Salt Dough Necklaces: Gifts Kids Can Make

As a parent there is little more I treasure on my birthday or Mother’s Day than the gifts my children make themselves. If you are looking for a simple gift kids can make themselves then these salt dough necklaces are sure to become a treasured keepsake.

Salt dough necklaces: Gifts kids can make

Salt dough is easy to make. Toddlers and preschoolers will need some guidance but older children should be able to follow the recipe independently. Once the dough is ready, the fun begins!

Cut out your choice of shapes with cookie cutters, bake them slowly and then have fun decorating.

See our other popular DIY gift idea kids can do: Homemade Coasters with Sharpie Art.

Salt Dough Necklaces Recipe & Tutorial

You will need:

  • 1½ cups white flour
  • 1 cup salt
  • ¾ cup water
  • Additional flour for dusting hands
  • Baking paper
  • Baking tray
  • Mixing bowl
  • Rolling pin
  • Cookie cutters

To decorate:

  • Child friendly acrylic paint or paint pens
  • String or yarn
  • (Optional) Sequins and embellishments
  • (Optional) Hot glue gun

Don’t have the ingredients for salt dough handy? Our three ingredient Air Dry Modelling Clay will work too.

 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven on low to 200ËšF/100ËšC.

2. Mix the flour and salt together well.

Salt dough necklaces tutorial

3. Slowly add the water. Mix well.

DIY salt dough necklaces tutorial

4. Dust hands with flour. Form dough into a ball. Set aside.

Salt dough necklaces tutorial

5. Line an area of your bench or table with baking paper.

6. Dust your hands and lined work area with flour. You’ll want to make sure you cover the area well or the dough could stick to the paper. Place the dough ball on the dusted table area.

7. Roll the dough out to desired thickness with the rolling pin.

8. Use the cookie cutters to cut shapes out of the dough.

Salt dough necklace

Tip: After placing the cookie cutter down into the dough, we wiggled it around a little bit to help lift the dough from the baking paper.

Salt dough pendants

9. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place the shapes onto the baking pan at least 1 inch/3cm apart.

Making salt dough Christmas ornaments

Tip: If you have excess dough left over, you can re-roll it back into a ball and roll the dough out again to create more shapes.

10. Add holes to the dough toward the top of each shape with a straw.

Mother's Day gift: Salt dough pendants tutorial

Salt dough ornament tutorial for kids

11. Bake in the oven for two to three hours.

12. When the dough is completely dry, paint the shapes.

Mother's Day gift salt dough pendants

Allow paint to dry.

13. Add string, ribbon or yard through the holes to make necklaces.

14. (Optional) Add embellishments such as sequins and gems with hot glue.

Gifts children can make: Salt dough necklace
Ideas for gifts kids can make Salt dough necklace

Gifts kids can make: salt dough necklace

15. Gift to a friend or family member. They’ll be sure to wear your salt dough necklace with pride!

Gifts kids can make: Salt dough necklace

More gifts kids can make:

Mothers Day Gifts Preschoolers Can Make as featured at Childhood 101 Mothers Day Gift Ideas to Make with School Aged Kids