Work those preschool fine motor skills while making a cute clay snake craft with your little one. This is one snake you won’t mind inside.
Why Make a Snake Craft
Even the littlest learners can develop their fine motor skills by working with this easy snake craft.
Many kids figure out quickly how to make snakes from play dough.
Change the medium they are making snakes with to clay to make it a new sensory experience for them.
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Once the clay dries, the little ones can decorate it as plain or elaborate as their heart desires.
Providing them with options allows them to stretch their creativity and take pride in their preschool snake craft creations.
Preschoolers can add embellishments, paint it different colors, or use colored clay to make the snake craft their own.
There is literally no wrong way to do this snake craft. Okay, there is one: not doing it.
Knowing this can be freeing for some kids who are reluctant to do crafts because they fear they won’t do it ‘right.’
So, add this preschool snake craft to your plans for a reptile unit, habitat unit, or even during your letter S letter study. Or save it for a day when you need a quick and easy activity for your little one.
Items Needed
*clay
*paint + paint brush (if not using colored clay)
*toothpick or other clay/play dough tool — optional
*chenille stem (red) — optional
How to Make a Snake Craft
1. Have your preschooler choose what color snake to make. This isn’t as big of an issue if you are using white clay.
2. Let your little one roll out a snake by making a ball of clay and then rubbing it between their hands or between their hand and the table.
3. Once the snake is at the desired length, let your little one add lines or indents to the snake using the toothpick or playdough tool.
They can also add stripes using different colored clay at this time.
** This is also the time to have the snake strike a pose. Maybe they are curled up, getting ready for a nap. Maybe they are on the prowl, ready to go scare Mom 😉 **
4. Poke holes at the front of the snake for the eyes and the mouth.
5. They can add little eyes to the snake with small balls of clay or later with paint.
If attaching eyes with clay, be sure to do it before the clay dries.
6. Allow the snake to dry.
7. Paint the snake if you made it out of white clay.
8. Add a small piece of chenille stem to the snake’s mouth to make a tongue sticking out.
9. Enjoy the clay snake.
Preschool Snake Craft
This quick and easy clay snake craft is one that you can keep in your back pocket for a rainy day (or a day you need a moment of quiet).
Kids inherently know how to make snakes from clay, making this craft even easier for Mom. We all need crafts like this that are easy to prep and are nearly self-led.