Here are 11 salt dough ornaments that kids can make this Christmas season to connect creatively as a family. Try one today!
Updated September 2021
A favorite holiday tradition in our family (one that we’ve done many years in a row) is to make salt dough ornaments at Christmas.
There are so many ways to make these and my girls and I have tried a number of versions such as lacy ornaments, a melted crayon version, beaded handmade ornaments and stamped salt dough ornaments.
The holidays are a wonderful time to draw close together as a family to celebrate traditions and connect through creativity.
Here are 11 great salt dough ornaments ideas to inspire your family this holiday season. And don’t miss the best salt dough recipe at the end to get started.
11 Salt Dough Ornaments for Kids
1. Lacy Salt Dough Ornaments
Here are two fun and easy salt dough ornament ideas. Use a straw to punch holes and create a lacy appearance in the dough. Or press in beads for a stained glass effect.
2. Melted Crayon Painted Ornaments
Combine two favorite craft techniques by painting with crayons on warm ornaments fresh out of the oven. This creates a bright, vibrant painted design that’s so fun for kids!
3. Beaded Suncatcher Ornaments
Add beads of different shapes and sizes for a jeweled effect! These look beautiful on a Christmas tree or hung in the window as suncatchers.
4. Stamped Salt Dough Ornaments
This is a fun one! Gather some stamps and press the designs into the dough (with or without ink). Kids love this fun spin on the traditional ornament making!
5. Handmade Holiday Spice Garland from Creation Space
Ali invited her girls to scoop in spices that smell just like Christmas and mix into their salt dough. They created a beautiful Christmas garland with the ornaments they made together.
6. Melted Bead Suncatcher Ornaments from Homegrown Friends
This ornament is a colorful mixture of salt dough meets suncatcher! A fun version for older kids to try.
7. Christmas Scented Salt Dough Ornaments from Rocky Hedge Farm
Cut out a bunch of stars, or hearts or trees with cookie cutters. There’s a beautiful simplicity in stringing together a handmade garland of the same shaped ornaments.
8. Rainbow Glitter Salt Dough from The Imagination Tree
This rainbow dough creates a beautiful marbled looked when rolled out that will brighten up any Christmas tree.
9. DIY Handprint Ornament from You’re So Martha
This is such an easy way to create a personalized keepsake of your kids––or gift for family members.
10. Handmade Woodgrain Tree Ornaments from Sparkle Living
Press wood into salt dough to transfer the texture of the grain with this gorgeous tree ornament.
11. Sparkly Painted Handmade Ornaments from The Best Ideas For Kids
After making ornaments, try this method of painting and adding glitter in the same color to create these gorgeous sparkly ornaments!
My Favorite Salt Dough Recipe
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My Favorite Salt Dough Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Category: crafts
Description
We’ve tried so many salt dough crafts and made lots of variations of salt dough ornaments over the years. Here’s my favorite salt dough recipe with instructions to get you started.
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour
- 1 cup salt
- 1 1/2 cups cold water (+ extra 1/4 cup of water if needed)
Instructions
- Mix flour with salt then stir in water. If the dough doesn’t come together, add another 1/4 cup of water or so.
- Turn out the salt dough onto a countertop and work together with your hands until evenly mixed.
- Store in a plastic bag in the fridge until ready to use.
- Place a fist-size piece of dough on a sheet of parchment paper and cover with a second sheet of parchment paper. Roll dough out with a rolling pin to an 1/8 – 1/4 inch thick.
- Use cookie cutters to cut out the desired shapes. Pull away the extra dough from around the shapes with the cookie cutters still in place.
- Use the end of a drinking straw, a skewer, or a chopstick to poke a hole at the top of each ornament for hanging.
- If you plan to decorate the ornaments, do that step now. I recommend: a.) stamps and a stamp pad, b.) poking a pattern of holes in the dough with the end of a straw, c.) poking glass beads into the dough.
- Gently move the sheet of parchment paper with salt dough ornaments onto a cookie sheet at bake in a 275F oven for 2-3 hours or until the salt dough is hard, but not browned. Let cool.
- (Optional) Add a coat of Mod Podge or some paint (we like BioColor paint for these) and glitter.
- Add a ribbon through the hole and hang in the window or on the tree!
Keywords: salt dough ornaments, salt dough crafts
More DIY Christmas Ornament Ideas
- 25 Homemade Christmas Ornaments The Whole Family Can Make
- How to Make 3D Paper Star Ornaments
- How to Make Glitter Stars – A Simple Christmas Craft
Looking for even more holiday crafts for your family? Check out our Holiday Arts and Crafts bundle from the Kids Art Spot! 12 fun holiday activities, each with a step-by-step video tutorial and printable instructions, plus 12 fun and festive drawing invitations to encourage your kids to think and draw creatively.
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