Discover the easy way to create personalized salt dough ornaments that will last forever. Learn the simple recipe, preservation techniques, and creative ideas to make these DIY gifts and holiday decorations.

Unlock the Power of Salt Dough Ornaments

Salt dough ornaments are a versatile and enduring craft that can add a personalized touch to your gift-giving and holiday decor. These ornaments, sealed with Mod Podge, offer a long-lasting solution for thoughtful presents and timeless decorations.

Mastering the Salt Dough Recipe

The key to successful salt dough ornaments lies in the simplicity of the recipe. With just three basic ingredients – flour, salt, and water – you can create a dough that is easy to work with and virtually impossible to mess up. The flexibility of the dough allows you to shape it into a variety of designs, from letters to festive shapes, making it a canvas for your creativity.

Preserving the Ornaments for Lasting Beauty

Once your salt dough ornaments are crafted, the real magic happens in the preservation process. Painting the ornaments with acrylic paint and sealing them with Mod Podge or a spray sealer ensures that your creations will maintain their vibrant colors and sturdy structure for years to come. Explore the different finish options, from glossy to matte, to find the perfect look for your ornaments.

Crafting Personalized Gifts and Decorations

Salt dough ornaments are not just for hanging on the tree – they make excellent gift tags and unique holiday decor. Tie them to packages with baker’s twine or hang them with ornament hooks for a personalized touch. Spell out a name by attaching one letter to each gift, or let your creativity run wild with various shapes and designs.

Bringing the Kids into the Crafting Fun

This easy-to-make project is perfect for involving children in the crafting process. The simple recipe and straightforward steps make it a great activity for kids of all ages, allowing them to express their creativity and take pride in their handmade creations.

Unlocking the Longevity of Salt Dough Ornaments

The long-lasting nature of salt dough ornaments is truly impressive. With proper preservation, these ornaments can last for decades, becoming cherished heirlooms passed down through generations. Imagine pulling out your childhood salt dough ornaments to display on your own tree – a testament to the timeless appeal of this classic craft.

Salt dough ornaments are a delightful way to add a personal touch to your gift-giving and holiday decor. By mastering the simple recipe, preserving your creations, and tapping into your creativity, you can craft ornaments that will bring joy and lasting memories for years to come. Unlock the power of this versatile craft and let your imagination soar!

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do salt dough ornaments last?
If properly preserved, salt dough ornaments can last for years, even decades. The key is to seal them with a sealant like Mod Podge or a spray sealer, which helps protect the ornaments from disintegration and discoloration. Many people have salt dough ornaments from their childhood that are still in great condition.

Can you paint salt dough ornaments?
Absolutely! Painting salt dough ornaments is a great way to add color and personalization. Acrylic paints work best, as they adhere well to the dough and create a vibrant, long-lasting finish. You can paint the entire ornament or just add accents and details.

What is the best way to preserve salt dough ornaments?
The two most effective methods for preserving salt dough ornaments are using Mod Podge or a spray sealer. Mod Podge provides a protective coating that seals the ornament and can even add a bit of shimmer or glitter. Spray sealers are also a great option, offering a durable finish in various sheens. Applying multiple coats is recommended for maximum protection.

Can you eat salt dough ornaments?
It’s best to avoid eating salt dough ornaments, as the recipe includes ingredients that are not meant for consumption, such as flour and salt. While the dough is not toxic, it does not taste good and can pose a choking hazard, especially for young children. These ornaments are strictly for decorative purposes.

How do you make salt dough ornaments?
The process for making salt dough ornaments is simple and straightforward. Start by mixing together 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of salt, and 3/4 to 1 cup of water until a dough forms. Roll out the dough and cut out your desired shapes using cookie cutters or a knife. Poke a hole at the top of each ornament for hanging, then bake them at 250°F for 2-3 hours until hardened. Once cooled, you can paint and seal the ornaments with Mod Podge or a spray sealer.

What can you do with salt dough ornaments?
Salt dough ornaments are incredibly versatile. They make wonderful personalized gift tags, hanging ornaments for your Christmas tree, and unique holiday decor. You can spell out names or phrases by attaching individual letters, or create various shapes and designs to suit your style. The possibilities are endless when it comes to decorating and using these homemade ornaments.

Is this a good craft for kids?
Yes, salt dough ornaments are an excellent craft for children of all ages. The simple recipe and easy-to-follow steps make it a fun and engaging activity that allows kids to express their creativity. Involving children in the process of making and decorating these ornaments can be a wonderful bonding experience and a great way to create lasting memories.

EASY Salt Dough Ornaments That Last Forever

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Jump to How-To

Use this recipe to make salt dough ornaments that double as personalized gift tags – both kids and adults will love this EASY craft. Preserve the ornaments with Mod Podge.

Skills Required: Beginner. You’ll make salt dough according to the recipe, cut your shapes, and then bake it. Then you’ll paint and Mod Podge the resulting ornaments. Anyone can do this project without prior experience.

I have a confession to make: I LOVE wrapping gifts. Presentation may not be everything, but it’s worth a lot in my book. When I can add a unique, handmade, and thoughtful topper to my gifts, I’m definitely going to take the time to do so.

In addition to gift wrap, I also love Christmas ornaments. Especially something personalized, that I can make myself. “So what,” I thought, “if I can combine the two together?” So I did. AND they are a perfect craft for adults or winter boredom buster for kids. You’ll really enjoy making these!

Table of Contents

DIY Salt Dough Ornaments

These salt dough ornaments, sealed with my new favorite Mod Podge (Sparkle!), are perfect for adding a personalized touch of fun to your gift wrap. Then, of course, you can hang them on your Christmas tree instead of throwing them away as you would a typical gift tag.

How to Make Salt Dough

Salt dough is easy to make with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen! Our salt dough recipe is made with flour, salt, and water. It’s *really* easy and you can’t mess it up. The only thing I ask is that you don’t eat the dough, or let your children eat it. It tastes terrible anyway!

Preserving the Ornaments

You have a few options for preserving your ornaments. Before you do any preservation, you’ll want to paint them (if you want to use paint). You can paint the entire ornament or partial . . . and I recommend acrylic paint.

After that you can do one of two things. You can seal the ornaments with Mod Podge (giving them a few coats) or you can use a spray sealer. Or both. In this project, we’re using Sparkle Mod Podge to both seal the ornament and add a bit of bling to the project. So Mod Podge serves double duty in this instance!

The finish you use to preserve the salt dough is up to you – pick Satin, Gloss, or Matte depending on what you like. My personal favorite (besides the Sparkle) is a Satin finish.

How Long do Salt Dough Ornaments Last?

If you preserve your ornaments properly, salt dough can last for years. I have some dough ornaments from my childhood, so they would be at least 35 years old. They are still in great condition and there’s been no disintegration whatsoever!

Salt Dough Recipe

Gather These Supplies

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup salt
• 3/4 – 1 cup water
• Initial cookie cutters
• Mod Podge Sparkle
• Paint for dipping (if desired)
• Twine or ribbon for hanging

Step 1: Make your dough by mixing your flour, salt, and water. If your dough is too dry, add a bit more water, if it’s too wet, just add more flour . . . salt dough is very forgiving; it’s hard to mess it up!

Step 2: Roll out your dough and cut out your initials. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. You can cut your salt dough ornaments into any shape you like. I did letters, but you can use any cookie cutter shape you find.

Step 3: Use the end of a skewer to poke a hole at the top of each initial for hanging. Bake at 250 degrees for 2 – 3 hours. Let cool.

Step 4: I decided to dip my salt dough ornaments in gold paint (which I added to a cup and mixed with about a tablespoon of water to thin).

You can decorate your ornaments with glitter, craft paint, or anything else your heart desires. Dip your initials, and let dry on parchment paper.

The salt dough ornaments are being shown dipped in the paint, but you could dip them into Mod Podge and then sprinkle with glitter. If you do that, wait until dry and brush off the excess with a dry brush before hanging.

Step 5: Once dry, add a coat (or more) of Mod Podge Sparkle to help seal the ornaments and give them a bit of shimmer.

It’s as simple as that! These are so fun and easy to make, and it’s a great kids’ craft, as well!

You can tie these salt dough ornaments to gifts with baker’s twine, or you can grab some ornament hooks and put them on the tree.

They look great on top of packages . . . wouldn’t it be fun to spell out a name and tie one letter to each gift? There are so many things you can do with this idea!

Thank you so much for letting me share my salt dough ornaments with you all today! You can find lots of other tutorials and inspiration on my blog.

Prep Time
5 minutes

Active Time
20 minutes

Total Time
25 minutes

Difficulty
Easy

Estimated Cost
$5

Materials

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup salt
• 3/4 – 1 cup water
• Mod Podge Sparkle
• Paint for dipping (optional)
• Baker’s twine
• Parchment paper

Tools

• Cookie cutters
• Scissors
• Cookie sheet
• Oven

Instructions

1. Make your dough by mixing your flour, salt and water. If your dough is too dry, add a bit more water, if it’s too wet, just add more flour . . . salt dough is very forgiving; it’s hard to mess it up!
2. Roll out your dough and cut out your shapes (in this case, initials) with the cookie cutters. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
3. Use the end of a skewer to poke a hole at the top of each ornament for hanging.
4. Bake at 250 degrees for 2-3 hours. Let cool.
5. If desired, dip ornaments in paint or glitter. Let dry on parchment paper.
6. Once dry, add a coat (or more) of Mod Podge Sparkle to help seal the ornaments and give them a bit of shimmer. Let dry.
7. Use baker’s twine to hang.

And if you are interested in making some additional gift tags with salt dough, get inspired by our faux cookie gift tags. I’d also love for you to check out these other kids’ Christmas crafts:

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The Best Salt Dough (for Ornaments and Crafting!) to Make with the Kids

Learn how to make classic salt dough with the kids, with baking, painting, and storage info. This method is straight forward, easy, and thorough—and they a perfect kids holiday gift for grandparents, teachers, and loved ones!

Salt Dough 

This salt dough is a staple of childhood and I love doing this Christmas activity with my kids each year—and throughout the rest of the year too! We love to make salt dough handprints, ornaments, and sometimes, just any old shape they want to. It’s an easy project that we can do together—and then share as kid-made holiday gifts, keepsakes, or house decorations.

Salt Dough Recipe

Making salt dough at home is as easy as combining three pantry staples together into a dough. It’s fairly fool proof (as long as you follow the measurements!) and is a recipe that even little kids can help make.

Ingredients in Salt Dough

To make this recipe, you’ll need:

• table salt
• all-purpose flour
• water

TIP: That’s it! (I buy store brand, cheap flour for this since project to keep it very budget-friendly. )

How to Make Salt Dough Ornaments Step-by-Step

Here’s a look at how to make the dough for this salt dough. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full information. 

1. Measure out the flour and water. (photo 1)
2. Add the water. (photo 2)
3. Stir with a wooden spoon. (photo 3)
4. Keep stirring until the dough is mostly together and is hard to stir any longer. (photo 4)
5. Knead a few times with hands to bring the dough together. (photo 5)
6. Place dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll out. (photo 6)

TIP: You can divide the dough in sections so multiple kids can have their own dough to work with.

How to Cut Out, Bake and Decorate Salt Dough Ornaments

Once you start rolling, here’s a look at what will follow if you want to make these into ornaments. (Skip the hole poking if you want to just make these as shapes for the kids to paint. )

1. Roll out, changing directions occasionally, until about 1/4-inch thick. (This may not get precise if you’re working with kids and that’s okay!) (photo 1) 
2. Stamp cookie cutters. (photo 2)
3. Remove the dough around the shapes, then either transfer the whole piece of parchment paper to a cookie sheet OR transfer just the shapes to a parchment-lined cookie sheet. (photo 3)
4. Poke holes so you have a place for a string to hang as ornaments. (photo 4)
5. Press in a hand to make a handprint, if desired. (photo 5)
6. Bake, let cool and decorate! (photo 6)

TIP: Re-roll any remaining dough after Step 3 here to make additional ornaments.

Salt Dough Handprint Ornament

Capturing a handprint in salt dough is a perfect grandparent gift, or a keepsake ornament to make for your own tree. I love pulling out our little collection year after year. Know that getting a good print may take a few tries if doing a baby’s hand!

TIP: Check the size of your round cookie cutter against your child’s hand to make sure that it’s big enough. You may need one that’s 4-5 inches in diameter.

Best Paint for Salt Dough Ornaments

If the kids are wearing smocks, the table is protected, and you are reasonably sure they won’t paint all over their hands and faces, I like using regular acrylic craft paint since it holds up best on crafts. With younger kids who may wind up wearing more of the paint, I’d recommend tempura washable paints.

TIP: We put our paint into the base of old egg cartons since we always have those on hand. You can also use paper plates.

How to Preserve Salt Dough Ornaments

To help preserve your finished dried ornaments, you can coat with a layer or two of Mod Podge or spray with a sealer. Either work well. I’d recommend coating or sealing both sides, so do one side and let it dry, and then do the second side. If using the sealer, do it in a well ventilated area without the kids too close by.

TIP: To store these ornaments from year to year, you’ll want to wrap in bubble wrap. Store in a container that won’t be banged around, dropped or exposed to excess moisture.

Why is my salt dough puffing up?

If you mistakenly use self-rising flour, they may puff. And sometimes it happens randomly. Keep the oven temperature low and if it happens consistently, you can try baking at an even lower temperature for a slightly longer amount of time.

Tips for Making the Best Salt Dough Ornaments

• If the dough is too wet and sticky, knead in a little more flour. If it’s too stiff, add a little more water. There is a big range in the way different flours absorb liquid, so there is a normal range of variation in liquid needs. It should be easy to work with—soft and not too stiff and not excessively sticky.
• Use paper lollipop sticks or a skewer to make your holes.
• Use a 4-5 inch round cookie cutter to make handprint ornaments.
• Tie on baker’s twine or thin ribbon to hang as ornaments.
• Try to get the dough to an even thickness before baking so the ornaments bake evenly.
• Bake for the time indicated and then longer if your ornaments still feel soft. They should be firm to the touch without much give.
• Let cool fully before painting.
• If you want to paint the background of a handprint ornament, do that before you paint the inside of the hand. Let dry before adding a second color. Some people like to paint the whole thing white or cream to give it a more finished look.
• Use acrylic craft paint for older kids who can be trusted with paint and tempura washable paints with younger toddlers.since it holds up best on crafts. With younger kids who may wind up wearing more of the paint, I’d recommend.
• To help preserve your finished dried ornaments, you can coat with a layer or two of Mod Podge or spray with a sealer.

I’d love to hear your feedback on this project and what your kids thought of it, so please comment below to share!

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Author Amy Palanjian

Cuisine American

Course Holiday

Calories 1kcal

Servings 2 dozen ornaments

• ▢ 4 cups flour
• ▢ 1 cup table salt
• ▢ 1. 5 cups water

• Mix the ingredients together in a large bowl using a wooden spoon. When it becomes too stiff to stir, use clean hands to bring the dough together.

• NOTE: If the dough is too wet and sticky, knead in a little more flour, about 1 tablespoon at a time. If it’s too stiff, add a little more water, about 1 tablespoon at a time. There is a big range in the way different flours absorb liquid, so there is a normal range of variation here. It should be easy to work with—soft and not too stiff and not excessively sticky.

• Knead a few times until the dough is uniform and soft, about 3-5 minutes.

• Divide dough into 2 or 4 sections and roll out to about 1/4-½ inch thick between two sheets of parchment paper. This will help prevent sticking.

• Cut out with cookie cutters. Transfer shapes to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

• Repeat rolling and cutting out shapes to use up the dough.

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

• Do a 4-5-inch circle and press in a child’s handprint if desired.

• Use a paper lollipop stick or a skewer to make a hole to hang as an ornament.

• If making ornaments, bake for 90 minutes to 2 hours; if baking handprints, bake for 2-3 hours. Continue baking both ornaments and handprints as needed until they are until just firm to the touch, checking every 20 minutes. (It’s not a problem if yours take longer than the initial baking time—it varies based on thickness and size…which will likely vary if you are baking these with kids!) They do not need to be rock hard, but should not feel squishy. Handprints will likely take longer than smaller ornaments and may take closer to 4 hours.

• Remove from oven, let cool, and paint if desired with acrylic or washable tempera paint.

• Once paint is completely dry, seal with Mod Podge if desired.

• Mixing Bowl

• parchment paper

• Mini Cookie Cutters

• Divide the recipe in half to make a smaller portion of dough if desired.
• Use paper lollipop sticks or a skewer to make your holes.
• Use a 4-5 inch round cookie cutter to make handprint ornaments.
• Tie on baker’s twine or thin ribbon to hang as ornaments.
• Try to get the dough to an even thickness before baking so the ornaments bake evenly.
• Bake for the time indicated and then longer if your ornaments still feel soft. They should be firm to the touch without much give but do not need to be rock hard. It is not a sign of a problem if yours take longer than mine did to bake—flours and ovens vary!
• Let cool fully before painting.
• If you want to paint the background of a handprint ornament, do that before you paint the inside of the hand. Let dry before adding a second color.
• Use regular acrylic paint for older kids who can be trusted with paint and washable tempera paint with younger toddlers.
• To help preserve your finished dried ornaments, you can coat with a layer or two of Mod Podge or spray with a sealer.

Calories: 1kcal, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 1g, Calcium: 31mg, Iron: 6mg

Tried this recipe?Rate in the comments and tag @yummytoddlerfood on IG!

3 secrets of salt dough crafts for beginners

After I got sick with salt dough and began to actively upload photos to social networks, many of my friends began to also try this type of needlework. Not everyone gets it right the first time. I want to save you from the main mistakes when sculpting. Someone writes down their knowledge and sells salt dough modeling courses on the Internet. I’m a useless trader. )))) Therefore, I share my advice for free.

1. Cracks in salt dough crafts

Unfortunately, cracks sometimes appear on crafts during drying. What to do?

1st method: It is necessary to cover the crack with the same salt dough and PVA. To mask the putty (patch), wet your finger and rub the area of ​​the putty to hide the masking marks and get a smooth surface.

2nd method: Hide the crack behind the decorative elements. A cracked place can be closed with a twig, flower, pebble, etc., according to the plot of your craft.

To avoid cracking, dry your crafts indoors without fluctuations in humidity.

2. How to tint and color a craft made from salt dough

First you need to designate the relief of product . We take a dried craft and paint it with brown gouache. We leave it for 15 minutes. Then we moisten a soft cloth, wring it out well so as not to “wet” the craft, and gently erase the paint.

Dark paint will remain in the depressions and the raised areas will turn light brown. Even places with a flat surface can be erased “artistically”, making lighter and darker areas.

It takes a lot of brown paint for the first painting of crafts, so it’s more convenient to buy a larger jar in stationery.

This is what the craft looks like after marking the relief.

After the product has dried after the first painting, you can start painting. Any paint, watercolor, gouache, acrylic paints. To begin with, convex sections can be tinted with white paint, gouache or acrylic. We take an old sponge or a piece of foam rubber, dilute a little paint with water, apply it to a dry (!) Sponge and “bang” on the craft. Practice on a white piece of paper. The paint should not be too thin. Can be tinted with a semi-dry brush.

Usually the main background of the product is not painted with solid paint , otherwise you will lose all the texture. Therefore, we tint most of the crafts, first with white, then with colored paints.

But small details, flowers, leaves, characters are painted with a thin brush. But even here it is desirable to keep the shadows of the recesses and play with the gradient.

Incorrect painting.

Right house – my first fairy house. I painted the walls with beige paint in a solid tone. It does not look very good and has lost all the texture.

The left house was made by my friend – too solid, thick layer of paint on the roof, windows and doors.

Proper painting – painting crafts with a gradient.
My latest gnome houses

0007

You can get an interesting relief on a piece of salt dough using any means at hand. With a stack (knife) you can imitate brick and masonry and wood pattern. You can print any items that you have at home on the test: buttons, nozzles for a pastry syringe, pasta, leaves and twigs of trees, oilcloth / napkin with a convex pattern, coarse burlap-type fabric. Look at familiar objects with a new look, you are sure to find something original.

DIY salt dough figurines for beginners

Looking for new salt dough craft ideas for kids? I will be happy to share with you interesting master classes and step-by-step instructions for testoplasty, tell you about the intricacies of work and nuances.

Be sure to check out the recipes on how to make dough for modeling at home, and also learn how to dry the finished dough. Thus, you can independently prepare the material and start creativity with the children.

Molded and painted figurines will be an original handmade gift. After all, they can be presented as a pleasant surprise for the New Year or prepare Easter souvenirs. Salt dough makes beautiful decorations for the Christmas tree, garlands, bracelets or pendants. In the publication you will find aesthetic crafts and cool ideas from tik tok.

I am sure that the presented material will inspire you to new creative ideas. Be sure to study the annotation for the presented crafts, in order to know all the nuances of implementation and avoid mistakes.

You will find in the article:

• DIY salt dough crafts in kindergarten
• Making a rainbow from salt dough
• Baby Yodo – dough craft
• Salt mass excavation game

9 0108 Salt dough crafts for kids 8 -9 years old

• Salt dough crafts for the New Year
• Beautiful salt dough figurines
• Easter salt dough crafts

Salt dough crafts in kindergarten with their own hands

All the lightest master classes are adapted to work with toddlers 3-4 years old, as well as for children 5-6 years old of the middle group of kindergarten.
You can make simple salt dough figurines with gifts of autumn, sea figurines and even a treasure map.

Please note that individual parts must be fastened together after wetting the joints with water.

Making a rainbow out of salt dough

An excellent opportunity to repeat the main colors of the rainbow with the children and remember the sequence of their arrangement. In the first tutorial, I’ll show you how to make a rainbow and color all the elements.

For crafts we need:

• Salt dough without dyes
• Parchment paper
• Gouache – 7 colors
• Paper napkins
• Water

1. Divide the pieces of salt dough into 7 equal parts. First, in the palms, and then on the surface, roll the dough, lengthening each piece. This will make 7 long strips.
2. Forming an arc, lay the strips close to each other. Pay attention to the child that the top should be the longest, and the inner short. So the edges will end at the same level
3. To make the rainbow look out of the clouds, we separate small pieces of dough, first forming a bun in the palms. Then we press on the surface forming a cake. We overlap the circles, creating curly clouds. In the second option, we make a whole uneven cake.
4. After the craft has dried well, we dilute all the colors of gouache in the palette and transfer the entire coloring process to the child. You can suggest painting the rainbow with your fingers or a brush.

Flower on a stand – sculpt with a child

The easiest craft for kindergarten is a salt dough flower on a stand. Any child will do. Such a beautiful gift can be given to mom without a reason.

For crafts we need:

• Salt dough without dyes
• Modeling board
• Gouache
• Wet wipes
• PVA glue
• Colored paper and board
• Wooden stick
• Brush, scissors

1. Roll out a small piece of dough into a flat cake. You can do this with your fingers. And then slightly pinching the edges, we form the petals
2. With a fingertip, press on the middle and make a relief surface
3. After the workpiece has dried, paint on both sides with gouache. The protruding parts and the core can be circled in a contrasting color if desired
4. Color the stick green. This will be the stem. On the top, apply a layer of glue
5. Apply glue on the reverse side of the flower in the same way and press firmly.
6. From thick green paper, first draw the outline of the leaves and cut them out. We also glue on PVA
7. From corrugated or plain cardboard, cut a strip 3-5 centimeters wide and twist it into a roll.
8. Glue the edges and tie with decorative tape
9. We fix the stem on the stand and our beautiful craft is ready

Baby Yodo Dough Craft

My son has loved watching Star Wars since he was four years old. Certainly not all episodes. But I really liked racing on star fireballs and the wise master Yoda. Adapting to realities, there is a great idea to mold familiar characters with your own hands.

For crafts we need:

• Green Salt Dough
• Modeling board
• Water
• Colored markers

It is advisable to place the craft immediately on the surface, where you will dry and decorate. It can be cardboard or thick paper

1. At the stage of kneading salt dough, add green dye or gouache
2. Roll out a small piece of dough into a cake no more than 1 centimeter thick. Shaping the character’s head
3. Attach baby Yoda’s ears on both sides of the head. Lengthen them and sharpen the tips
4. We roll up small balls and squeezing them into a cake, we determine the place of the eyes. To make the ears voluminous, you can make a smaller element of the same shape and put it on top.
5. Similarly, we make a nose and a smile. Leaving the figurine to dry
6. Coloring the eyes and mouth with a black marker
7. Color the protruding parts of the lugs with a pink felt-tip pen

Salt mass excavation game

Have you ever played secret games? They buried beautiful trinkets in the ground, and then dug them up with bated breath. Why not play real archaeologists with your child. Yes, those that will discover ancient fossils from the time of the dinosaurs. And in such an exciting business, the same salt dough will help us.

For crafts we need:

• Classic salt dough without dyes
• Rolling pin
• Modeling board
• Round mold 5 centimeters in diameter
• Figurines of dinosaurs and other ancient inhabitants
• Container with fine decorative sand
• Excavation brushes

Roll out the dough into a thin layer 1 cm thick. We cut circles with any round object or mold.

We take the paw of a tyrannosaurus, triceratops and press in a circle, leaving a paw print

If there are figurines or skeletons, then we make interesting prints of everything that the child wants to perpetuate

9 0002 Now we must be patient and leave the workpieces to dry conveniently for you in the oven or at room temperature

Pour fine sand into a deep container and hide dinosaur casts.

Sculpting animals from colored dough with children

Sculpting according to this master class from colored salt dough helps kids learn how to place their nose, eyes, ears in the right places. For this, visual contour pictures are very helpful, which can be pre-drawn and reproduced if classes are held in a group.

For crafts we need:

• Colored salt dough
• Modeling board
• Stick or pencil

1. Prepare small pieces of salt dough in different colors. First decide which animals you will sculpt. And in accordance with this, make the desired colors.
2. Let’s learn from the example of a unicorn from a fairy tale. We place a medium-sized flat cake on the board. With a contrasting color, slightly overlapping, we stick a cake of a smaller diameter, forming a muzzle. Seeing from the picture where the necessary part is located, it will be easier for the child to determine each next step
3. Taking small pieces of green, yellow and pink flowers, mix them with twisting movements, pulling them into a horn and placing them on the top of the head.
4. We sculpt triangles and attach ears to the head. Do not forget to moisten all connections with water
5. We place the horse’s bangs under the horn and make grooves with a thin stick or pencil.
6. Glue eyes and pupils. They can be both from dough and ready-made stickers
7. We press the grooves on the ears, forming the volume, as well as on the muzzle of the nostrils and mouth
8. By the same principle, you can make any animal and dry the figures well

Autumn themed salt dough hedgehog

Salt dough hedgehog is very popular among fall crafts. If you are interested in this craft, then I will briefly describe the manufacturing principles.

For crafts we need:

• Salt dough without dyes
• Modeling board
• Manicure scissors
• Black marker or peppercorns

Since the figurine made of solid dough will take a very long time to dry, you can make a hedgehog-shaped base out of foil and then wrap it around with dough. The top layer should be thicker so that you can make needles

1. Roll a bun from fresh salt dough and then lengthen one side forming the body and muzzle of a hedgehog
2. Insert eyes. You can pre-paint the dough peas black or take it ready. Sticking the spout
3. Stepping back a little from eye level, we begin to form needles. It is convenient to use nail scissors for this. Slightly sinking the open ends into the dough, pinch up to form a sharp triangle.
4. We cut the next row in a checkerboard pattern and so on until the end. After drying, paint the figures.

How to make an owl out of dough step by step

A simple and easy craft for kids. It does not have many individual parts that need to be put together. We will make such a bird and a simple round cake of salt dough. In addition, due to the fact that the thickness of the mass is small, it can be quickly dried at room temperature

For crafts we need:

• Classic Salt Dough
• Modeling board or cardboard
• Button 1 cm in diameter
• Embossed pen cap
• Acrylic paints
• Brush

1. Roll out the dough into a thin layer of 1 centimeter and form a circle. You can use a wide saucer to cut evenly. Stepping back from the top edge, press the button, imprinting eyes
2. Bend the upper part to form the ears
3. With a cap from a felt-tip pen, we squeeze several rows on the breast, outlining feathers
4. Bend the edges on both sides. These will be the wings of an owl
5. Dry the craft and start painting
6. Such an owl can be made in different sizes. As an additional element on a postcard or an independent image.

Making a three-dimensional flower from salt dough for March 8

All mothers love gifts, especially those made with their own hands and presented from the heart by their own child. A voluminous flower will be an excellent functional gift for March 8 or Mother’s Day. The craft can be used to store earrings or rings on the dressing table.

For crafts we need:

• Salt Dough
• Deep bowl with flat bottom
• Food film
• Cocktail straw
• Acrylic or gouache
• Brush

We cover the bowl in several layers with cling film. This is done so that the dried craft can be easily removed from the container.

1. Separate several identical pieces of salty mass and form thin cakes. The diameter will depend on the original bowl size. We overlap the petals along the walls, each time wetting the place of contact with water
2. Roll out a cake of larger diameter relative to the bottom of the container. The main thing is that the edges of the dough completely cover each petal. Lightly press down and smooth out the final shape of the bottom
3. Depending on what kind of flower the child will make (sunflower or chamomile), we make indentations with a cocktail stick or the tip of a skewer and squeeze out the folds on the petals. Leave in the mold until completely dry
4. Choosing colors and coloring the flower plate

Salt mass turtle figurine

A sea turtle can be molded in minutes. And if you paint it with bright mother-of-pearl colors and decorate it with rhinestones, then it will turn into a fabulous marine life. She may even have met a goldfish.

For crafts we need:

• Salt Dough
• Modeling board
• Stack
• Acrylic or gouache
• Rhinestones for shell decoration
• Brush
• Clear varnish

1. Roll up a small ball of salt dough and, placing on the surface, press lightly. You get a hemisphere that forms the future turtle shell
2. Roll the head and neck out of a piece of dough. And also paws. We connect with the body by putting the edges under the main part
3. We sculpt the hind legs according to the same principle. Next, pinching around the perimeter of the shell, slightly raise it above the surface, making the figure voluminous. With your fingers, we squeeze small depressions on the surface.
4. With a stack or a skewer, we make indentations for the future attachment of jewelry.

We dry the figurine, paint it and decorate it as fantasy suggests. Do not forget to varnish in several layers so that the turtle does not collect dust.

Salt dough crafts for children aged 8-9

Older children will be interested in salt dough crafts, which not only can be done in class and eventually put into the “archive”. And what can be applied in practice. Those things with which you can decorate a room or make a unique decoration for yourself. For example, wear with pride pendants and pendants to the envy of friends.

Salt dough pendant tutorial

In this tutorial we will use the shape of a heart. If you have other molds or even just a round one, then you can mold a crescent or a small flower. The main thing is not to forget to make a hole in order to thread the lace in the future.

For crafts we need:

• Salt Dough
• Modeling board
• Stack
• Acrylic or gouache
• Brush
• Buttons
• Decorative cord
• Clear varnish

1. Roll out a layer of salt dough 0.5-1 centimeter thick. We press the mold and cut out the desired figures. Remaining dough can be bagged or wrapped in cling film
2. We make a hole in the place where the lace is threaded.
3. Leave the figurines to dry
4. We take a beautiful button and string a thin cord through the holes. We connect with our dried-up heart

The figurines can be painted in any color you wish. More brightly it turns out to cover with acrylic paints and colorless varnish. Holes can also be made off-center, thereby stylizing the decoration.

Making a dough bracelet

Do you want to surprise your girlfriends? You definitely cannot buy such an original bracelet in a store or meet another girl. This means you will be the center of attention. Making an unusual bracelet is as easy as shelling pears from ordinary salt dough.

For crafts we need:

• Salt dough (coloured)
• Modeling board
• Acrylic paints
• Brush
• Toothpick
• Decorative rubber band
• Clear varnish

We choose the future size of each detail on the bracelet. These can be figures in the form of buttons, cylinders or round beads. Too voluminous or with thin protruding edges should not be done, otherwise they may break off during wear. So, we will make a bracelet from “salty” buttons.

1. Knead the dough with your fingers and form small circles of the same size
2. Carefully, so as not to deform the shape, we make two holes. Drying every detail
3. Squeeze out the desired colors of acrylic paint onto the palette, very little by little, and start painting on both sides
4. When the paint is dry, string a thin rubber band through the holes.
5. To keep the parts well, you need to thread the lace into the hole, first on one side, and then on the other
6. We measure the desired length of the rubber band so that the hand can freely, without tension, crawl into the bracelet and tightly tie it with a marine knot.

Step-by-step master class on making a salt dough bowl

In order to store unique decorations, we make an equally unique bowl from the same salt dough with a child. Do not disappear as the rest of the mass.

1. We knead the dough according to the recipe convenient for you
2. Roll out the layer and cut out a circle by pressing with any bowl
3. Smooth out torn edges with a little water
4. To make the bowl deep, we will bend the edges around the entire perimeter. To do this, tear off from the edge exactly as much as you want the depth of the container. Overlap we pinch the edges.
5. If everything was done correctly, then already at this stage you will be holding a beautiful bowl in your hands. Dry it in the oven or in the air
6. It remains only to choose a color and paint the craft

Girl with braids – sculpt from salt mass

Continuing girlish themes and next in line is a girl with real pigtails. All crafts are simple, just for beginners. And for those who don’t know how to weave braids yet, now would be a great time to develop this skill.

For crafts we need:

• Salt Dough
• Modeling board
• Toothpick
• Black or blue beads
• Flowers

1. We form an oval of the face from a thin sheet of dough and draw eyelashes and a smile with a toothpick. We insert beads for the eyes into the recesses.
2. Roll out three long thin ropes of the same length
3. Having fixed the ends first, we begin to weave a braid
4. Marking the middle frame the face with a pigtail on both sides
5. Shaping neat ends
6. As a hair band, decorate with bright flowers or other elements

Salt dough crafts for the New Year

New Year crafts made from salt dough occupy a special place in dough plastics. How many incredible crafts you can create. One article is definitely not enough for this. I wanted to publish a step-by-step master class on how to make a voluminous house, but I decided to focus on the figures specifically for beginners. After all, we sculpt with children, which means it’s not worth complicating. Salt dough Christmas decorations are on the agenda

Angel figurine – detailed tutorial

1. Roll out the salt dough thinly. With a knife we ​​cut out contour wings and an angel’s dress
2. We form the head, hair and arms from pieces of dough.
3. On the wings with a stack, we push strips along the edges, denoting feathers. With a cocktail tube we make lace on the hem of the dress and a hole on top for the rope.
4. Drying the figurine and painting it with paints

Christmas decoration — Santa Claus from salt dough

1. Cut out the details of Santa Claus on a thin layer of dough: mustache, beard, cap and head
2. We impose every detail, as in the application, forming the face. Be sure to pre-moisten with water. On the beard we squeeze out the grooves with a stack, outlining each hair
3. Make a hole in the top of the cap
4. Drying and coloring Christmas decorations

How to make a New Year’s garland from salt mass

These stars can be added to garlands on bags with New Year’s gifts. After all, you can write a name or a couple of words with congratulations on them with a marker. And of course, the variant of the garland, as a decoration for the new year.

So that the whole product is not too heavy by weight, I recommend rolling out the dough as thinly as possible. But not thinner than 0.5 centimeters, otherwise the sprockets will be very fragile and may break

1. Using a star-shaped mold, we prepare as many details as the garland will be long.
2. We make holes in one of the rays of the star with a tube
3. Dry and paint with bright colors on both sides
4. When the paint layer is dry, proceed to additional decorations. It can be spots, small snowflakes, names of family members or an inscription on each star with the main values, words of wishes.

Pretty salt dough figurines

I will share with you quite a few lessons on modeling seemingly complex, but very beautiful crafts from salt dough. But you will not encounter these difficulties at all, since everything has been described in detail. The main thing is that the necessary elements are available in addition to the modeling mass.

Leaf-shaped plate – step-by-step sculpting master class

Crazy beauty, isn’t it? What a pleasure to make such a plate in the shape of a real leaf. But even more in the future to admire your creation and blow off dust particles). This is a real decor for your home or a place where you can carefully put a ring, earrings or cufflinks.

For crafts we need:

• Green Salt Dough
• Modeling board
• Wheat flour or starch
• Leaf of a tree or shrub, very distinctly veined
• Stack or knife
• Narrow container
• Pearl and Gold
• Clear varnish

1. Sprinkle the table with flour or starch and roll out a layer of dough to the size of a sheet with a thickness of about 0. 5-0.7 centimeters.
2. Place the sheet with protruding veins on the dough and press evenly. It is more convenient to do this with the bottom of a transparent saucer.
3. Cut along the contour with a knife
4. Separate the rest of the dough and carefully remove the leaf, lifting from one edge. If the pattern is not printed clearly, then again, without shifting, press the plate a little harder.
5. Dust the inside of the bowl with flour and place a sheet on the bottom. Thanks to the curved bottom of the plate, the sheet will take the desired shape.
6. After thorough drying, paint all the grooves and recesses with golden paint and cover with mother-of-pearl. After drying, it is desirable to cover with a colorless varnish on both sides.

How to make pendants and pendants from salt dough

I assure you, everyone who sees such an amulet in your possession, and even learns that it was made by oneself, will definitely be very surprised. It seems that only professional artists and craftsmen can make such a pendant. Well, this is how exactly you need to display each pattern. But we will make such decorations easily and quickly.

For crafts we will need:

• Salt dough without dyes and optional additives
• Modeling board
• Various molds
• Any textured lace and patterned stencils
• Transparent plate with a wide bottom
• Starch
• Hole skewer
• Nail file
• Watercolors
• Wet sponge

1. Deciding on the size and shape of the future pendant. We roll a piece into a dense bun and lightly press it on the table.
2. We cover the top with the selected lace, trying to evenly distribute the pattern. Evenly press the plate, controlling the pressure, so that the thickness of the cake remains 0.8 cm
3. Pulling the edge, slowly bend the stencil and look at the depth of the imprint of the pattern on the test.
4. The ornament must be clearly visible on the surface
5. In addition to the round shape, you can make rectangular pendants by simply cutting off the edges
6. In order not to jam the design, dust the craft with starch and push through the hole for the strap. We dry each part well on a flat surface without bends
7. If there are no embossed edges and the workpiece needs to be sanded around the perimeter, use a simple nail file.
8. At this stage, you can paint the amulet without any recommendations. Bright or muted colors, paint over segments or completely. The main thing is that it resonates with aesthetics for you.
9. When the paint is completely dry, carefully rub all protruding parts with a sponge. The paint on the pattern will be erased and a unique pattern will appear

Salt dough food for games

Did you know that salt dough can be used to make realistic food, vegetables, fruits and many other things for playing in the store, for example. I will be happy to share one of these “tasty” master classes with you. Knowing the principle of how to make blanks, you can stick a lot of goodies with your children. The only pity is that it will not be possible to eat them for real.

For crafts we need:

• Classic Salt Dough
• Stack
• Acrylic paints
• Fine brush

1. To make such a bagel, chefs know that all you need is a triangle, which we twist from the wide part to the narrow one
2. We bring the tips to the bottom, forming a small bend
3. Bun – snail with raisins is even easier to make. We roll out a thin long strip and twist it into a spiral. From above we add a few balls, which we will then paint in a dark burgundy color.
4. To make a stuffed cheesecake, roll out a thin cake and fold the edges towards the center, leaving room for stuffing with dough balls. These are future juicy berries.
5. Lay out blanks on parchment and dry in a way convenient for you
6. Mixing white, yellow and brown acrylic paint to achieve a light baking color. We paint over the protruding parts with a darker shade.
7. Cinnabon buns with a layer of cinnamon and white icing are also created with paints. Deep grooves are thinly painted with brown paint and on top we smear strips of white
8. We color the raisin bun in the appropriate colors
9. And finally, cheesecakes with berries. Can be dyed burgundy, or make orange apricot filling

Easter Salt Dough Crafts

Easter crafts are always awe-inspiring. After all, this holiday is of great importance for all Christians. And, accordingly, we attach a piece of our heart and soul to each gift. Let’s learn how to make priceless Easter crafts and souvenirs from salt dough.

We make Easter eggs from salt dough

Beautiful and sincere decorations in the form of Easter eggs from salt dough can be done by any child. Such crafts will be a great addition to gifts for relatives and friends, because they can be used to tie a bag with Easter cake or assemble a garland by hanging it on the wall. And the selected pastel shades can give tenderness and aesthetics to the atmosphere.

For crafts we need:

• Colored salt dough
• Parchment paper
• Toilet roll or oval mold
• Toothpicks
• Water

1. Separate a small piece of salt dough and press down on the cake
2. In order to form several figures (if the desired oval shape is not at hand), you can use a cardboard sleeve after making a hall from one edge.
3. Let’s start decorating the testicles. For convenience, you can take colored dough. But if the child wants, you can paint after drying. We roll out several multi-colored strips and lay them on top of the workpiece, be sure to wet each element at the place of application.
4. With a toothpick, we correct the edges, rounding and, as it were, tucking inward
5. Think up the distribution of forms and elements with your child yourself.
6. I’m sure you will make wonderful testicles decorated with flowers, peas or leaves.