Kids Activities: Making Salt Dough

For kids who want some easy and inexpensive activities, consider making salt dough.

Materials:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
Greased cookie sheets.
Cookie cooling racks.
Food coloring.
Cookie cutters, clean tin cans, cookie presses, other presses or cut out tools.
Flour: 4 cups
Salt: 1 cup
Hot Water: 1.5 cups
Vegetable Oil: 1 tsp.
Rolling pin (optional)
Wooden cutting board (optional)
Ribbon or decorative string.


Mix the flour and salt, then water.
When dough is elastic, add oil.
If you want, add food coloring to the dough.
Press the dough flat on the counter or cutting board.
Or, Roll out the dough with a rolling pin.
Cut out shapes with cookie cutters, spoons, clean tin cans, or other decorating tools.
To hang the finished product on a Christmas tree or other holiday decoration, make a small hole near the top of the cut-out dough.
Bake the cut-out dough at 200 degrees for about 30 minutes.
Remove and place on cookie cooling racks.
You can paint these. You can also cover with varnish when finished.
Thread ribbon or decorative string through the hole to tie onto Christmas trees or other holiday decorations.

References

For the recipe on this webpage:
http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/yulecrafts/r/Salt_Dough_Orna.htm

For other salt dough recipes and great ideas for decorating:
http://www.theimaginationtree.com/p/play-dough-salt-dough.html