This DIY heart model is fun because it’s a kid project start to finish; they literally get to dig into what they are learning. Also, I have this Human Body Crafts page for more hands-on ideas. And this Beautiful Human Body Lapbook and Fun Unit Study.
Human anatomy is a big part of science in the early years through high school.
No matter what age your children are, they can create a human heart model on their level to learn from.
When you are looking for an activity that helps teach your kids in a way that sticks, hands on is the way to go.
Using different senses and more than just a worksheet keeps them engaged in the lesson.
All you need for this project is some air dry clay and food coloring to create an unforgettable DIY human heart model that they can then also use to label the heart.
Resources for Learning about the Human Body Heart
16 Human Body Books & Hands-on Resources
Add a few of these fun resources whether you do a couple of lesson plans about the human body or a unit study.
One of the resources we used as a reference for this activity was The Way We Work, it covers a lot of interesting topics on the human body.
Vivid Human torso organ structure: 15 Pcs Removable Organs including: Torso, Brain (2-part), Heart, Esophagus and Aorta, Lungs (4-part), Cranial Cap, Stomach, Diaphragm, Liver, pancreas and spleen, small and large intestine. The torso structure showing the relative position, morphological features, anatomy of the head, neck and internal organs, especially the respiratory, digestive, urinary and nervous systems.
[HUMAN ORGANS SILICONE MOLD]: 8 Pcs Human Organs Mold With Different Shapes, Include 1 Human Heart Mold, 1 Brain Silicone Mold, 1 Liver Mold, 1 Intestinal Mold, 1 Lung Mold, 1 Stomach Mold, 1 Brain Stem Mold, 1 Kidney Mold.
This human body with squishable organs is another great way to identify the organs and become familiar with their layout in the body, it has that gross factor that so many kids love.
8PCS Human Organ Figures Set:Human organ anatomy parts display model children learning toy include small intestine, large intestine, lung, brain, stomach, heart, liver, kidney. Suitable for boys and girls over 6 years old,good for brain ability and imagination.
Complete labeled illustrations of over 1,400 anatomical identifications.Loaded with beautifully illustrated diagrams clearly and concisely labeled for easy identification.
Basher Science: Human Body, A Book with Guts! Created & illustrated by Simon Basher, written by Dan Green
From the best-selling team that brought you The Periodic Table, Physics, Biology, and Astronomy comes a topic that's close to our hearts-literally! Meet the characters and processes that that keep the human body chugging along. From the basic building blocks like Cell, DNA, and Protein, to Bones, Muscles, and all of the fun-loving Organs, readers will cozy up with the guys on the inside. Trust us-Liver has never looked better!
High-quality 3 MIL LAMINATION for added durability
Tear Resistant
HUMAN ORGANS LEARNING: Marvel at the rich complexities of the human heart muscle! Every piece has a unique shape designed to outline each major part of the heart organ, making these an exciting challenge to assemble. Each puzzle includes an Anatomy Reference Guide, so you can learn as you build!
- Authentic x-ray images
- Works with any light source or light table)
- Matching facture card
- Detailed teaching guide
- Set of 4 Posters Made in the USA
- Posters are 18" x 24” in size
- High-quality 3 MIL lamination for added durability
- Tear Resistant
Discover the workings of the body's most complex organ! How does the brain control the rest of the body? How does it enable the senses to function, regulate speech, affect balance, and influence sleep and dreams? These 25 illustrations to color explain every aspect of the brain's important jobs, from communicating with the central nervous system to retaining memories. Suitable for ages 8–12.
Enjoy This Coloring Book with 34 Beautiful Human Skull Anatomy Coloring Pages.
The Human Skull Anatomy Coloring Book Provides A Means Of Learning About The Structure And Function Of The Human Skull Anatomy Through A Process Of Coloring-By-Directions.
Coloring The Human Skull Anatomy And Its Nerves Is The Most Effective Way To Study The Structure And Functions Of Human Skull Anatomy. You Assimilate Information And Make Visual Associations With Key Terminology When Coloring In The Human Skull Anatomy Coloring Book, All While Having Fun.
Fall is a grea time to grab a set of hands at Dollar Tree but also here is a pair if you're doing a unit study and need one now.
This poster makes a great reference and can be used with older children to help them add more detail to their project.
Our bodies contain a super highway of blood vessels that carry nutrients, waste, and much more from our heads to our toes. This network is the circulatory system! Beginning with a deep breath in, this fact-filled title uses easy-to-follow text and diagrams to allow readers to dive inside the bodys circulatory system!
The human body is a complex being made up of systems that keep us alive and moving! In this series, readers will dive into the bodys systems though engaging, leveled text and related diagrams that follow the parts and functions of each system. Get a microscopic view inside the body with A Closer Look, and put new knowledge into action with a hands-on activity. Check out what is happening inside the body with each title!
Also, look at some facts about the human heart.
8 Human Heart Facts
- Your heart weighs between 7 and 15 ounces and is slightly larger than your fist.
- Your heart pumps about 2,000 gallons of blood through your body every day.
- If you could stretch your blood vessel system out in a line it would extend over 60,000 miles long.
- The valves of your heart opening and closing is what causes the beating sound of your heart.
- The blood entering the heart is purplish-blue, it does not contain oxygen. Blood exiting the heart is red, It is full of oxygen.
- The heart can keep beating even when it’s disconnected from the body as long as there is oxygen.
- Your heart supplies blood to every cell in your body, except for the corneas.
- The stethoscope was invented by Rene Laennec in 1816. The French doctor thought that it was inappropriate to place his ear on a female patient’s chest. Necessity is the mother of invention, they say.
Moreover, look at more hands-on human body crafts.
More Human Body Crafts
- Simple and Easy Circulatory System Hands-on Activity for Kids
- How to Turn a Pizza Into a Fun Edible Human Cell Model
- How To Make A Fun Bones Of The Hand Labeled X-Ray Craft
- 7 Human Skull Facts and Cool Human Skull Anatomy Activity
- How to Make a Fun Hands-on Playdough Brain Activity
- Major Organs of The Human Body Labeled Fun Felt Anatomy Activity
- Fun Resources and Books About The Human Body For Preschoolers
- 8 Eye Facts & Human Body Activities Middle School & Fun Eye Model
- 12 Human Body Games For Middle School & High School
- Craft a Fun Hand Straw Model to Explore Human Anatomy Muscles & Tendons
- How to Make a Human DIY Heart Model Easy Craft for Kids
- 8 Facts About the Respiratory System & Fun Lung Craft for Kids
- 7 Human Body Facts and Kids Human Body T-Shirt Project
- Fun Edible Spine
- Making Blood + What Are the Components of Blood
- DIY Heart Pump
- Kids Stethoscope Activity
- Build An Edible DNA Model
- Edible Skin
- Rigid versus Flexible Bone Activity.
- Pregnancy Belly Female Study of Human Anatomy Kids Fun Craft
- Look at my Beautiful Human Body Lapbook and Fun Unit Study
Finally, look at this amazing air dry clay hands-on heart model.
How to Make an Air-Dry Clay Hands-on Heart Model
I found this A Guide to Understand Human Heart with Heart Diagram here.
It is a good clear simple image of the heart. There is also a lot of great information here that can be used for your study as well.
You will need:
- Air Dry Clay
- Blue Gel Food Coloring
- Red Gel Food Coloring
- Rubber gloves
- Heart diagram
First, pinch off a good-sized piece of air-dry clay.
Hands-on Heart Model
I used about ¾ of a pound. Work it with your hands for a few minutes to soften it and make it easier to mold.
Then, roll into two equal pieces, about the size of tennis balls is where I ended up.
Unless you don’t mind dyed hands for a few days I highly suggest you put on gloves before you begin the next step.
Add blue gel food coloring to one side and massage it in.
Take the next half and work in red gel food coloring.
Mold each piece into a cylinder-ish shape.
Pinch off a chunk of each and roll it into the various arteries, aortas, and valves that come off the right and left sides of the heart.
Take off more as you need to have all the main vena cava, inferior vena cava, pulmonary valve, artery, and vein, right and left ventricles, etc.
Use a craft stick to cut the valves off as if you were looking at a cross section.
Form your main left and right sides of the heart a bit more and press them together.
Add arteries and valves, etc. to the heart, gently smooth the clay together so that it sticks.
Be sure that each section is securely attached.
As we worked on the clay more and more the color became lighter and lighter, so we brushed on some gel coloring to deepen the color.
Use a paintbrush handle or pencil to gently indent where the right and left atrium would be.
Allow the heart to dry completely, it will probably take several days, flip it over every day so it can dry evenly.
You can also press it a little flatter while you are forming each part if you like for a quicker drying time.
Once the heart is dry and hardened you can then use it to have your child create labels for each area and place them in the correct spot.
