Salt Dough Beads

Salt dough is really easy to make and fun for a variety of ages!

It is similar to play dough in consistency, so young kids will love rolling it out and cutting out shapes with cookie cutters.

It is perfect for making Christmas ornaments too.

It is also a great way to make homemade beads! This activity is perfect for slightly older children.

Begin by making the dough. To make salt dough you will need:

• 2 Cups Flour
• 1/2 cup salt
• 3/4 cup of lukewarm water (approximately- you will want to add it a little at a time to get the desired consistency)
• Optional: You can add peppermint to the water, or Cinnamon & nutmeg to the flour if you want your dough to smell nice!

Begin by mixing the flour and salt well with a whisk or a fork. Slowly add the water stirring well as you go. Knead the dough with your hands until you make a nice ball. It should not be sticky. It should feel very similar to play dough.

Take a chunk of dough and roll it into a ball with your hands. Shape it into the form of bead that you would like to have (ball, heart, oval, square, etc). Slide a toothpick through the center of the bead a few time and rotate it gently to make a hole large enough for string to pass through later.

Bake in the oven at 200°F (100°C) for 1-2 hours or until the dough becomes hard and whitish in appearance.

Allow your beads to cool.

Once they have cooled use acrylic paint or acrylic paint pens to decorate your beads.

Once you have painted your beads, set them aside to dry. Make sure to paint both sides.

When they are completely dry, you can begin making your creations!

These adorable beads work well for bracelets, necklaces or keychains too!

Happy crafting!