Salt dough is the perfect material for working with young children. It is easy to work with and super cheap to make! Below are all our tips for making salt dough ornaments with your kids.

4 different painted salted dough ornaments on a table.

Seriously, there is nothing better than allowing your kids the freedom to create in December. Salt dough is a perfect material for preschoolers and kids to experiment with. They get to be creative, and you get to stay on budget!

Why You Will Love This Christmas Craft

SUPER EASY TO MAKE – The examples in this post were mostly made by a 5-year-old.
EASILY CHANGE SUBJECT MATTER– Your child can choose any shape to work with.
KEEPSAKES – Some of our favorite designs use a child’s handprint or fingerprint.

Supplies You’ll Need

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4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Cup Table Salt
1 1/2 Cup Warm Water
Ribbon or Twine
Paint*
Rolling Pin or Bottle
Parchment Paper
Bowl
Spoon
Clear Coat (of your choice)
Cookies Cutters
Stamps (optional)

What paint is best for salt dough?

You can use acrylic craft paint, washable tempera paint, or watercolor paint on salt dough. Ensure your ornament is completely dry or baked before painting, and do not allow children to add too much water when using paint.

How To Make Salt Dough Ornaments With Kids

Step 1: Make The Dough

In a large bowl, mix the salt and flour together.
Carefully pour warm water in.
Stir and knead together

Step 2: Roll Out Dough

Sandwich your dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll it out evenly to about 1/4″.

Step 3: Cut Out Shape

Use cookie cutters to gently cut out the Christmas shapes. Poke a hole for ribbon or twine using a straw or skewer.

Step 4: Bake

Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your ornaments. We baked ours for 30 minutes at 250 degrees F. After 20 minutes, flip your ornament and bake for 10 more minutes. You want your salt dough to be stiff and dry.

Step 5: Decorate Your Ornaments

Most of these were done using watercolor paint, which is super easy for young kids. However, giving children a small paintbrush limits the amount of water they can add. You can also see how acrylic craft paint and a permanent marker can be used to add extra details. Have fun and be creative!

collage of salt dough ornaments being made by kids.

Salt Dough Ornament Design Ideas

You can add extra texture to each cutout or add additional details like the gingerbread man buttons.
You can leave a simple leaf impression in the salt dough for a more sophisticated look. Painting it a simple color makes it an easy adult Christmas craft idea you can do with your kids.
Use a handprint as a base for your image. Our favorite is a salt-dough snowman family ornament. A child’s fingerprint was used to identify this simple snowman.
Use stamps to add dates, names or an extra holiday message for cheer.

Clear Coat Ideas

hand holding spray can with kid salt dough ornaments in the background.

Salt is an excellent preservative for ornaments. However, if you want them to last, adding an extra clear coat will help your project last for years. Here are a few of our favorite ways to add extra shine.

Sparkle Mod Podge: If brushing it on, use it only over dried acrylic paint. Watercolor paint could smear.
Spray Iridescent Mod Podge
Acrylic Iridescent Gloss Medium

cinnamon salt dough Christmas ornaments hanging on a tree with lights.

bright tin foil Christmas tree art project.

winter scene watercolor painting with birch trees, snow and pink sky.

More Christmas Art Ideas For Kids

MORE IDEAS: How To Make Cinnamon Salt Dough Ornaments
WINTERY PAINTING IDEA: Easy Winter Landscape Watercolor Painting For Beginners
FUN SCULPTURE: Easy DIY Snow Globe Craft For Kids
COOL DRAWING: Tin Foil Christmas Tree Art Project For Kids

No matter your family’s style or design, these DIY salt dough ornaments will make you smile every year.

Do you like this art project? Please give us a 5-STAR review below ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and have fun being creative with your family.

Equipment

Rolling Pin or Bottle
Parchment Paper
Bowl
Spoon
Christmas Cookie Cutters
Letter Stamps (optional)

Supplies

4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Cup Table Salt
1 1/2 Cup Warm Water
Ribbon or Twine
Paint
Clear Coat of your choice

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 250 ℉.
Mix dry ingredients (4 cups flour and 1 cup salt) into a large bowl.
Carefully pour in 1 1/2 cups of warm water
Mix and knead together.
Sandwich your dough between two pieces of parchment paper, then roll out the salt dough with a rolling pin. Your dough should be about 1/4" thick.
Use a star cookie cutter to gently press into the dough. Remove the excess around the cut-out shape.
Make a hole in the top of your ornament by using a straw or wooden skewer.
Bake on parchment paper for 20 minutes, then flip stars and bake again for 10 minutes. You want all the moisture to be gone.
Paint with your desired colors.
Add a protective clear coat and a ribbon when dry.

Notes

If you don’t want to bake yours, you can let them dry for 3-7 days before painting.
Experiment with different designs and ideas to create new salt dough ornaments each year.
Add glitter, essential oils, or dye with food coloring before baking.
To ensure your ornaments last, you can also reduce the oven temperature and increase the baking time. Either way, don’t paint or seal until you are 100% sure all the moisture is removed.

Author: Erin Nutter

Cost: under $5