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Salt dough Christmas figures for toddlers
Age: 2+ · Time: 30 min · For:
Salt dough is a wonderful material for little hands: soft, squishy and easy to shape. This small batch is just right for a toddler, and you only need things from your kitchen cupboard.
Toddlers do not need cutters: they roll, squash, poke and pinch, and that is exactly what makes their snowmen and trees so charming.
What your child does, where you help
- Your child: kneads, rolls, shapes and paints.
- You: make the dough, help with the shapes and handle the oven.
Tips
- Keep pieces small. Little figures dry faster and crack less.
- Write the year on the back with a toothpick before drying. It turns them into keepsakes.
- Seal them with a coat of white glue mixed with a little water to make the paint shine.
You need
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup fine salt
- ½ cup lukewarm water, plus a splash extra
- 1 tbsp cooking oil, for a softer dough
- a bowl and a spoon
- a board or a sheet of parchment paper to work on
- a straw, a fork and a button for making patterns
- paint and a brush, for afterwards
Steps
- Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the water and oil and stir, then knead with your hands for a few minutes until the dough is smooth and soft like play dough. Add a splash of water if it is crumbly, or a little flour if it is sticky.
- Give your child a small piece of dough and show them how to roll balls and snakes.
- Snowman: three balls in different sizes, pressed gently on top of each other.
- Christmas tree: flatten a ball and pinch it into a triangle, then poke ornaments in with the straw or a fingertip.
- Star: flatten a ball and pinch five points. Use the fork and button to make patterns.
- Make a hole with the straw if you want to hang the figure up.
- Let the figures air-dry for 2-3 days, turning them once a day, or dry them in the oven at 250°F (120°C) for 2-3 hours (a grown-up's job). Paint them once they are completely dry and cool.
Questions
Can toddlers eat salt dough?
No. It is not toxic in tiny amounts but it is very salty and not good for children or pets in larger quantities. Stay close by and keep the finished figures out of reach of dogs.
Why did my figures crack?
They dried too fast or were very thick. Keep the figures flat and no thicker than ½ inch, and dry them slowly.
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