Created by experts, Kids Eat in Color is the leading resource for families seeking evidence-based information and strategies on child nutrition and feeding.
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Why do we love this salt dough recipe for kids? Learning how to make salt dough can help kids feel more comfortable preparing foods in the kitchen, and it can help teach them important skills. It’s also just a fun food activity for your family to do together!
Salt dough crafts are fun to make all year long, but many people turn them into gifts for the holidays or other special occasions. They are also commonly made into Christmas ornaments.
Salt dough is basically homemade playdough, made using three simple ingredients you probably have at home. Kids can play with the salt dough like playdough.
Once you’re done playing, your salt dough can be hardened into holiday ornaments or keepsakes. Use a food cutter to make fun shapes or use your hands to make memorable handprint crafts.
You can also add paint or food coloring.
Salt dough recipe for kids
Creating salt dough is a fun activity for all ages, and your kids are sure to love doing this with you. You can get creative cutting the dough into different shapes or by adding designs.
Making salt dough also creates an enjoyable experience for kids in the kitchen where there is no expectation to eat food. They can simply interact with the dough and have fun. If you have a picky toddler, this low-pressure activity may be helpful for your child.
Related: Struggling to feed your picky eater? Download our free picky eater’s guide for strategies and tips.
Benefits for kids
This salt dough recipe can be helpful for kids and picky eaters. Touching, smelling and interacting with foods can help picky kids become more comfortable with them.
Learning how to make salt dough, or learning to prepare any foods in the kitchen, can help teach kids basic kitchen skills.
Salt dough can also be a great way for a toddler who is learning to use a butter knife to practice cutting. It can also be a good opportunity for a small child looking to practice with a crinkle cutter or food shape cutter.
As always, we encourage allowing your child to try using kid-friendly tools with adult supervision.
Is salt dough messy?
Many parents worry about the mess, and making salt dough with kids can be messy.
If you struggle letting kids get messy, here are a few things you can do to help manage the mess. Place a mat below your child’s chair, wear aprons or bibs while you mix the dough, and mentally prepare for some flour to fly around.
It takes three common household ingredients to make this easy salt dough for kids. You’ll need:
Flour
Salt
Water
How to make salt dough
To make salt dough with your kids, follow these steps.
Mix all the ingredients together until a dough starts to form.
Knead dough for 10 minutes until smooth.
Flatten salt dough to ½-inch /1.27-cm thickness.
Divide the dough into sections for your kids to cut, shape or add handprints.
Bake at 250 degrees F / 121 degrees C for about 2 hours.
If your dough is thick, it may take longer than stated above to fully bake and dry out. On the other hand, if your dough is thin, it may take less time.
Can salt dough air dry?
If you don’t want to bake your salt dough, you can let it air dry.
However, depending on the thickness of your shapes, it could take the salt dough several days, possibly a week, to fully air dry.
Want to add color to your salt dough ornaments? Tip: Use food coloring while mixing up the ingredients to make colored salt dough, or paint the dough after it’s been baked.
How to use salt dough
Salt dough is commonly used to make homemade Christmas and holiday ornaments. You can also make handprint and footprint impressions to keep as mementos or to give as gifts.
You can also use salt dough as a food play activity or as an alternative to playdough.
This easy salt dough recipe is a fun activity to do with your kids. Play with it like playdough and then bake it to make keepsakes, gifts and ornaments.
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix until a dough starts to form.
Continue to knead with your hands for 10 minutes until smooth. (If dough is too dry, add a little bit more water.)
Divide into sections for your kids to cut, shape and add handprints.
To harden dough, roll out dough to ½-inch /1.27-cm thickness between two sheets of parchment paper.
Cut out desired shapes or press hands or feet into dough to make handprints and footprints. Note: If making holiday ornaments, be sure to poke a hole at the top before baking.
Bake at 250 degrees F / 121 degrees C for 2 hours.
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About Kids Eat in Color
Created by experts, Kids Eat in Color is the leading resource for families seeking evidence-based information and strategies on child nutrition and feeding.
Jennifer Anderson is a registered dietitian and has a masters of science in public health from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. In 2019, she founded Kids Eat in Color®, a public health resource that improves child and family nutrition and mental health. Prior to starting Kids Eat in Color® she coordinated youth nutrition programs at a food bank, performed research in inner-city food deserts, and consulted for the USDA national office SNAP-Ed program. Her academic background is in public health nutrition, cultural anthropology, and economics.
This free veggie exposure shopping list and menu planner will give you ideas for bringing more veggies into your home (AND help you get your little one closer to eating them!).
Why do we love this salt dough recipe for kids? Learning how to make salt dough can help kids feel more comfortable preparing foods in the kitchen, and it can help teach them important skills. It’s also just a fun food activity for your family to do together!
Salt dough crafts are fun to make all year long, but many people turn them into gifts for the holidays or other special occasions. They are also commonly made into Christmas ornaments.
What is salt dough?
Salt dough is basically homemade playdough, made using three simple ingredients you probably have at home. Kids can play with the salt dough like playdough.
Once you’re done playing, your salt dough can be hardened into holiday ornaments or keepsakes. Use a food cutter to make fun shapes or use your hands to make memorable handprint crafts.
You can also add paint or food coloring.
Salt dough recipe for kids
Creating salt dough is a fun activity for all ages, and your kids are sure to love doing this with you. You can get creative cutting the dough into different shapes or by adding designs.
Making salt dough also creates an enjoyable experience for kids in the kitchen where there is no expectation to eat food. They can simply interact with the dough and have fun. If you have a picky toddler, this low-pressure activity may be helpful for your child.
Related: Struggling to feed your picky eater? Download our free picky eater’s guide for strategies and tips.
Benefits for kids
This salt dough recipe can be helpful for kids and picky eaters. Touching, smelling and interacting with foods can help picky kids become more comfortable with them.
Learning how to make salt dough, or learning to prepare any foods in the kitchen, can help teach kids basic kitchen skills.
Salt dough can also be a great way for a toddler who is learning to use a butter knife to practice cutting. It can also be a good opportunity for a small child looking to practice with a crinkle cutter or food shape cutter.
As always, we encourage allowing your child to try using kid-friendly tools with adult supervision.
Is salt dough messy?
Many parents worry about the mess, and making salt dough with kids can be messy.
If you struggle letting kids get messy, here are a few things you can do to help manage the mess. Place a mat below your child’s chair, wear aprons or bibs while you mix the dough, and mentally prepare for some flour to fly around.
Related: Need cleanup tips for meals? Read about managing messy eaters.
Salt dough recipe ingredients
It takes three common household ingredients to make this easy salt dough for kids. You’ll need:
How to make salt dough
To make salt dough with your kids, follow these steps.
If your dough is thick, it may take longer than stated above to fully bake and dry out. On the other hand, if your dough is thin, it may take less time.
Can salt dough air dry?
If you don’t want to bake your salt dough, you can let it air dry.
However, depending on the thickness of your shapes, it could take the salt dough several days, possibly a week, to fully air dry.
Related: Not into baking? Try these No-Bake Carrot Cake Pops for your next snack.
Make colorful salt dough ornaments & keepsakes
Want to add color to your salt dough ornaments? Tip: Use food coloring while mixing up the ingredients to make colored salt dough, or paint the dough after it’s been baked.
How to use salt dough
Salt dough is commonly used to make homemade Christmas and holiday ornaments. You can also make handprint and footprint impressions to keep as mementos or to give as gifts.
You can also use salt dough as a food play activity or as an alternative to playdough.
For more food activities for kids, check out Food Play Every Day.
Salt Dough
Ingredients
Instructions