Mini Handmade Clay Reindeer Garland

Clay Reindeer Garland

Clay reindeer are fun to make into beads or ornaments. I love making things all the time, every day, all year round. However, the holidays are just special. Making things during the holiday season is awesome because it create festive spirit and happiness. It is an added bonus that when I give the things I make to friends that they get super happy and love them. This mini handmade clay reindeer garland is darling. I made it with Sculpey III clay and am pretty crazy about the way it turned out. If you are working with kids, I would recommend Bake Shop Clay.

Materials Needed for Clay Reindeer Beads and Garland

Sculpey III Clay (Bake Shop if working with kids)
Bead Cores
Red and White Twine
Sculpey Clay Tools – This is my favorite set.
Oven for Baking

Directions to Make Clay Reindeer Beads and Garlands

Sculpey III is so easy to work with. A minute of warming the clay in my hands and rolling it around and it is totally ready to be formed. To make these reindeer, I started with 3/4 inch dark brown balls.

Then I added a nose (eight with black and one with red). The noses are just little red balls of clay pressed on to the larger brown head balls.

Next came the eyes in white with a little black on top. I first rolled both into balls (the white a little larger) then smashed them flat.

The last clay addition I added were two antlers to each reindeer. These were formed with my fingers.

Then I poked a hole all the way through each head from side to side and added tiny metal bead cores to the holes on each side.

I baked them as instructed in the directions then let them cool completely before stringing them onto a long piece of ribbon. Ta Da!

I just love the way it looks on my chalkboard hanger that I keep in my kitchen.

Seven Reasons Kids Should Be Crafting

Practice Fine Motor Skills – Many craft projects require the use of fine motor skills to cut, tie knots, paint, color and even apply glue. Crafting provides a great opportunity to work on fine motor skills while creating works of art.

Build Self Esteem – Through the process of creating a craft project, a child works through a series of steps to make a masterpiece. The success of completing steps and having something wonderful to show for it has proven to build self esteem.

Create Community – Many craft projects that are done by kids in classrooms or groups collectively create a larger work of art. For example. When a group of kids create individual pumpkin crafts – once put together they have a patch. This creates community and inclusion.

Build Social Skills – While actively crafting, often times the fears and worries of talking with others subsides and children (of all ages) find themselves to be more social with those around them,

Promotes Individuality – Craft projects should allow children the opportunity to put their own style or mark into their work. There need to be choices available to successfully promote individuality. Some of these choices include picking colors, crayons vs colored pencils, cutting vs tearing paper and outlining.

Encourages Self Expression – Often times children will express their feelings and thoughts through simple drawing and works of art. Encouraging kids to draw in their journals and add their own elements to projects sometimes offers a release of feelings.

How To Involve Kids in DIY Projects

Do It Yourself projects are a great way to get the kids involved in making decorations. This gives them the opportunity to participate in what their environment looks and feels like – whether at home, school or camp. When kids have been included in the ideas and the creating, they have a sense of inclusion and importance, It is a way to have them learn that their vote counts.

If you are not aligned with your kid’s ideas for decorations because it’s not your look or style, don’t dismiss them. A good way to empower them to continue to express themselves is to allow them to have a large say in how they decorate their own space (bedroom or homework station). If you want to raise your kids to successfully be able to have a style of their own, it starts by giving them a say when they are little.