DIY and Crafts

Salt Dough Ornament Ideas for Kids

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Published on

March 3, 2022

Christmas is one of our favorite festivals; every year, we try to decorate our Christmas tree with the best ornaments to make it look most beautiful. And what’s better, rather than decorating it with some homemade ornaments to make it look most beautiful. Making salt dough ornaments is one of the easiest and most fun craft activities for kids to do. Kids can easily decorate such ornaments by painting acrylic colors, sprinkling some glitter, or spraying paint on them. You can easily preserve salt dough ornaments by wrapping them in tissue or newspaper and keeping them in a cool and dry place. By doing that, you can easily reuse them next Christmas for decoration. Adults can also make salt ornaments, as these can be used as a DIY handmade gifting option for their loved ones.

You can also make no-bake salt dough ornaments, as it only takes 3-4 days to completely dry, depending upon the humidity level, as you only have to flip your ornaments every 24 hours to make sure they get dry from both sides. You can also make real look-alike gingerbreads, cookies, stars, and many different ornaments to decorate your tree. These salt-dough ornaments can also help you to keep your little toddler’s memory, like you can keep your baby’s handprint with you forever. So let’s start preparing beautiful ornaments, or should I say beautiful memories, for this Christmas. Here are some of the ideas that help you to decorate your house with your little kid in a fun way.

Salt dough is made of flour, salt, and water. It can be used to make ornaments. You can make salt dough in any shape, such as a handprint, snowman, gingerbread, or clay, etc. You can do creativity in the Christmas tree or in any craft or activity with salt dough. Salt Dough Ornament Recipes are easy to make for everyone, especially for kids. It is used in the spring rituals in Eastern Europe, and sometimes in the winter season, and in wedding rituals.

Salt Dough Ornament Ideas

Handprint Santa Ornament Craft

Image Source/Tutorial: Messy Little Monster

Materials Required:

Clay or salt dough, paint (red, white, black), ribbon

Procedure:

Press the hand into the dough and let it dry. Paint as Santa and attach ribbon for hanging.

Christmas Tree Sprinkle Ornament

Image Source/Tutorial: Views From A Steps Tool

Materials Required:

Salt dough, green paint, sprinkles, string

Procedure:

Shape dough into a tree, bake, or dry. Paint green, add sprinkles, and attach a string to hang.

Snowman Clay Ornament Craft

Image Source/Tutorial: Kid-friendly Things To Do

Materials Required:

Clay or salt dough, paint, ribbon

Procedure:

Shape the dough into a snowman face and dry. Paint features and attach ribbon for hanging.

Gingerbread Ornament Craft

Image Source/Tutorial: Everydaylaura

Materials Required:

Salt dough, brown paint, ribbon, decorative items

Procedure:

Cut gingerbread shapes from dough, dry or bake. Paint and decorate, then attach ribbon.

Painted Snowman Footprint Craft

Image Source/Tutorial: Learning and Exploring Through Play

Materials Required:

Paint (white, blue, black), paper or canvas

Procedure:

Make a footprint with paint, let it dry. Add snowman details and background using paint.

Paw Print Salt Dough Ornament

Image Source/Tutorial: Birds Eye Meeple

Materials Required:

Salt dough, rolling pin, oven, ribbon

Procedure:

Press the paw into the dough, cut the shape, and bake. Let cool and attach ribbon for hanging.

Nature Leaf Imprint Ornament Craft

Image Source/Tutorial: Easy Peasy and Fun

Materials Required:

Salt dough, leaves, paint, string

Procedure:

Pressthe leaves into the dough and remove. Dry or bake, paint details, and attach a string to hang.

Handprint Christmas Ornament Craft

Image Source/Tutorial: Kids Activities Blog

Materials Required:

Salt dough or paper, paint, string

Procedure:

Make a handprint impression, let it dry. Paint a colorful design and attach a string for hanging.

Grinch Handprint Ornament Craft

Image Source/Tutorial: Fromabcstoacts

Materials Required:

Salt dough, green/red paint, googly eyes, string

Procedure:

Create a handprint in dough, dry it. Paint Grinch face, add details, and attach a string.

Star Photo Frame Ornament Craft

Image Source/Tutorial: Messy Little Monster

Materials Required:

Salt dough, photo, glue, paint, ribbon

Procedure:

Cut a star shape, create a center hole. Dry, paint, insert photo, and attach ribbon.

Star Garland Ornament Craft

Image Source/Tutorial: Rocky Hedge Farm

Materials Required:

Salt dough, string, cutter

Procedure:

Cut star shapes, bake or dry. Thread the string through to create a garland.

Snowflake Ornament Craft

Image Source/Tutorial: Living Well Mom

Materials Required:

Salt dough, snowflake cutter, string

Procedure:

Cut snowflake shapes, bake or dry. Attach the string and hang it as decoration.

Ninja Turtle Handprint Ornament Craft

Image Source/Tutorial: I Heart Artsncrafts

Materials Required:

Salt dough, paint, felt, googly eyes, string

Procedure:

Make a handprint in the dough, dry it. Paint turtle design, add features, and attach a string.

Easy Salt Dough Ornament Ideas for Kids

Learn how to make cute salt dough ornaments with this easy step-by-step tutorial for kids. This fun DIY craft uses simple ingredients like flour, salt, and water to create creative ornaments kids can paint and decorate for holidays, gifts, or classroom activities. Perfect beginner craft tutorial for children.

Benefits of Salt Dough Activities for Children

Making salt dough ornaments helps children learn and develop important skills while having fun. Some educational benefits include:

Improves fine motor skills
Encourages creativity and imagination
Supports sensory learning
Develops patience and concentration
Enhances hand-eye coordination
Encourages family bonding time
Promotes screen-free creative play

Hands-on craft projects like salt dough activities are often used in early childhood education because they combine learning with creative exploration.

Easy Salt Dough Recipe for Kids

Parents and teachers can quickly make homemade salt dough using basic ingredients found in most kitchens.

Simple Salt Dough Recipe:

2 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 cup warm water

Mix all ingredients until a soft dough forms. Roll out the dough and use cookie cutters or handprints to create ornaments and shapes. Bake at a low temperature until completely dry before decorating. (bbcgoodfood.com)

Creative Salt Dough Ornament Ideas

Kids can make many fun and decorative salt dough crafts for different occasions and seasons. Popular ideas include:

Handprint ornaments
Christmas tree decorations
Animal-shaped ornaments
Heart keepsakes
Star and moon ornaments
Rainbow decorations
Name tags and letter ornaments
Halloween ornaments
Snowflake decorations
DIY gift tags

These simple craft ideas are perfect for preschoolers, toddlers, and elementary school children.

Tips for Making Perfect Salt Dough Ornaments

Follow these simple tips to create durable and beautiful salt dough crafts:

Roll the dough evenly for consistent baking
Use parchment paper to prevent sticking
Make holes before baking for hanging ornaments
Bake slowly at a low temperature to avoid cracks
Let the ornaments cool completely before painting
Seal finished ornaments with clear varnish for longer durability

These helpful crafting tips make homemade ornaments look cleaner and last longer.

Best Ways to Decorate Salt Dough Crafts

Children can personalize their ornaments using colorful and creative decorations such as:

Acrylic paints
Glitter
Ribbon and twine
Sequins
Stickers
Metallic markers
Fingerprints and handprints
Googly eyes and craft gems

Decorating salt dough ornaments allows kids to explore artistic expression and creativity in exciting ways.

Why Homemade Ornaments Are Special

Handmade salt dough ornaments become meaningful keepsakes that families can treasure for years. Parents often save children’s handprint ornaments and personalized decorations as memories of special occasions, holidays, and childhood milestones. These DIY ornaments also make thoughtful handmade gifts for grandparents, teachers, and friends. (thebestideasforkids.com)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. How long do salt-dough ornaments last?

Answer: Salt dough ornaments can last for years if properly baked, painted, and sealed with varnish.

Q2. Is salt dough safe for kids?

Answer: Yes, salt dough is generally safe for children to use with adult supervision. However, it should not be eaten because of the high salt content.

Q3. Can you air-dry salt-dough ornaments?

Answer: Yes, salt dough can air dry naturally, but baking helps ornaments dry faster and become stronger.

Q4. What paint works best on salt dough?

Answer: Acrylic paints work best because they provide bright colors and long-lasting coverage.

Q5. How do you keep salt dough ornaments from cracking?

Answer: Bake at a low temperature and avoid making ornaments too thick to reduce cracking.

Salt dough ornament ideas are a fun, creative, and budget-friendly craft activity for kids of all ages. These easy homemade crafts encourage imagination, sensory play, and artistic expression while creating beautiful keepsakes and decorations. Whether making holiday ornaments, handprint gifts, or cute decorative shapes, salt dough crafts provide memorable and educational fun for families and classrooms alike.

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Reviewed By Rachit Gupta

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