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1300 543 725 Santa Salt Dough Ornaments
Anita
Director @ Kids Club Toowoomba City
Christmas crafts are a great way to spend some creative time with the kids during the holiday period. Our handprint Santa Salt Dough Ornament is a fun project for children of all ages and makes a great keepsake or even a gift for family and friends!
More than just a fun and festive activity to enjoy together, crafting a handprint Santa ornament helps develop a child’s cognitive and fine motor skills while boosting their creativity and well-being.
Items and Equipment Needed
Salt Dough:
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup of salt
- 1/4 cup of warm water
Note: your dough mixture should not be sticky!
Supplies:
- Craft paints and brushes
- Wax paper
- Butter knife
Your child’s hand to create the Santa print!
Method/Steps
- Put the salt dough on a lightly floured hard surface and knead it to remove bubbles until it becomes smooth.
- Cut a small piece of the dough, roll it into a ball (larger than a golf ball and smaller than a tennis ball) and flatten on the wax paper.
- Sprinkle some flour onto the dough and the palm of the child’s hand to prevent sticking.
- Press the child’s hand firmly into the dough and hold for a few seconds, then lift it away carefully to avoid disturbing the handprint. Using the butter knife, cut around the handprint edges to create the border.
- Using a skewer or similar, create a small hole at the top of the Santa. This is to thread a ribbon through to hang your ornament once completed.
- Place the dough handprint in the microwave for 15 seconds, then heat again for another 15 seconds.
- Repeat this process until the dough becomes dry and change colour. It can take up to 3 minutes to harden.
- Once cooled – and only if the dough has become hard – you can begin painting your hand print Santa. Note that it will continue to harden and dry out overnight.
