Playing with modeling dough is fun for any age girl. In this activity your group can make amazing imaginary insects or realistic ones using homemade modeling dough that hardens.
Materials
- Modeling Dough (see recipe below)
- Arts and Crafts Scraps
- Acrylic or Tempera Paints
- Paintbrushes
- Pictures of Insects
- Food Coloring (optional)
- Insect Field Guides (optional)
- Pipe cleaners, twigs, small beans (optional)
Directions
To make dough, mix the following ingredients in a saucepan:
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 cup salt
- 2 cups water
- 4 teaspoons cream of tartar
- vanilla or peppermint flavoring (optional - to make the dough smell nice)
Cook over medium heat, stirring until the mixture starts boiling or forms a ball (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from the heat and let cool until it can be handled. Knead the dough like bread until smooth and supple. To store the dough, keep it in a plastic bag in a cool place. (Makes enough for 6-8 girls.)
Sculpting the Insect
Before starting, show picture of adult insects and discuss the characteristics that make insects insects.
Now give each girl a lump of modeling dough and put the other materials in piles around the table. Have them roll and mold the dough into a head, thorax, and abdomen. They can use a toothpick to carve lines or dots on the insect's body and make wings, eyes, and legs with dough.
You may want to have them try using pipe cleaners or twigs for legs and antennae, wax paper or plastic wrap for wings and beans for eyes.
With younger girls , try making fantasy insects. Divide the dough balls and add food coloring to make green, yellow, orange, blue, and red dough. Give each of the girls a little lump of each color and let them design their own insects.
Older girls can try to make realistic models. Have them each choose an insect to model from a field guide or textbook. Give them white dough and have them mold their insects into shape. When the models are dry (2-3 days), they can paint them with acrylic or tempera paints to resemble the real insects. |
