Making Christmas crafts is one of our favorite holiday activities, and we’ve always adorned our Christmas tree with handmade ornaments. These simple salt dough ornaments are perfect keepsakes for the season and make wonderful gifts for grandparents too!
A few years ago, I started leaning towards more natural-looking Christmas decorations. This meant using items like burlap garland and crafts made by hand. My kids have always enjoyed creating their own ornaments and hanging them on our tree. Although my older kids are now teenagers and not as interested in making handprint ornaments, I still cherish the ones they made when they were little.
The salt dough recipe we use is easy and fun for kids to work with. It only requires three basic ingredients: salt, water, and flour. Even though I generally avoid processed, white flour in my diet, it’s perfect for crafting these ornaments. I don’t usually have table salt at home either, since I prefer mineral-rich sea salt or Himalayan salt for consumption. However, regular, inexpensive table salt works best for salt dough ornaments and is quite economical.
Salt dough is excellent for capturing your child’s handprint or footprint, and it’s great for paw prints from your pets too. Just make sure to cut a piece big enough to fit their hand, foot, or paw, keeping in mind it will take longer to bake compared to smaller cookie cutter shapes.
Although salt dough ornaments are especially popular during the holidays, you can make them any time of year. Create handprints to mark the birth or baptism of a new baby, or shape egg ornaments to paint for Easter.
This year, the kids and I used Christmas-themed cookie cutters like snowflakes, gingerbread men, and stars. Acrylic or craft paint is ideal for decorating these ornaments. Avoid using washable or tempura paint as they won’t last, and oil paint is unnecessary and hard to clean. Some recipes suggest adding food coloring to the dough, but we prefer painting the ornaments.
Sealing the ornaments is crucial for ensuring they last beyond a single season. Although many acrylic varnishes and polyurethane sprays can be toxic, I’ve discovered a non-toxic acrylic glitter varnish that works well. Mod Podge is also a safe alternative.
Be aware that over time, Mod Podge and certain sealants might yellow your ornaments, lending them a strange tint. To help prevent this, keep them out of direct sunlight and away from heat sources.
Have you tried your hand at making ornaments before? How did you find the experience? Feel free to share your thoughts!
