Texture Tiles
Get all touchy-feely as you explore textures, creating a unique texture tile capturing a variety of unusual surfaces.
1. Discover a variety of appealing textures, such as a dog or cat's tongue, powder puff, bunny fur, bricks, or tree bark. Compile a list of descriptive words for each of these textures.
2. Roll or press Crayola® Model Magic into a smooth 3/4-inch (2 cm) slab. Measure with a ruler and then cut a 3-inch (8 cm) square tile with a craft stick or other modeling tool.
3. Add texture to the tile using these or other creative modeling techniques:
Adult supervision is required for any arts & crafts project. Observe children closely and intervene as necessary to prevent potential safety problems and ensure appropriate use of arts and crafts materials. Some craft items, particularly beads and buttons, are potential choking hazards for young children. Avoid use of such small parts with children younger than 3 years. Craft items such as scissors, push pins and chenille sticks may have sharp points or edges. Avoid use of materials with sharp points by children younger than 4 years. Read all manufacturers' safety warnings before using arts and craft supplies.
Crayola Modeling Materials including Crayola Model Magic®, and Model Magic Fusion™, Crayola Air-Dry Clay, and Crayola Dough—
- Keep away from open flames. Do not use to make candleholders, hot plates, trivets, or other similar objects that will be used or placed near fire and other heat sources.
- Do not put in an oven, microwave, or kiln.
- Do not make into vessels/containers that will hold unpackaged food.
- The use of modeling material to make items that look like food is discouraged for children younger than age 5 to avoid their confusion with real food.
- Unless sealed with a water-resistant glaze, do not make projects exposed to or immersed in water, such as boats or outdoor bird feeders. They would disintegrate when exposed to moisture.
- Crayola Dough—contains gluten (wheat flour) as an ingredient.
- Crayola Air-Dry Clay, Crayola Model Magic and Model Magic Fusion are gluten-free. However, they are produced on the same machinery as Crayola Dough which does contain gluten. Although the machines are cleaned prior to the start of each production run, there is a slight possibility that trace amounts of gluten from Crayola Dough may be present in the other modeling compound products. For information regarding specific ingredients or allergic concerns, please call our Consumer Affairs department at 1-800-272-9652 weekdays between 9 AM and 4 PM Eastern Standard Time.
Modeling Tools—Use the least dangerous point or edge sufficient to do the job. For example, craft sticks, plastic knives and forks, and cookie cutters can cut or carve modeling materials.
- Art and science specialists can work together to lead student explorations of different types of tree bark, plant leaves, vegetable skins, or other readily available textures.
- Work in smaller or larger scales, creating real or imagined textures. Try to match the created textures with the real objects.
- Create a feeling bag. With eyes closed, children reach into a closed bag and select an object. Can they identify it by texture and shape?
- Older students can find creative ways to arrange and layer textures on texture blocks to make them aesthetically appealing. Display on low tables, then invite younger students to visit and "please DO touch" the Textures Tiles.















