Our 4 Favorite Salt-Dough Creations (+Recipe!)
Buying clay can be fun to play and craft with, but sometimes I find it’s very thick, and young children have a tough time working with it. This is where salt dough comes in. Many of the ingredients are already in our cabinets, and the consistency is basically play dough. The difference is when baked or dried, it can be used as ornaments, wall hangings, and crafts. If you keep in in a container, it stays like play dough!
We’ve been playing with our batch for weeks, and I included a few favorite ways we’ve used it. Below is a recipe with 4 of our favorite salt-dough creations. What are your favorite ways to use it?
Cinnamon-Scented Salt Dough
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup ground Cinnamon powder
1 cup salt
1 /1/2 to 1 3/4 cup water
Cinnamon Essential Oil (optional)
How To: In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine water and essential oil if using. Slowly pour the water into the dry ingredients and mix. Once combined, knead the dough until it becomes a soft mound, adding more flour and water as needed.
(Other Materials)
Nature Printed Ornaments: pinecones, pumpkins, and pine needles, twine
Invitation To Play: Small animals, trucks, natural elements, cookie cutters, plastic jewels, and other loose parts for playing
Letter Practice: Rubber alphabet stamps (we found ours here.)
Moon Phase Hangings: circle cookie cutters, gold paint, dried flowers, sparkles, twine, a long stick or small box
Nature-Printed Ornaments
Nature-Printed Ornament Instructions: Use a cookie cuter and then press in pinecones, pumpkins and pine needles. The harder you press, the better the print. Be sure not to press too hard or it will break the dough! Poke a hole and allow to dry overnight. Tie some twine or string and enjoy them on your Christmas tree, or branch, or anywhere you’d like.
An Invitation To Play
Invitation To Play Instructions: Set out salt dough alongside animals, natural elements, plastic jewels, trucks, or whatever loose parts might be inviting to play with. There is no agenda for this. Simply allow the time and space for children to explore the materials and create (or not create!).
Letter Practice
Letter Practice Instructions: Using rubber alphabet stamps (we found ours here), you can have letter practice be either structured or unstructured. We do a little of both! My son had pink eye a few weeks ago and those were the letters he wanted to practice. This week it was “ice cream.” Other days he explores letters on his own.
Moon Phase Wall Hangings
Moon Phase Wall Hanging Instructions: Using a circular cookie cutter, cut out each moon phase, including waning, waxing and the full moon. Poke a hole at the top and allow to dry overnight. Once dry, use gold and black paint to embellish, and glue on sparkles, flower petals, and beads.
I love that each of us had a different style when it came to decorating. My daughter wanted to hang hers from a black branch and my son wanted to paint a box and hot glue his moon phases on it. The Moon Book is really informative and kid-friendly to read alongside this project.
Isn’t salt dough so versatile? What are your favorite ways to use it?
More seasonal craft ideas: DIY Fall-Scented Play Dough and Create A Pumpkin Fairy House
PS - Here’s a link to my guide if you’d like to weave more sparkly rituals into your every day family life. A warm thank you for supporting my small businesses. :)
Sending you lots of love,
Jesse xo
WAYS WE CAN CONNECT:
I offer Private Coaching sessions here for parents and caregivers.
Wonder Wednesdays LIVE at 10am on Instagram where we discuss a topic on Self-Care and Respectful Parenting.
A free, made for you mini-series full of rich independent play ideas. You will receive a series of emails with delightful practices here.