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Let’s make salt dough for children

We have gathered fun facts and tips about one of the most loved play activities. Salt dough just like clay has been known for centuries, not only among children, adults in earlier times also made decorations from it. It became a play staple because it is easy to make, inexpensive and natural. Its value has not faded. Mums and nursery teachers still often choose this natural dough for children, even though the shops are full of attractive ready made products.

Why is playing with dough important

A little boy uses a tool to cut salt dough into tiny pieces

You have surely read about fine motor skills in relation to children. This term means the small, coordinated movements of certain parts of the body. We do fine motor movements not only with the hands and fingers, but also, for example, with the mouth and eyes. If a child needs support in this area, we can use simple games such as sorting small objects, playing with tweezers and jigsaw puzzles, and dough is a great choice too.

Why is dough one of the best developmental toys

Because almost every child loves it. While playing with dough, the muscles of the hands the palm, wrist and fingers get stronger, and hand eye coordination improves. A child’s creativity takes flight, they freely use shapes and colours and try to create figures in three dimensions that they have seen elsewhere. You could say they copy them in space, which develops spatial awareness. If a child’s imagination is reserved at first, we can show a few simple tricks and shapes to spark interest. Remember, dough is brilliant because it supports development even if a child is simply squeezing and kneading it in their hands.

What movements does a child use when playing with dough

They press, flatten, round and roll. With two hands they can make a larger ball, and for tiny eyes on a figure they circle with their fingertips to form small, even balls. They also try to make the two eyes the same size, which means the sense of aesthetics is developing.

A child flattens salt dough with a small rolling pin

They can shape the dough in their hands, and also use the table surface. If they make a snake, they roll out a long shape with one hand. You can add accessories too. A small rolling pin can be used with two hands in bigger movements. Cookie cutters are clever because for mini salt dough biscuits the child first flattens the dough, then places the cutter on top, presses down and carefully frees the biscuit from the dough. This is a whole process, with a set order of steps, and it calls for dexterity, strength, patience and persistence.

What makes a good dough

Put simply, it is easy to play and create with. It should be

Soft and elastic, easy to knead with little hands
Shape holding, so figures stand nicely after they are made
Made from natural ingredients, since little ones may put it in their mouths by accident

Watch out that it is not

Crumbly, because good shaping needs a dough that holds together
Sticky, so it does not cling to hands and tools
Quick drying
Made with any toxic ingredient

Should it be scented The answer is probably no. There is no real benefit for a child in a scented play dough, and the smell can make it more tempting to taste.

What is salt dough and why do we like it so much

If you mix a few basic cupboard ingredients, you get a fully natural, well shaped, easy to make modelling dough. It is popular because it is safe, cheap, versatile and eco friendly. You can create crafts, toys and decorations. It teaches and develops, and it is a genuine shared joy for child and parent. It is also a great parent child activity.

A big advantage of salt dough is that it can be dried, so you can make toys that live in the playroom, for example play biscuits for the toy kitchen, figures and decorations, even Christmas tree ornaments.

Does it have to be coloured

No. Salt dough is usually a natural white. If you prefer, you can colour it with natural plant based ingredients. The benefits of plain white dough are:

Without colour choices, a child focuses more on shaping
If we treat white dough as a blank base, the child can paint it after drying, which lets you show a more complex creative process
Natural dough looks clean and simple, which can help a child understand where materials come from and appreciate naturalness

White dough is a perfect play material. Coloured dough also has advantages. Children are used to colourful toys, so colours can be more appealing, visually more interesting and can hold attention for longer.

How to make salt dough

A few simple ingredients are kneaded into a smooth ball of salt dough

Prepare four simple ingredients and a large bowl. Add 250 g salt, 250 g plain flour, 100 ml water and 2 tablespoons sunflower oil to the bowl, then knead thoroughly.
If it is too sticky, add a little flour. If it is too hard and crumbly, add a tiny splash of water.

What can we make from salt dough

The essence of playing with dough is that a child expresses themselves, their inner world and wishes, and creates the things and ideas that live inside them. They develop a great deal as they do so, and we can help at times by showing a few handy techniques and ideas.

Two little girls sit at a table making all sorts of figures from salt dough

The youngest children try the basics, flattening, rounding, bashing, rolling and pressing. Older ones can make favourite story characters, small animals and flowers.
If you want to make keepsakes, use cookie cutters to create neat Christmas decorations. You can make decorations for any celebration, for example Easter, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.

Make flat hanging pictures that your child can paint. Stock the toy kitchen with creative salt dough vegetables, fruit and pastries, and you can even build a small house. Mini dough cacti, colourful autumn leaves and hanging ornaments are adorable.

You can try alternative ingredients too

If your child has gluten sensitivity, it is better to use gluten free flour to make salt dough. Even if you watch carefully, tasting can still happen, and dough sticks to little hands which they may lick. To feel confident about safety, you will need a little experimentation, because nut flours, maize flour and rice flour behave differently. As a rule, start by swapping the same amount for the plain flour. Finding the right ratio is key so that the gluten free dough is not crumbly or sticky.

If you want coloured salt dough, we also recommend natural colourants rather than food dyes. Turmeric yellows beautifully even in small amounts, sweet paprika gives orange, and cocoa powder makes brown. For green, try dried parsley crumbled very fine.

Three extra tips for successful dough play

To keep dough usable for longer, wrap it airtight and store it in the fridge
If it dries out by accident, you can revive it with a little water and oil
To make clean up easy, keep a dedicated table cover for creative time