Ingredients:

– Medium-sized seashells (scallop or clam shells)

– Pipe cleaners (red, orange, or any fun color)

– Googly eyes

– Hot glue gun or tacky glue (with adult supervision)

– Scissors

– Optional: red or orange paint, glitter glue, markers for extra decoration

Directions:

1. Paint the Shells (Optional): If you want vibrant crabs, start by painting the seashells in shades of red or orange. Allow the paint to dry completely before moving on to the next step. This will give your seashell crabs a bright and fun look.

2. Make the Legs & Claws: Take your pipe cleaners and cut them into 6 small pieces for the legs and 2 slightly longer pieces for the claws. For the claws, bend the longer pieces into a ‘U’ shape, pinching the ends to create pincers that give your crab a realistic look.

3. Attach Legs & Claws: Flip the shell upside down so the inside is facing up. Use the hot glue or tacky glue to attach the pipe cleaner legs to the underside of the shell—glue on three legs on each side. Then, take the claw pieces and glue them toward the front or sides of the shell. Make sure the glue is secure to hold them in place.

4. Add Eyes: Take your googly eyes and glue them onto the top or inner curve of the shell. You can use small dabs of hot glue or tacky glue for this. For an extra adorable touch, you can mount the googly eyes on tiny pipe cleaner stalks by cutting small pieces of pipe cleaner, gluing them to the eyes, and then securing them to the shell.

5. Display or Play: Once everything is glued and secure, allow your seashell crabs to dry completely. After that, you can use them as fun desk buddies, incorporate them into ocean-themed displays, or create imaginative play scenes with them!

Tips & Variations:

– For added texture and sparkle, consider using glitter glue to outline the edges of the shell or on the claws.

– You can also create a whole family of crabs by varying the sizes and colors of the shells and pipe cleaners, making an entire seaside collection