Toddler Activities: Christmas Salt Dough Ornaments

Salt dough is easy to work with and children enjoy the way it feels. Your children will be very proud of their ornaments.

1 cup salt

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon Alum (optional)

3/4 cup cold tap water

Christmas Cookie Cutters or molds

Medium Bowl

Rolling Pin

Straw to make hole in ornament

Floured surface to work on

Generously floured cookie sheet to bake cookies on

Narrow Ribbons

1. In a medium bowl, place all dry ingredients, and mix to blend dry ingredients thoroughly.

2. If the dough is sticky add more flour and if it is too dry add a little more water. The dough should be nice and smooth and will not separate when it is kneaded properly.

3. Roll out a quarter of the dough on a floured surface. Roll the dough as close to 1/4 inch as possible.

4. Cut with a cookie cutter and while the cookie cutter is in place, use a straw to punch a hole in the cookie so you can later attach a ribbon.

5. Prepare cookie sheet with a generous layer of flour.

6. Place the cookies on the floured baking sheet and bake in warm oven below 200 degrees, most ovens have a warm setting for 2 to 3 hours. (Parent step only!)

7. Remove from oven, turn over and return to oven. Repeat at least 3 times.

8. Turn off oven and let cookies remain inside until cool

9. Tie with ribbon.

This baking process allows the cookies to dry slowly, if the oven is too hot they will start to brown and salt dough should be as white as possible for the prettiest results.

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

This project is best done in two days. The first day make the dough, cut it out and bake. On the second day decorate and display.

Don't make the dough in advance or use leftover dough.

Alum is optional. Alum is an astringent that aids in binding the ingredients.

Cookies larger that 2 1/4 inches may not dry flat. If you are experiencing this, allow the cookies to dry at room temperature for 24 hours on a floured cookie sheet, then continue to dry out in warm oven. Most average size cookies are dry in 24 hours.

EDUCATIONAL TIPS

Great recipe to write out to enhance the toddler activity.

Helps to build fine motor skills.