For the past few months I’ve been featuring several children’s craft projects with all of you that I’ve been doing with the Princess Gia over the summer. These kid’s craft projects have gotten a good reception from all of you that we will be continuing them throughout the fall and holiday season!
Today’s kid’s craft project is a very simple one that only cost’s a few pennies to do! When we sat down to make these hand-painted clam shells it kept the Princess busy for 4 solid hours! Once they were all done drying these clam shells made their way into our flower beds at my house and at hers!
Kid’s Craft Project: Hand-Painted Clam Shells
Medium and Large Surf Clam Shells
Variety of Acrylic Paint Colors
Paint Brush
Clear Acrylic Spray Sealer in a Can
Newspaper
Empty Margarine Bowl and Water
For this project we used surf clam shells that we collected from the beach when we were down at our beach house in late June. Cost…nothing! Lay out some old newspaper to protect your table surface. Place water in the empty margarine bowl and use the plastic lid as a painting palette.
You can use whatever paints you have on-hand. We used a few colors that were left-over from a painting kit that she had and then supplemented those with some acrylic paints that I put on the plastic bowl lid.
Let the kids get creative. They can paint really fancy designs or let them just scribble paint like she did. She’s only six years old and I think she did a really good job painting her new clam shells. Leave the shells dry for a complete 8 hours or overnight.
Take them outside and lay them down on newspaper and lightly spray each side with clear acrylic sealer. Let dry for 4-6 hours and repeat with a second coat. This will protect them while out in the weather elements. There ya go! A simple and frugal craft project for the kids!
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This would be a great way for my grandchildren to use my shells that I’ve had around for years. My grandchildren all love crafting. My daughter has a hard time finding enough crafts that are appropriate for all the children’s ages. This one should work out well.
You always find some cute project for the kids. I am sure any kid would have fun making these shells.
What a fun, creative project. I like the idea of using things we have to create art and these would be so decorative in a yard or garden.
This looks like a great craft. It would be nice to collect enough shells to spell out the child’s name, spell out the child’s name, and then put the shells in the garden.
That’s a great idea! Over the summer the princess probably painted a dozen or so of these clam shells. All of the shells were free…so this project cost us only pennies. I like to let kids do their own designs & be creative. I don’t like telling them to try to paint a flower, a snowman or whatever. I always think that type of direction is a mistake. It’s important to let them figure out out their own designs and colors…even if it’s a scribble. LOL
We used to do this as kids, but down in New Orleans where I grew up we painted oyster shells!
These are pretty and shells add nutrients naturally to your garden! I had a bunch of shells I added so long ago they are nearly deteriorated. I think it might be an excuse to go to the beach biit you dont find shells like you do years ago.
These would be great for giving bees water if they got turned over even!
Cute idea but we live 1,000 miles from one coast and 2,000 from the other so we’re a bit short on clam shells.
I’ve got a tip for all of you. If you live near a fresh seafood market or near a restaurant that sells seafood a lot of times you can ask them to save you various shells from their seafood. I’ve gotten them for FREE and used them in landscaping and craft projects. You just need to clean them!
This is such a cute project for kids. I love them!
This is such a clever idea and super cute make me want to paint one too.
The kids would have fun doing this one!