Clay Monsters

Stem Activities

Ages: 3-5

Less than 30 minutes

Grownup needed

A clear plastic tray holds a container of assorted googly eyes and small packets of colourful playdough or modelling clay.

Who says monsters have to be scary? They can be adorably ugly and funny too! You can make your own clay using flour or start with ready-made materials. For young children, these monsters are not just for Halloween parties but are fun for play and crafting at any time.

Materials Needed

  • Clay (homemade or shop-bought)
  • Various fun materials (such as googly eyes, small beads, pipe cleaners, etc.)
A clear plastic tray holds a container of assorted googly eyes and small packets of colourful playdough or modelling clay.

Step-by-step tutorial

Step 1

Prepare blue clay, roll it into a ball, then flatten it.

A small, flattened oval of bright blue playdough rests on a plain, light beige surface.
Step 2

Building on the previous step, pinch it into a cloud shape.

A small, five-pointed star made of bright blue playdough sits on a plain, light beige surface.
Step 3

Create the monster's expression and legs. Roll two white circles for the monster's eyes and two small black-brown circles for the pupils. Of course, you can use googly eyes for a quicker option. For the legs, roll two yellow cylinders (not too long), and pink clay into ovals to stick on the yellow legs.

A small, light blue, star-shaped playdough figure with googly eyes, a smiling mouth with fangs, yellow legs, and pink feet sits on a light beige surface.
Step 4

Make a hat for the little monster. Roll pink clay into a cone shape, and purple clay into a long strip. Wrap the purple strip around the base of the hat. Stick a small purple ball on top of the hat. You can add more decorations to make the hat prettier (I've added purple dots here).

A small, light blue, star-shaped playdough figure with googly eyes, a smiling mouth with fangs, yellow legs, pink feet, and a light purple and pink polka-dotted party hat sits on a light beige surface.
Step 5

Roll pink clay into an oval, flattening one end slightly to form the bottom of the monster's body.

A small, pale pink ball of playdough rests on a plain, light beige surface.
Step 6

Roll several small circles from pink clay. Stick them on top of the monster, keeping the gaps between the circles small to create thick hair.

A pale pink ball of playdough, topped with a semi-circle of smaller, bright pink balls, sits on a plain, light beige surface.
Step 7

Now make the pink monster's expression. Roll two white ovals for eyeballs, and small black circles for pupils. Stick the pupils on the white eyeballs - if you want the monster to look right, place both pupils on the right side of the eyes. For the mouth, roll yellow clay into a strip, fold it, trim any excess length, and stick it below the eyes.

A small figure made of pale pink playdough, with bright pink hair, googly eyes, and a yellow beak, sits on a plain, light beige surface.
Step 8

Roll yellow clay into an oval and flatten it slightly.

A small, flattened oval of bright yellow playdough rests on a plain, light beige surface.
Step 9

Pinch it into a basic shape, overall like a rounded heart.

A small, rounded, bright yellow piece of playdough, pinched at the bottom to resemble a pair of legs or the bottom of a body, sits on a plain, light beige surface.
Step 10

Create the yellow monster's expression. Roll white clay into circles for the monster's eyeballs, purple clay into small circles, flatten and stick them on the white eyeballs for pupils. Use white clay to make two tiny circles and stick them on the purple pupils for eye highlights. Roll pink clay into a long strip for the monster's big mouth.

A small, bright yellow playdough figure, shaped like a rounded body with two small legs, has a purple googly eye and a pink smile, and sits on a light beige surface.
Step 11

Roll two thicker strips of yellow clay, cut to a suitable length and stick them on the monster's body, then twist the yellow clay to create hand shapes. For the monster's horns, roll yellow clay into strips, thicker at one end and thinner at the other. Stick the thin end on the monster's head and shape the thicker end into horn shapes.

A small, bright yellow playdough figure, shaped like a rounded body with two small legs, has a purple googly eye, a pink smile, two small, light yellow arms, and a small, light yellow antenna, and sits on a light beige surface. Three small playdough figures, a pale pink one with a beak and pink hair, a bright yellow one with arms and an antenna, and a light blue star-shaped one with a party hat and legs, are arranged on a light beige surface.

The Science Behind It:

Playing with clay has many benefits for children! It not only stimulates creativity and imagination but also enhances fine motor skills and problem-solving abilities. Actions like pinching, kneading, and pressing help develop hand muscles while providing sensory stimulation, promoting sensory development. Children learn to focus and be patient during the creation process, and completing their work boosts their confidence. During the activity, parents can guide children to make happy, sad, or angry little monsters, helping children understand emotions. Don't worry too much about the final quality of the child's work - the most important thing is to have fun together!

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