Crafts & Activities / 25 September, 2023 / Nanny Anita

Nanny Anita’s Pasta Shell Snails

Sometimes I find the best way to encourage children to take part in a craft is to have one pre-made (in true Blue Peter fashion) and on display. A few weeks ago I bought some giant pasta shells to use as finger food for BB. I use some shells to make these pasta shell snails and had the finished products on my desk. YC saw them and without prompting asked if she could make them. Fast forward to last week and YC had her God Father visiting and I asked if she wanted to do something with him after school and her reply was to make these pasta shell snails – that’s my girl.

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You will need:

• Pasta Shells
• Acrylic paint
• Paint brushes
• Sharpies (optional)
• Air drying clay like Model Magic*

*Crayola’s Model Magic is a good, but the shop Tiger do a selection for a few pounds

Start by painting your shells. I always tell YC and EC that a little bit of paint goes a long way.  Not only is that important here but we found the more paint you use on the shells, the more likely it is that the shells will crack. It may have been the shells we were using, but quite a few of ours cracked in the end.  I think it might have had something to do with the amount of paint used, or how the wet the paint brush was.

When the paint has dried use your sharpies, or other pens, to draw patterns on the shell.

To make the body, roll a small amount of clay into a sausage shape and place the shell on top. For the head end  mold it so that it is facing slightly up.  Finally add two little bits of clay for the eyes.

YC’s family of snails

YC was very happy making her little snails, and even happier to boss her God Father around. Now she has a lovely little family of pasta shell snails to play around with.

If you enjoyed this craft then take a look at my lavender salt dough gifts and rainbow paper plate craft.

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