Today we’re making salt dough ornaments! Kids of all ages will love making and decorating these super awesome salt dough Christmas ornaments! This festive craft will get you ready for the holiday season by making ornaments to decorate your Christmas tree or a keepsake to give to a loved one. You can make these salt dough ornaments at home or in the classroom.
Salt Dough Ornaments
Christmas is here and it’s time to spread Christmas cheer, and one way to do that is to decorate a Christmas tree for all to see! And what better way to decorate a tree than make your own ornaments.
Kids will get to practice fine motor skills while they make a salt dough using our simple salt dough recipe, use cookie cutters, bake, and paint! So without further ado, let’s make some salt dough ornaments.
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Related: Make this paper punch Christmas ornament!
Supplies Needed To Make Salt Dough Christmas Ornaments
Salt Dough Recipe:
If your dough isn’t coming together add a little more water. If it’s too wet, add a little more flour.
Other Craft Supplies:
How To Make Salt Dough Ornaments
Step 1
Mix together the flour and salt and add the warm water and mix until you have a dough formed.
Step 2
Roll out the dough until it’s about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Use your cookie cutters to cut out the shapes for your ornaments. Use a pen or end of a paintbrush to poke a hole at the top of each ornament.
Step 3
Bake your ornaments for 2-4 hours at 200 degrees F or you can let them air dry for 72 hours.
Craft Notes:
Keep an eye on the ornaments. You may need to flip them over to allow the bottoms to dry out.
Decorate Your Ornaments
Grab your paints and paintbrushes, it’s time to decorate each of our ornaments.
Gift Tag Ornament
Step 1
Paint the whole tag white.
Step 2
Outline it with red.
Step 3
Make a tree using green with a base that is brown.
Step 4
Write to and from using black.
Step 5
Cut a string, loop it through a hole at the top, and tie it into a knot.
Mitten Ornament
Step 1
Paint the bottom white and the top part of the mitten blue.
Step 2
Make 3 lines that cross each other, it will kind of look like a star.
Step 3
Add small likes where each of the big lines meet.
Step 4
Add seams around the thumb and at the top of the mitten.
Step 5
Cut a string, loop it through a hole at the top, and tie it into a knot.
Candy Cane Ornament
Step 1
Paint white diagonal stripes across the candy cane leaving blank spaces. Then paint the blank spaces red.
Step 2
Cut a string, loop it through a hole at the top, and tie it into a knot.
Stocking Ornament
Step 1
Paint the top of the ornament white.
Step 2
Paint the rest red.
Step 3
Paint white stitches around the heel and toe of the stocking.
Step 4
Cut a string, loop it through a hole at the top, and tie it into a knot.
Candle Ornament
Step 1
Paint the flame yellow.
Step 2
Paint the candle stick white.
Step 3
Cut a string, loop it through a hole at the top, and tie it into a knot.
How To Make This Christmas Salt Dough Ornament Craft Your Own
Just like all our other crafts you can change this salt dough ornament craft to fit your family’s needs. You can do things like:
- Use different cookie cutter shapes for your DIY Christmas ornaments.
- Make keepsake ornaments using handprints or a footprint.
- Instead of painting this Christmas craft, use images and mod podge.
- Hang your ornaments with twine.
- Use glitter pens to decorate your ornaments.
- Add cinnamon or other herbs or essential oils to make your batch of ornaments smell good.
- Glue on ribbons, cotton balls, etc.
- Use different types of craft paints like water color, paint pens, finger paints, spray paint, etc
- Use different types of paint brushes or sponges for different textures.
Our Experience With This Fun Salt Dough Ornament Craft
We make DIY ornaments every year. I’ve done this since my first child was old enough to craft. It’s just a special thing we do to make keepsakes that we can hang up every year and enjoy.
We also make extras for the grandparents too. They make such precious gifts and the kids really put a lot of effort into their ornaments. Nothing is better than some cocoa, Christmas ornaments, and a fun Christmas movie in the background.
It just really gets you into the Christmas spirit and really helps you spend time with your family without all the hustle and bustle the holiday season can bring. I love it and so do the kids! I hope your family enjoyed making salt dough ornaments as much as my family! Merry Christmas.
Materials
- Salt Dough Recipe:
- 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 Cup Salt
- 3/4 Cup Warm Water*
- If your dough isn’t coming together add a little more water. If it’s too wet, add a little more flour.
- Other Craft Supplies:
- Acrylic Paint
- Paintbrushes
- Baking Pan
- Parchment Paper
- String
Instructions
How To Make Salt Dough Ornaments
- Mix together the flour and salt and add the warm water and mix until you have a dough formed.
- Roll out the dough until it’s about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. Use your cookie cutters to cut out the shapes for your ornaments.
- Use a pen or end of a paintbrush to poke a hole at the top of each ornament.
- Bake your ornaments for 2-4 hours at 200 degrees F or you can let them air dry for 72 hours.
Decorate Your Ornaments
Gift Tag Ornament
- Paint the whole tag white.
- Outline it with red.
- Make a tree using green with a base that is brown.
- Write to and from using black.
- Cut a string, loop it through a hole at the top, and tie it into a knot.
Mitten Ornament
- Paint the bottom white and the top part of the mitten blue.
- Make 3 lines that cross each other, it will kind of look like a star.
- Add small likes where each of the big lines meet.
- Add seams around the thumb and at the top of the mitten.
- Cut a string, loop it through a hole at the top, and tie it into a knot.
Candy Cane Ornament
- Paint white diagonal stripes across the candy cane leaving blank spaces. Paint the blank spaces red.
- Cut a string, loop it through a hole at the top, and tie it into a knot.
Stocking Ornament
- Paint the top of the ornament white.
- Paint the rest red.
- Paint white stitches around the heel and toe of the stocking.
- Cut a string, loop it through a hole at the top, and tie it into a knot.
Candle Ornament
- Paint the flame yellow.
- Paint the candle stick white.
- Cut a string, loop it through a hole at the top, and tie it into a knot.
MORE HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS FROM KIDS ACTIVITIES BLOG
How did your homemade salt dough ornaments turn out?
