Activity Overview
Create unique and vibrant necklaces with this simple Salt Dough recipe and some Perler beads. Salt dough ornaments and keepsakes have been around for decades and have always been a simple and fun craft to make with kids. My kids also enjoy making Perler Bead crafts creating their own playful patterns.
In this craft, we combined both traditional salt dough ornaments with Perler Beads and the result was fantastic. As the salt dough recipe allows you to make many pieces, the kids had so much fun making them that they made friendship necklaces to share with their friends and family.
Materials Needed
- 1 cup flour (self-rising flour should not be used as it will cause the ornaments to bubble up while baking)
- 1/2 cup salt
- 1/2 cup water (or more as needed)
- Cookie Cutters
- Acrylic paints
- Paintbrush
- Perler Beads
- Ribbon
- Rolling pin
- Cookie sheet
- Drinking straw
- Sharpie Marker
How to Make Them
- Preheat oven to 250F. Measure flour and salt, then add them to a medium mixing bowl and stir.
- Add your water.
- Mix thoroughly.
- Sprinkle a cutting board with flour and knead dough until it is a soft and pliable dough.
- Add more flour if it is still too sticky.
- Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness.
- Cut out shapes using cookie cutters.
- Peel away the surrounding excess dough and lift your cutout.
- Place on parchment paper over a cookie sheet and lay out your dough cutouts.
- Use your straw to press a hole for the ribbon at the top of your shaped pendant for stringing.
- Decorate the dough shapes by pressing Perler beads into the dough. Get as colorful and decorative as you would like.
- Place decorated dough cutouts into the oven and bake for two to three hours, or until completely dry and the Perler Beads are Melted.
- Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely.
