza clay art idea with this inspiration from Pinterest.
You can create any toppings to add to it and make it unique.
For example, you can make a Hawaiian pizza with pineapples and ham, although some have chicken and pineapples instead.
Tips for Working with Clay
To make the most productive art area, here are some tips to ensure everyone has a great time.
- Protect your work surface: Prevents staining and makes cleanup easier. Use tiles, glass, or parchment paper.
- Keep colors separate: Avoid unwanted mixing. Work in stages and store colors apart.
- Use tools: Rolling pins for flattening, cookie cutters for shapes, and plastic knives for cutting.
- Storage: Keep clay soft in airtight containers away from heat and sunlight. Condition firm clay by kneading.
Conclusion
Remember that your creation doesn’t need to be exactly the same when using these clay art ideas.
Feel free to make variations or add a unique twist to your modeling clay projects.
Polymer clay, air-dry clay, modeling clay, and playdough are all fun mediums for creating lasting crafts.
Which clay creation is your favorite?
Let me know what other interesting topics you would like to see on my blog.
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Marlenny Linda is more than just a writer; she's a passionate bilingual advocate for families with children with medical conditions. With a background in teaching English (TESOL/TEFL) and a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts, she crafts engaging, SEO-optimized content that informs, inspires, and connects with these families.
Her specialty is long-form content, where she dives deep into the topics that matter most, from navigating educational resources to fostering a fulfilling life for your child. Marlenny's innovative approach keeps audiences engaged and coming back for more.
