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Salt Dough Ornaments I Make With My Kids Every December
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items Every year I'd scroll Pinterest for a holiday craft that actually kept my kids busy longer than ten minutes. Glitter glue? Everywhere. Paper snowflakes? Done in two minutes flat. Salt dough ornaments finally hit that sweet spot where they mix, cut, b...
Sections
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Salt Dough Ingredients That Actually Work
Cookie Cutters for Ornament Shapes
Baking Supplies for Even Cooking
Paints That Stick to Salt Dough
Paintbrushes and Detail Tools
Decorating Extras That Make Ornaments Special
Salt Dough Ingredients That Actually Work
My first batch cracked because I used the wrong flour and too little salt. Once I nailed the ratio with these specific products, every ornament came out smooth and sturdy enough to survive a toddler.
Grab this over self-rising. I used self-rising once and the ornaments puffed up like little bread rolls instead of staying flat. This keeps everything smooth.
Great Value All-Purpose Enriched Bleached Wheat Flour
Use the fine grain, not coarse. My first batch had chunky salt bits poking through the surface and ruined the paint job. Fine grain dissolves right into the dough.
Morton Iodized Salt, Table Salt, 26 Oz
Add just a tablespoon to the dough. I skipped it the first year and every ornament cracked down the middle after baking. Oil keeps them flexible enough to survive.
Great Value Vegetable Oil, Heart Healthy, Versatile
Mix a little into the dough if your kids want super smooth ornaments. My daughter hated the grainy texture until I started adding two tablespoons of this.
Great Value Corn Starch, 16 oz
Toss a teaspoon in if you want the dough to hold detail better. Cookie cutter edges come out way sharper. Wish someone told me this three Decembers ago.
McCormick All Natural Kosher Cream Of Tartar, 1.5 oz Bottle
Keep this next to the flour bag. I was eyeballing measurements like a fool and wondering why every batch felt different. Exact cups fixed everything.
Pyrex -2 Prepware 2 Glass Measuring Cup
Get a big bowl for mixing. My kids were flinging flour everywhere when I tried using a small cereal bowl. The large one gives little arms room to stir.
Kitchenaid Universal Set of 3 Plastic Mixing Bowls in Red
Swap out whatever janky pin you have. My old wooden one had splinters and left marks in the dough. This rolls everything to even thickness so ornaments bake uniformly.
Farberware Professional Non-Stick Steel Rolling Pin Black
Line the baking sheet with this. I spent an hour scraping baked dough off a bare pan exactly once. Never again. Ornaments slide right off parchment.
Reynolds Kitchens Stay Flat Parchment Paper Roll
Cookie Cutters for Ornament Shapes
Dollar store cutters bent after three pushes and my kids got frustrated. These hold their shape through dozens of ornaments and actually cut clean lines little hands can manage.
Grab this one set and you're covered for stars, trees, gingerbread men, snowflakes. My kids fought less when there were enough shapes to go around.
Wilton, Christmas Shapes Metal Cookie Cutter Set, 18-Piece
Perfect for simple circle ornaments. My 3-year-old couldn't handle fancy shapes but she pressed circles all afternoon and felt so proud of herself.
Ateco 11-Piece Plain Round Cutter Set
These cut the prettiest snowflakes in salt dough. My neighbor thought I bought the ornaments at a craft fair. They hold detail way better than cheap cutters.
Customer reviews for Wilton Snowflake Cookie Cutter Set
Use these to cut initials for personalized ornaments. Grandma cried when she got one with her initial. Literally worth it for that reaction alone.
R&M International Alphabet Cookie Cutter Set Deluxe 26
For the kid who wants a zoo on the Christmas tree. My son made a dinosaur ornament and a cat ornament and hung them right next to baby Jesus. No regrets.
Wilton Animal Cookie Cutter Set, 50-Piece
Stars in three sizes so siblings don't fight over the same cutter. Ask me how I know that matters. The small ones make perfect gift tag ornaments too.
Wilton Nesting Plastic Cookie Cutter Set, Stars 6 ct. 2304-111
Pair hearts with red paint and you've got Valentine ornaments sorted months early. My daughter makes these for her teacher every single year now.
Wilton 6-Piece Heart Shaped Cookie Cutter Set
Tiny cutters for miniature ornaments that fit on a garland. String eight of these on twine and drape them across the mantel. Looks like something from a magazine.
Sweet Creations 3D Mini Christmas Tree Cookie Cutter Kit
Soft grip so little hands don't hurt after pressing fifty ornaments. My son has a thing about hard edges on cutters and this one finally stopped the complaints.
Wilton Gingerbread Boy Comfort Grip Cookie Cutter
Baking Supplies for Even Cooking
My first tray came out with burnt edges and raw centers. Getting the right sheet pans and spacing figured out took me two wasted batches. These solved it.
Ditch the dark nonstick pans. They cook too hot and brown the bottoms before centers set. Light aluminum gives you even, slow baking every time.
Nordic Ware, Half Sheet, 18"x13" Aluminum
Switch to this if parchment keeps sliding around on you. It grips the pan and nothing sticks. Reusable too, so you're not burning through a whole parchment roll.
Customer reviews for Silpat Silicone Mat for Baking Non
Check your oven temp before blaming the recipe. My oven runs 25 degrees hot and I was overbaking everything. This little check saved a whole batch.
Rubbermaid Commercial Products Stainless Steel Instant
Use this to lift ornaments off the mat without cracking them. I snapped three ornaments using a metal spatula before switching. Silicone flexes under them gently.
OXO International OXO Good Grips Silicone Spatula
Keep three pans rotating. While one batch bakes, kids cut shapes onto the next pan. Keeps the assembly line moving and nobody gets bored waiting.
Wilton, Recipe Right Cookie Sheet Set
Set hot ornaments here immediately. I left them on the pan once and residual heat warped the thin ones. Cooling rack lets air circulate underneath.
Baker's Secret Nonstick Carbon Steel Rectangular Cooling
For when your 8-year-old insists on helping pull the tray out. These actually fit smaller hands better than my bulky old mitts. Thick enough to trust.
KitchenAid Ribbed Soft Silicone Oven Mitt 2-Pack Set
Set it for 2 hours at 200 degrees. I forgot a batch while helping with homework and opened the oven to brown hockey pucks. A loud timer prevents that heartbreak.
Taylor Mechanical Plastic Kitchen Timer 5870
Tent foil over ornaments if edges start browning before centers firm up. Learned this trick from my mom after ruining a star my daughter spent forever decorating.
REYNOLDS WRAP, Aluminum Foil, Heavy Duty
Paints That Stick to Salt Dough
Regular watercolors slid right off and looked washed out. Tempera was too thick and cracked when it dried. Finding the right paint type took me three Christmases to figure out.
Get acrylics, not watercolors. These actually grip the dough surface and stay vibrant after drying. Colors pop on the tree instead of looking like faded pastels.
Apple Barrel, Multi-Surface Acrylic Craft Paint Set, 2 fl oz
Perfect for the under-5 crowd. When my toddler painted her own face more than the ornament, at least this washed out of everything. Still shows up nicely on dough.
Crayola Washable Project Paint, 10 Count
Snag this if you want richer, more grown-up colors. My 10-year-old wanted navy and burgundy ornaments, not bright primary colors. These delivered exactly that.
DecoArt Americana Acrylic Paint Value Set
Brush gold or silver onto edges for ornaments that look way fancier than salt dough has any right to look. Grandma thought these came from Pottery Barn.
FolkArt Metallic Acrylic Craft Paint Pearl White 2 fl oz
For the kid who wants everything sparkly. My daughter coated an entire angel in glitter paint and honestly it looked incredible on the tree. Washes off hands easily.
Crayola Washable Glitter Project Paint, 6 Count
Brush this on after paint dries completely. First year I skipped sealer and the paint chipped off by New Year's. Sealed ornaments still look good three years later.
Apple Barrel Acrylic Craft Paint, Matte Finish, Black, 8 fl oz
Use this as a topcoat if you want a shiny glazed look. One coat over dried paint and the ornaments look like ceramic. People genuinely cannot tell the difference.
Mod Podge Gloss Sealer, Glue & Finish
Quick spray alternative to brush-on sealer. Take ornaments outside, one pass of this, done. Way faster when you've got 40 ornaments to seal before patience runs out.
Rust-Oleum Clear Gloss Lacquer Spray Paint, 11 oz
Swap paint for markers on small detail work. My son couldn't paint tiny eyes on his gingerbread man but drew them perfectly with a fine tip marker over dried base paint.
Crayola Broad Line Markers 10 Count, Classic Colours
Paintbrushes and Detail Tools
Handing my kids one fat brush and expecting fine work was ridiculous. Different sizes for different jobs made painting actually fun instead of a frustration fest.
Grab the variety pack so every kid picks their own size. My three kids stopped arguing over one brush the second I dumped 25 options on the table. Peace restored.
(2 pack) Royal & Langnickel(R) Craft Brush Value Pack 25
Keep these for base coats. The bristles hold just enough paint to cover a whole ornament in two strokes without dripping everywhere.
Crayola Big Paintbrush Set, Round, 4 Per Pack, Set Of 4
Use foam brushes for smooth, streak-free base layers. Regular bristle brushes left visible lines on flat ornaments. Foam gives that clean painted look.
Artlicious Foam Brush Set Pack of 50 Disposable 1inch
Hand these to toddlers instead of brushes. My 2-year-old just dabbed polka dots everywhere and it actually looked intentional and adorable. Zero mess comparatively.
Creativity Street® Paint Sponges
For painting tiny faces, letters, or snowflake lines. My 9-year-old painted a detailed reindeer face that made my jaw drop. Right tools make a huge difference.
Loew-Cornell White Nylon Detail Brush Set, 10-Pack
Pour small amounts into these instead of letting kids dip straight into paint bottles. I learned that lesson when someone knocked over an entire bottle of red onto carpet.
Crayola Washable Kids' Paint Pot Set, 18-Colors
Try this for applying sealer evenly. Regular brushes left globs of Mod Podge in corners. Silicone spreads a thin, even coat without pooling.
Norpro, Silicone Basting Pastry Brush, 7.5in
Pour paint here and snap lids on during snack breaks. My kids take forever, so being able to pause without paint drying out saves me from remixing colors constantly.
BESTYASH 10-Pack Leakproof Painting Cups
Tape off sections for two-tone designs. My son wanted a half-red, half-green star. Tape line came out perfectly crisp. He thought he was a professional artist.
ScotchBlue, Painter's Tape, 1.41 in. x 60 yd., Multi-Surface
Decorating Extras That Make Ornaments Special
Plain painted ornaments are fine but the extras turn them into keepsakes. Stamps, glitter, and letter beads turned our tree into something we actually talk about every year.
Sprinkle over wet paint for sparkle that actually sticks. My daughter's glitter angel has survived four Christmases on the tree. Shake off the excess over a paper plate to reuse.
Sulyn Extra Fine Glitter for Crafts, 24 Karat Gold, 2.5 oz
Squeeze dots and lines directly onto dried ornaments for raised 3D details. My son outlined a snowman with white puff paint and it looked like real frosting.
Tulip Brush-On Fabric Paint Set
Press sequins into wet dough before baking for embedded sparkle. My daughter made a crown ornament covered in gold sequins and wore it as a necklace for a week.
Sequins & Spangles 4oz-Assorted Shapes & Colors
Press letter beads into wet dough to spell names or dates. Way easier than trying to paint tiny letters. Each kid stamps their name and the year into their ornament.
(2 pack) Darice Assorted Glitter Cube Alphabet Beads
Roll tiny pieces into noses, buttons, or hats and glue onto finished ornaments. My son built a 3D snowman nose and it stayed on all season. Adds real dimension.
Crayola, Model Magic Modeling Dough, 4 Oz, White
Keep this on the table for attaching beads, sequins, or ribbon. Hot glue is too dangerous for little fingers. Tacky glue holds strong and dries clear overnight.
Aleene's Clear Gel Tacky Glue 4 fl oz
Glue a tiny pom pom on a Santa hat ornament. My 4-year-old did this by herself and it became the ornament she shows every single visitor. Simple but so effective.
Hello Hobby Neon Assorted Craft Pom Poms, 300 Piece
Twist pipe cleaners into tiny scarves or antlers and glue them on. My kids made reindeer with pipe cleaner antlers that actually looked intentional. Craft store quality honestly.
Creativity Street Chenille Stems, Regular, Orange 100/Pkg.
Peel-and-stick gems for kids who want bling without the mess of loose glitter. My niece decorated a heart ornament with pink rhinestones and it looked like a real jewel.
Darice RHIAT-53411 5 mm Rhinestones Round Assorted
Hanging Supplies for Finished Ornaments
I punched holes after baking the first year and cracked half of them. Getting the hanging hardware right before baking saves so much heartbreak and wasted effort.
Cut a small piece and press into wet dough to make a perfect hole before baking. Toothpicks make holes too small. Straws create the exact right size for ribbon.
dfutuy 50-Pack Flexible Plastic Disposable Drinking Straws
Thread through the hole and tie a loop. Red ribbon on white dough ornaments looks classic and holds up way better than yarn, which frays after one season.
Offray Ribbon, Red 5/8 inch Grosgrain Polyester
Switch to twine for a rustic farmhouse look. I tied simple bows at the top and hung them on a real pine garland over the mantel. Looked straight out of a catalog.
Natural Jute Twisted Twine Rope 328 feet: 1CT
Thread these through the hole if you want traditional tree hanging. Ribbon loops sometimes slide off branches but hooks grip tight. Especially on real trees with thin branches.
Darice Gold Wire Ornament Hanger 7 Inches
Use wire for heavy ornaments that need stronger support. My son's thick dinosaur ornament kept falling off the tree with ribbon. Wire held it perfectly all season.
Beadalon 7 Strand Bead Stringing Wire - 60 ft.
Poke a small pilot hole in partially dried dough if you forgot the straw trick. Gently twist the needle. Saved me from remaking an entire batch one panicked evening.
SINGER® Universal Sewing Machine Needles
Pick colors that match your tree theme. Teal floss on white ornaments with gold paint looked stunning. Way prettier than plain white string and barely any extra effort.
DMC Embroidery Floss Pack - Popular Colors - 8.7-Yards
Dab this on the knot inside the hole so ribbon never slides out. Lost two ornaments to loose knots before I started gluing. Five seconds of prevention saves real sadness.
Scotch Super Glue Gel, .07 oz, 1-Pack, Fast Drying
Stick these on windows or mirrors to display ornaments around the house, not just on the tree. My kids love seeing their creations in their own rooms all December.
Command Small Wire Toggle Hooks, Clear
Workspace Protection for the Craft Table
Salt dough sounds innocent until your table has dried paste ground into the wood grain and acrylic paint stains that never come out. Learned every lesson here the hard way.
Cover the table before anything starts. Peel it off when you're done and the table underneath is spotless. Way better than newspaper that tears and sticks to wet dough.
EasyLiner Adhesive Laminate 12 in. x 10 ft. Shelf Liner, Clear
Wrap this around chair cushions if your kids sit on upholstered chairs. My son sat in red paint and I almost lost my mind. Press'n Seal peels right off fabric.
Glad Press'n Seal Plastic Food Wrap, 70 Square Feet
Keep a canister within arm's reach. When someone smears paint on the counter mid-project, one swipe fixes it before it dries. Speed matters with acrylics.
Clorox Scentiva Wipes Coconut Waterlily 75ct
Store leftover dough in these and refrigerate for up to a week. We spread our ornament making across two weekends because one session was never enough for my crew.
Hefty Slider Gallon Storage Bags, 40 Count
Paper towels shred when wet. Shop towels absorb paint spills without falling apart. Toss one to each kid and let them wipe their own hands between colors.
Scott, Shop Towels Original, Blue, 55 Towels per Roll
Throw every supply into one bin when the season ends. Next December you pull out one box and everything is together. Spent way too many years hunting for scattered supplies.
Rubbermaid Roughneck 18-Gallon Box, Dark Indigo Metallic
Slip this on your youngest before paint comes out. My 4-year-old destroyed a brand new sweater with blue acrylic on the first ornament day. This smock has saved dozens of outfits since.
Crayola Art Smock, Pack of 4
Drape one over the whole work area floor-to-table. When my son flicked his paintbrush like a wand, paint hit the tablecloth instead of the wall. Cleanup took two minutes.
6 Pack Rectangular Plastic Table Covers Water-Resistant
Portion out glitter, beads, and sequins into individual bags for each kid. Eliminates the grabbing and spilling fights. Everyone gets their own supply and the peace is beautiful.
Ziploc® Brand Sandwich Bags, 90 Count
Storage and Display for Finished Ornaments
I wrapped ornaments in tissue paper and tossed them in a shoebox. Three cracked. Proper storage means pulling them out next year and actually smiling instead of gluing pieces back together.
Divided compartments keep ornaments from knocking into each other. Every salt dough piece gets its own little slot. Pulled out year-two ornaments in perfect condition thanks to this.
Sterilite Ornament Box - Storage trunks
Wrap each ornament individually before placing in storage. The acid-free paper doesn't stick to paint. Regular newspaper left ink smudges on a white angel ornament once.
Customer reviews for Hallmark White Tissue Paper
Double wrap any thick or fragile ornaments. My son's dinosaur had a pipe cleaner antler situation that needed extra cushion. Bubble wrap kept every weird appendage intact.
Duck Brand Small 1/8" Bubble Cushioning Wrap, 12" x 200'
Stick a label on each ornament's wrapping with the kid's name and year. Five years in, I can grab any ornament and know exactly who made it and when. So worth the thirty seconds.
Avery, Print-to-the-Edge Round Labels, 8293, 1.5-inch White
Let kids sign and date the back of each ornament with colored pencil before sealing. Pencil shows up on sealed dough and becomes a permanent little signature. My kids love finding their old ones.
Cra-Z-Art, Colored Pencils, 72 Count, Multicolor, Classic
Mount these on a wall to display favorite ornaments year-round. My daughter's first-ever ornament hangs in the hallway permanently. Visitors always ask about it.
Command, Plastic Decorative Hooks, White, 3 lbs. Capacity
Prop a special ornament on this instead of hanging it. My mom keeps the ornament my son made her on a little stand on her desk at work. She shows everyone.
Phenofice Wooden Base Wood Display Stand Decorative
Seal dried, painted ornaments in these if you're gifting them. Keeps dust and moisture out during transport. Grandparents open a clean, perfect ornament every time.
Great Value Gallon Storage Bags, Snap'n Click Double
Write the year and a little message on the back of each ornament before sealing. Ten years from now you'll pull one out and read your kid's wobbly handwriting and absolutely lose it.
Sharpie Permanent Marker, Ultra Fine Point, Black, 2-Pack