This is one of those art projects for kids that was inspired by a kid! My daughter Clara to be exact. I originally dreamed up a little science project for creating grass-topped birdhouses using air-dry clay (you probably have seen those small wood birdhouses in the dollar bin at your local craft store and I can’t help but pick up a few every time I pass by)…..I had the materials sitting on the table and one day I found that she had already dived into the clay and was using it to decorate the birdhouse roofs. The light bulb flashed! Forget grass for a moment, let’s get some colored clay and go crazy!
My daughter made 3 of these and the project kept her busy for quite some time, so if you are looking for a project that will keep your aged 4+ child busy for awhile this is a hot contender.
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Art Projects for Kids: Clay Houses
Materials
- Colorful Non-Hardening Modeling Clay
- Clay tools (optional)
- Small Wood Birdhouses (we purchased ours at JoAnn’s for about $1 each)
Instructions
- Step One Open up clay and soften by kneading it in your hands.
- Step Two Break off a chunk of softened clay and press it into the wood. Smooth it out and spread it on wood surface to create a colorful façade.
- Step Three Make details out of clay and decorate the house.
- Step Four Glam it up with a little glitter!
You’re done! Wasn’t that easy and fun? I adore this house by Clara!
Tips
- Don’t leave these out in the sun! The clay will heat up in the sun and warp.
- These are for decorative purposes only; I don’t suggest trying to use them as birdhouses.
Conclusion & More
If you are looking for fun art projects for kids this spring and summer, clay decorated birdhouses will most likely be a hit! My son spent about 5 minutes on his, my daughter, hours. The funny moment came when my son saw our finished houses and said, “How did you make those?” I think he didn’t realize that taking a little bit of time to create could yield a fun little product. Score one for patience!
- If you enjoyed this clay project for kids try making Sculpey ships or clay and wood block structures.
- Don’t stop at decorating houses out of clay, check out these fun clay people over at Mollymoo.
We also made these for Halloween and turned them into Haunted Houses!
