These salt dough Christmas tree ornaments are simple enough for even a toddler to make them, but older children can also enjoy this activity. You might also enjoy making model magic ornaments.
Some links on this site are affiliate links and I may earn a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you! Learn more.
We have very few Christmas tree ornaments, and those we have are easily broken.
I wanted to have a few ornaments that the kids could play with at the bottom of the tree.
Salt dough Christmas tree ornaments are durable and easy to make, so Emma and I made some salt dough, got out the cookie cutters, and made these salt dough ornaments.
How to Make Salt Dough Christmas Tree Ornaments
What You'll Find on This Page
Salt dough is super easy to make! You can use only the first three ingredients, but I like to add olive oil to make it easier on little hands.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salt
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup water
- (optional) 1 Tbsp olive oil
- (optional) food coloring
We made the salt dough by mixing the salt, flour, water, and olive oil together and then kneading in food coloring to make the different colors. Emma really enjoyed kneading in the different colors.
You can also bake these ornaments without any coloring and paint them after they are baked.
Bake the clay on parchment paper at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour.
We used cookie cutters to make all of the shapes except the wreaths, and then I used a skewer to make holes for hanging. It’s important to do this before baking the clay.
How to Hang Your Ornaments
I used gold embroidery floss (all six strands) to hang the ornaments on the tree.
I’m happy to report that these ornaments are still hanging on our tree, more than a decade after we first made them! My children still enjoy making ornaments, but these days they usually use polymer clay.
Have you ever made salt dough ornaments? What are your favorite Christmas tree ornaments?
More Ornaments Kids Can Make
Christmas Ornaments Kids Love Making
Easy and fun Christmas decorations for the kids to make.
Model Magic Christmas Ornaments
Model magic is easy and fun to work with. Do be aware that this clay dries out very quickly, so you need to open only what you will use.
Snow Ornament
This ornament is easy to make and works as a nice gift, too.
Easy Ornaments for Kids to Make This Christmas
Pipe cleaner ornaments are easy to make, and virtually mess free.
Wizard Snowman Papercraft with Free Printable Template
Print off our template for these adorable snowman. You can make them wizard themed, or leave that part out.
Polymer Clay Snowman Ornaments
Older children love making polymer clay ornaments! Add hooks before baking to hang them from your tree.
Ornaments for Kids to Color and Sew
This post features simple printable ornaments your child can color and hang, or that can be used as a pattern for your child's first sewn ornaments.
Delightful Free Felt Sewing Projects for Christmas
This post features all sorts of fun winter sewing ideas!
Share comments and feedback below, on my Facebook page, or by tagging me on Instagram. Sign up for my newsletter to receive book recommendations, crafts, activities, and parenting tips in your inbox every week.
MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.
That looks like a fun project!
My kids really enjoy it! I need to do it again this year!
These look great! Looks like Emma really enjoyed making them too. :-)