The Learning Bug: Workshops

Salt Dough
Salt dough is easy to make and teaches skills such as following directions, measuring, and fractions.

Below are two salt dough recipes. The first requires no baking and is easiest to make with children. The second, smoother dough, is made in a pot on a stove using boiling water, so children must be carefully supervised by an adult.

Add food coloring to color the dough. Spices such as cloves, cinnamon, or oregano can be used to scent the dough. Extracts (such as lemon, vanilla, or peppermint) also work extremely well. Unsweetened drink powder will color and scent the dough, but note that some drink powders contain dyes that can stain clothing.

To make large shapes, form a skeleton from crumpled aluminum foil. Mold the clay over the foil form. For hollow shapes, mold clay over a plastic bag filled with dry rice. Once the clay dries, dump out the rice and carefully remove the bag.

No Cooking Required Salt Dough

3/4 cups flour

1/2 cup salt

1/4 cup water

1 T. vegetable oil

1 T. Food Coloring

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Kneed until smooth. Add food coloring* if desired. Store in refrigerator, bring to room temperature before use.

* TIP: Add the food coloring to the water before adding it to the dry ingredients.

Cooked Salt Dough

1 cup water

1/4 cup salt

2 T. vegetable oil

1 cup flour

1 T. Cream of Tartar

1 T. Food Coloring

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, combine water, oil, coloring, and salt. Stir until salt is dissolved. Add flour and cream of tartar. Stir constantly over medium heat until dough forms a ball. Remove from heat and kneed until smooth.

Drying or Baking Salt Dough

Salt dough can be air or oven dried. To oven dry, place items on a foil lined cookie sheet. Bake for one hour at 125°. Remove items from the sheet and place directly on the oven rack. Slowly raise the temperature to 200°. Bake for several hours — until dry, checking periodically. Dried items will sound hollow when tapped.

making teaching just a little easier


Gift bags	Email coupons	Crafts	Gift cards	Print catalog	Game nights	Dr. Seuss™	Facebook	Blog


	Salt Dough Salt dough is easy to make and teaches skills such as following directions, measuring, and fractions. Below are two salt dough recipes. The first requires no baking and is easiest to make with children. The second, smoother dough, is made in a pot on a stove using boiling water, so children must be carefully supervised by an adult. Add food coloring to color the dough. Spices such as cloves, cinnamon, or oregano can be used to scent the dough. Extracts (such as lemon, vanilla, or peppermint) also work extremely well. Unsweetened drink powder will color and scent the dough, but note that some drink powders contain dyes that can stain clothing. To make large shapes, form a skeleton from crumpled aluminum foil. Mold the clay over the foil form. For hollow shapes, mold clay over a plastic bag filled with dry rice. Once the clay dries, dump out the rice and carefully remove the bag. No Cooking Required Salt Dough 3/4 cups flour 1/2 cup salt 1/4 cup water 1 T. vegetable oil 1 T. Food Coloring Combine all ingredients and mix well. Kneed until smooth. Add food coloring* if desired. Store in refrigerator, bring to room temperature before use. * TIP: Add the food coloring to the water before adding it to the dry ingredients. Cooked Salt Dough 1 cup water 1/4 cup salt 2 T. vegetable oil 1 cup flour 1 T. Cream of Tartar 1 T. Food Coloring In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, combine water, oil, coloring, and salt. Stir until salt is dissolved. Add flour and cream of tartar. Stir constantly over medium heat until dough forms a ball. Remove from heat and kneed until smooth. Drying or Baking Salt Dough Salt dough can be air or oven dried. To oven dry, place items on a foil lined cookie sheet. Bake for one hour at 125°. Remove items from the sheet and place directly on the oven rack. Slowly raise the temperature to 200°. Bake for several hours — until dry, checking periodically. Dried items will sound hollow when tapped.

	making teaching just a little easier