Color Wheel (in clay)

© 2008 This project is dedicated to Gurudev.
For use in Balavihar classrooms (or personal use) only.

Click on image to view enlarged.
Summer Camp 2010

All colors blended together equal कृष्ण

Materials

Clay - Red, Blue, Yellow and White (Crayola Modeling Magic works nicely)

Clay roller or chapati roller

Directions

1. Take a ball of white clay and roll it out like a chapati. Try to make it as round as possible.

2. Give each child equal portions of red, blue and yellow clay.

3. Have them divide each color into four equal portions. You should end up with four small balls of blue, red and yellow.

At this point, it's really helpful to place the colors - as you make them - around the outside of the white "chapati". Otherwise, you'll get confused as to which color belongs where. Don't press them into the wheel until you're completely done mixing all of the color discs -- this will be the very last thing you do.

4. Following the diagram below, place one of the red balls on the outside of the wheel. Do the same with one blue and yellow ball. (These are the primary colors.)

5. Take a red, blue and yellow ball and divide each of them into halves. (You should have two equal portions of each color.)

6. Take a red, blue and yellow balls and divide each of the colors into four equal little balls. (You should have 4 equal portions of each color.)

* You will have a ball of red, blue and yellow left over. Set these aside for the center of the wheel.

7. With the balls from Step 5, thoroughly blend numbers 2, 5, and 8 on the diagram below. Place them on the outside of the wheel. (These are the secondary colors.)

8. With the little balls from Step 6, blend numbers, blend numbers 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 9 on the diagram below. Place them on the outside of the wheel. (These are the tertiary colors.)

9. Blend the remaining portions of red, blue and yellow. This goes in the center of the wheel. This is कृष्ण - all colors (or black.)

10. Now that you have all your colors mixed, place the color discs (one by one) onto the surface and press into the wheel.

Ganesha Clay Sculpture

© 2008 This project is dedicated to Gurudev.
For use in Balavihar classrooms (or personal use) only.

Click on image to view enlarged.

This is a really fun project, for children (and adults) of all ages. One of our moms taught us how to do this in the Toddler Class a few years back, and it's been a hit ever since! The kids never get tired of making Lord Ganesha ...

Materials

Clay (Crayola Modeling Magic works best)

In the following photographs, the shapes are colored coded to help you step through the process. You will need to make: (See Photo A)

1 large ball for the body (orange)

1 smaller ball for the head (pink)

2 small balls for the ears (blue)

2 log shapes for the legs (yellow)

2 log shapes for the arms (green)

1 small log shape for the crown (green)

Photo A

Take the pink ball and stretch it (very gently and slowly) until it has a thick shape at one end and a long tail at the other. (See Photo B)

Photo B

Curl the tail up on one side and push it in a little to make it stick. Flatten the clay (just a little) to make it look like an elephant's head. (See Photo C)

Photo C

Place the pink head onto the orange body. Press it in gently and smooth the pieces together with your fingers. (See Photo D)

Photo D

Starting from behind the body, wrap the yellow logs around to the front. Flatten the front of the logs with your fingers to look like Ganesha's feet. (See Photo E)

Photo E

Starting from behind the body, wrap the green logs around to the front. Flatten the front of the logs with your fingers to look like Ganesha's hands. (See Photo F)

Photo F

Flatten the blue balls (so that they look like roti) and place them on either side of the head. These are his ears. (See Photos G and H)

Photo G

Photo H

Roll the little green log into a circle and form into a crown. Place on top of Lord Ganesha's head. (See Photo I)

Photo I

If you want, decorate with sequins or rhinestones!

Ganesha Bookmark

© 2008 This project is dedicated to Gurudev.
For use in Balavihar classrooms (or personal use) only.

Click on image to view enlarged.

Materials

Modeling clay*

Piece of lace or ribbon

Sequins for decorating

Bead and tassel

Toothpick

Elmer's glue

* Crayola Modeling Magic works best. It dries lightweight, and doesn't crumble.

Directions

Take a small piece of modeling clay and make the side view of an elephant head. (Be sure to remember a crown.)

Click here for instructions on making Ganesha's head out of clay. (See photos B and C.)

With a toothpick, poke a hole in the trunk. (Make sure that the hole is not too big, but big enough for the lace to fit through.) Loop the lace through the trunk and glue the end to the body of the ribbon. Once the clay is dry, glue on sequins and decorate with paint. A bead and tassel makes a nice finishing touch.

Bird

© 2008 This project is dedicated to Gurudev.
For use in Balavihar classrooms (or personal use) only.

Click on image to view enlarged.

This is a very simple and nice project to do with any of the Pancatantras (or other fables). Our Toddler Class did this project with "The Goose and the Golden Egg."

Materials

Crayola Modeling Clay

2 Wiggly Eyes

Directions

1. Make four balls out of your clay. One large, one medium and 2 small sizes. (see picture A below.)

2. With the medium ball draw out one side (gently) until you have a pointed beak.

3. Place the head onto the body (large ball).

4. Take each small ball and flatten it like a pancake. Shape into a wing and place on each side of the bird's body.

5. Add the wiggly eyes.

Picture A