Let's sculpt together with the children! Salty dough; dough recipe and how to use it

Let's sculpt together with the children! Salt dough - dough recipe and how to work with it

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Greetings, dear ancestors, readers of our blog! Recently, an ancient technique for developing a child’s fine motor skills has been revived - dough modeling. And now I would like to tell you more about salted modeling dough. You will find recipes with photos at the end of the article.

1. What can be made from salt dough

Modeling is a wonderful opportunity for adults to express themselves or relax, and to develop fine motor skills and imagination for kids. Modeling with children is fun and interesting. The huge advantage of modeling from salt dough is that it will cost you much less than other materials for children's creativity.

For modeling, you can use pottery clay, plasticine, and ordinary dough when making cookies or dumplings together. Children absolutely love to sculpt and roll balls from such materials. Salt dough is used only for creativity, because it is inedible.

For a long time they sculpted from salt dough:

Idols;
Kids toys.

At the moment, this type of creativity is again becoming popular; the dough can be used to make:

Decor items;
Figures, toys;
Paintings;
Prints of the baby's hands or feet.

It’s no secret that adults are extremely fond of this type of modeling, preferring salted dough to clay or plaster; they sculpt entire paintings that decorate the house or are given as gifts:

2. Why salt dough specifically?

Almost everyone is amazed to hear that the dough must be salted in order to be able to make something out of it. The fact is that you can sculpt something from any dough, because it is always plastic, but not from any dough you can make crafts that will be stored for an extremely long time without losing their appearance.

The hidden material – salt – cements the dough, so the products hold up after drying. The main ingredients of this test:

Flour;
Salt;
Water.

Apart from this, you can add other components, depending on what you want to get. This could be glue, oil or paint, which can be added to any recipe. But the main thing here remains salt, which must be finely ground and without impurities (iodine).

3. Salt dough recipes

There may be a huge number of recipes, let’s look at a few of them. You need to choose the most ordinary flour, without additives, and the water should be extremely cool.

3.1. Ordinary salted dough

Compound:

Wheat flour – 1 tbsp;
Salt – 1 tbsp;
Water – 0.5 tbsp.

How to create sculpting material from these ingredients?

It is necessary to mix flour and salt, then gradually add water, quickly mixing everything with your hands.
You don’t need to knead the dough for long; if it comes out stiff, add a little more water.
If the dough is sticky, add a little flour. It all depends on the flour, so you may need more water from time to time, less from time to time.

3.2. Salted dough with rye flour

Compound:

Rye flour – 1 tbsp;
Wheat flour – 1 tbsp;
Water – 0.5 tbsp;
Salt – 1 tbsp;
Oil – 1 tbsp.

Rye flour will give the product a soft brown color, especially if you dry it in the oven. Rye flour alone is not used, because the dough will be extremely tight and difficult to mold something out of it. The oil will give the dough elasticity and will not stick to your hands.

3.3. Salt dough with glue

Compound:

Flour – 2 tbsp;
Salt – 1 tbsp;
Dry wallpaper glue – 2 tbsp;
Oil or glycerin – 4 tbsp;
Water – 125 ml.

First you need to combine flour and salt, then add glue diluted in water.
Mix everything and add oil.
If the mixture is sticky, add a little flour. In addition to wallpaper glue, PVA glue is used, this is done for the strength of the material.

How to make colored dough?

To tint the dough, you can add food coloring or natural juice, adding drop by drop and mixing with the finished mass. In addition, you can paint the finished craft after it has dried using art paints.

4. Crafts made from salt dough

When the baby turns 1-1.5 years old, he can be introduced to the test as a method of play and development.

The advantage of the test is that a child will not be poisoned if he tries it, and it also does not smell like plasticine. This natural material is a good tool for making crafts. The dough can be stored in a bag in the refrigerator for a number of days.

A child of any age can use the salt dough modeling technique, gradually complicating the task. For beginners, sculpting small, regular figures is ideal.

The child can do the following:

Roll out the dough with a rolling pin;
Cut out shapes from it using molds (from construction sets, cubes or cookie cutters);
Make sausages and balls;
Connect several parts into one figure (attach buttons, sticks, beads to the figure);
Make hand or foot prints on the rolled out dough;
Paint dried figures or crafts with paints (watercolors, gouache consistency with PVA glue, acrylic paint) - under adult supervision.

The child can stick various elements onto a narrow layer of dough, creating drawings. Also, ready-made flat figures can later be glued to the canvas and inserted into a frame, resulting in a work of art.

I recommend watching a video on how to make crafts from salt dough, so you can clearly see the technique and try it again:

5. Drying salt dough products

There are these types of drying:

on air;
in the oven;
on battery;
in the sun.

One way or another, the products must be thoroughly dried. If the layer of dough is narrow, it will take less time. Large dough designs or figures require a long drying time.

The most reliable and common method is to air dry, ideally in a warm place, but not in direct sunlight. For a product up to 1 cm wide, it will take 4-7 days. Then check by tapping the surface with your finger. If the sound is booming, the product is dry; if it is dull, it needs to be dried further.

Salted play dough: 5 best recipes

Plasticine or polymer clay is naturally excellent, but what about traditional salt dough? You can prepare it in a matter of minutes and from available ingredients. It will literally be completely natural and harmless for your baby, even if he likes to put everything in his mouth. We are sharing with you 5 simple recipes on how to create salted play dough!

1. Traditional salt dough

A child can even cope with this recipe without the help of others, because you only need two main ingredients! For a glass of cool water, take one and a half glasses of salt and flour. We advise you to add water evenly to literally get the right plastic density.

The salt for the dough must be extremely small so that it dissolves perfectly and does not remain crystals. If there is none, grind any homemade salt in a coffee grinder. The finished dough does not stick to your palms, and if you poke your finger into it, it smoothly and evenly restores its shape.

2. Dough with vegetable oil

This dough does not stick to your hands or surfaces at all, and a crust does not appear on top when exposed to air. It is slightly more flexible, but is less suitable for the smallest details. Per serving you need 100 g of salt, 200 g of flour, 100 ml of water and 30 ml of oil.

Mix the dry parts first, and then pour in water evenly so that there are no lumps left. The butter must be added in parts at the very last step, continuing to knead the dough for elasticity. If, after adding fat, the dough begins to become very sticky, add more flour, and if it clumps, add water.

3. Boiled play dough

The mixture is reminiscent of children's plasticine, which is sold in jars with special shapes and stamps. It is unsurpassed for the most complex details and even carved decor. All components in the composition are 100% harmless for the smallest children.

In a deep saucepan, mix half a glass of salt, a glass of flour, a spoonful of butter and a spoonful of glycerin. Place the pan on the stove and pour water evenly and very slowly, constantly stirring the mixture. The mixture is cooked for about 5 minutes until it reaches a completely uniform thickness. If desired, dyes can be added at this stage.

4. Dough with natural dyes

In the case of plasticine, parents are constantly worried that the child will decide to taste it. Therefore, for the smallest children this is not an extremely safe option. But it is already necessary to develop fine motor skills and learn about the world of objects and colors!

This recipe is not bad because you add the dyes yourself and literally know that they are harmless. Add 1.5-3 teaspoons of your chosen dye to the traditional dough of salt, flour and water (3:3:2). This could be turmeric, cocoa, or squeezed and strained beet juice, which must first be thickened with the same salt and flour.

5. Dough with glue

This recipe is not 100% natural, so it is suitable for older kids. But after sculpting, the finished products set and dry faster. This dough can be stored for quite a long time - up to 2 weeks, but strictly in the refrigerator and in a closed bag or other container.

For 200 g of salt and the same amount of flour, approximately 125 g of water is needed, as well as a tablespoon of vegetable oil and glue. It's best to use all-purpose wallpaper glue, but you can experiment with PVA. Before using, wrap the dough in film and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least half an hour.

Video: DIY salted dough for modeling

The best salt dough recipes

Recipe 1.

For regular figures:

200 g flour, 200 g salt 125 ml water.

Recipe 2.

Delicate salted dough for filigree processing (small parts and products up to 300-400 g):

200 g flour, 200 g salt, 100 g potato starch, 150 ml water.

Recipe 3.

Hard salted dough for rough figures:

200 g flour, 400 g salt, 125 ml water

Recipe 4.

1) 150 g of water + 1 tbsp. mix regular wallpaper glue, let the glue dissolve well;

2) 200 grams of flour + 200 grams of narrow salt + 2 tablespoons (with top) of potato starch mixed separately;

3) combine everything + 2 tbsp. rast. oils

Recipe 5.

Pour 1 cup of small salt and 1 cup of flour into a bowl and stir. Then pour in 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and half a glass of water, stir with a spoon and knead with your hands until smooth, just like regular dough. You can replace the water with starch jelly, then the mass will be much more plastic. Kissel is made like this: dissolve 1 tablespoon of starch in 1/2 cup of cool water. Heat another 1 glass of water in a small saucepan until it boils.

Pour the starch solution into boiling water, stirring. When the contents of the pan thicken and become transparent, turn off the heat. Let the jelly cool and pour it into the flour and salt mixture instead of water.

Recipe 6.

200 g wheat flour
100 g salt
2 teaspoons cream
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
300 ml.
water Mix flour, salt, cream and butter in a saucepan.
Pour in water and stir thoroughly, avoiding lumps. Place the pan over low heat and stir constantly.
At first the dough will be watery, but later it will immediately begin to thicken. Continue stirring until completely thickened. Remove the dough from the heat and use a wooden spoon to transfer it to a smooth surface.
Let the dough cool. Knead the dough until it is soft and workable and holds its shape perfectly.

Read also: Meat and onion salad

Recipe 7.

For large models (like plates or clay tiles):

200 g flour, 400 g salt, 125 ml water, 2 spoons of wallpaper glue

Recipe 8.

For particularly strong products.

THE BEST RECIPE. There will be no problems with the product at all! This is a recipe from a master from Arbat (unfortunately, I don’t understand the details).

Instead of water and glue, add bustilate (it is watery).
1 cup of small salt, 1 cup of flour - mix. Add boostilate until the dough is kneaded! No water and no adding flour during the kneading process!

With the use of boostilate, toys do not become damp, do not deform when fired, do not break when dropped - they become stone! Dry over extremely low heat in a half-open oven.

I took “Bustilat-3”, its mixture is even thicker than sour cream, like pudding, so it’s a little difficult to knead the dough, but the result is simply excellent. It cannot be compared with anything - neither wallpaper glue, nor PVA, etc. Costs 25 UAH. – 1.3 kg in a plastic jar.

Since I tried this recipe, I haven’t used any other!

Recipe 9.

Dough for air drying, not in the oven:

200 g flour, 200 g salt, 2 spoons of wallpaper glue, 125 ml water.

Recipe 10.

Dough for air drying or oven drying, from which waterproof, unbreakable products are obtained:

1 cup flour, 1 cup salt, 1 cup vinyl glue, 1 tablespoon melted Vaseline, 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
Combine everything in a Teflon container over low heat and stir. Once mixed moderately, cool slightly and you can sculpt. Dry in the oven at a temperature of 50-60 degrees with the door ajar, if on gas. If it’s an electronic oven, then 75 degrees, you don’t have to open the door. Not allowed in the microwave! It is better to put silver foil on the pallet, because the dark surface gives off more heat and the figure may crack. The slower it dries, the safer it is, it won’t crack. In the end, you can give it 200 degrees, then the protruding parts will bake and become coffee-colored, this effect is aesthetic. If you don't have the ability to bake your piece in the oven, be patient. On a radiator or in the sun, products (especially large ones) will dry no earlier than in a week. After firing or drying, the dough products can be painted and varnished. For coloring, you can take acrylic paints, but it is best to use artistic gouache, to which a little PVA glue has been added. After drying, this mixture shines slightly and does not stain your hands. For varnishing, use acrylic varnish. It is water soluble, non-toxic and dries in 6-8 hours. You can also add dye to the dough itself when preparing it, cocoa, for example, or turmeric.

General Tips

Salt will not dissolve completely in water; its grains will be felt in the dough and shine in the product. Therefore, do not try to dissolve the salt, stir it with flour, and later knead the dough by adding water or bustilate. It doesn’t matter what kind of salt you use, although more often it’s coarsely ground.

If the dough comes out very soft, then proceed as follows: mix a tablespoon of flour with a tablespoon of salt on the bottom of a bowl. Press the lump of dough to the consistency given to us, and then crumple it. Do this until the dough becomes as dense as possible. Place the resulting mass in a plastic bag and place in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. After this, you can sculpt from the dough. If you still have dough left after modeling, store it in the refrigerator in a plastic bag.

From time to time it is recommended to add vegetable oil to the dough for elasticity, but oil makes the salted dough crumbly. Be prepared for this!

Drying

Outdoor drying time depends on the thickness and volume of work and can reach several weeks. Drying outdoors is best done at room temperature. Remember: the thicker the product, the more time it will take. It is recommended to twist the product for uniform drying, but if it has a large convex ornament, then this is unrealistic. To ensure that the bottom dries at the same time as the top, dry the product on an iron mesh.

In the oven (gas or electronic stove).

Dry the craft first in the open air (2-3 days), then in the oven at a temperature of 50 degrees, gradually increasing the temperature, but not higher than 150 degrees.
At very high temperatures, the product may swell, and cracks may even appear from time to time. It is impossible to fix bulging crafts, and simply cover up the cracks. To do this, dilute a little PVA glue, mix well and apply this mixture to the crack, then rub this mixture. To be honest, I can’t dry items in the oven of my own gas stove without deformation (((I dry it in the air and use this good device

Drying time in an electric stove oven:

1 hour - at 50 degrees,
1-2 hours at 75 degrees,
1 hour - at 100 - 125 degrees,
0.5 hours - at 150 degrees.

Advice. Cover a baking sheet with food foil, place the salted dough shapes on it and place in the oven to dry. To check whether the figures are completely dry, you need to tap them with your finger. If the sound is muffled, then you need to dry it more, and if it is loud, then it means the dough has dried out. Moderately dried products are monochromatic without “damp” spots.

On the heating battery.

This method is convenient to use in winter, when the central heating radiators are well heated. Place the craft on foil or fabric (a medical system of cells and intercellular substance, united by a common origin, structure and functions) and leave it on the battery until completely dry.

The perfect salt dough recipe. Tips for Beginners

True magic when an incomprehensible plastic mass is transformed into a playful kitten or a fairy-tale house. I suggest you feel like a wizard and prepare perfect salt dough for future masterpieces.

A mass that holds its shape perfectly, does not float and does not deteriorate over time is the dream of all modeling lovers. And the dream of all parents is a non-hazardous plastic mixture without allergens and harmful additives. Salt dough skillfully combines all these properties and, thanks to baking, is preserved better than plasticine.

A figure made from salt dough will become a unique decoration for your room and a delightful tool for playing. How to make salted dough soft and pliable, and also preserve products made from flour consistency forever? The bastard understands the answer!

Traditional salt dough recipe

Modeling from salt dough is not a new activity. The origins of this type of creativity are lost deep in the history of our culture. Just remember Kolobok from the folk tale and the custom of baking larks for Candlemas. Keep the basic recipe for salt dough for crafts - continue the traditions of the forefathers with pleasure!

To make salt dough you will need:

1 cup small salt,
2 cups of flour,
half a glass of water,
5 tbsp. l. sunflower oil,
natural juice or gouache (optional).

Get to the point!

In a deep bowl, mix the dry ingredients: salt and flour. Add sunflower oil and add a little water. Knead the dough. To give the consistency a certain color, carefully stir in carrot (beetroot) juice or gouache diluted in water. As needed, add water or flour in small portions to adjust the viscosity of the dough.

Fundamentally! It is best to store the finished dough in the refrigerator for no more than a day, tightly wrapping the mass in cling film.

Salt dough recipe for delicate works

If you plan to make thin relief figures or small products from salt dough, you will have to add a hidden ingredient to the traditional recipe. Which? Read on - I’ll tell you everything!

To produce salt dough according to a special recipe, you will need:

1.5 cups flour,
1 glass of salt,
125 ml water,
1 tbsp. l. PVA glue or starch,
food coloring.

Get to the point!

Prepare a deep container. Mix salt with flour and add 125 ml of water. Mix the ingredients thoroughly. Now add a tablespoon of starch or PVA glue. Starch increases the plasticity of the mass, and glue increases its strength. PVA can be changed 2 tsp. wallpaper glue diluted in water, according to instructions. At the end, add food coloring and knead the dough well. If you need a lot of different colors, divide the dough into several pieces and add the necessary dyes. Happy creativity!

Preparing tools for working with salt dough

You can make anything from salt dough - toy products, animals, flowers and gorgeous paintings. But to make your work look original and whimsical, you will need different tools. You don’t need to take anything, use items that are at hand.

The following are perfect for creating unique patterns on the surface of salt dough:

a shaped rolling pin or a bottle of water,
toothpicks (for making holes),
felt-tip pen caps,
ballpoint pen refill,
plasticine knife,
cookie cutters,
buttons,
beads,
pasta,
lace and other stamps for embossing,
garlic press.

Feel free to experiment with patterns and shapes! In case of trouble, the part can simply be corrected or molded again.

How to properly dry salt dough products?

In order for the finished craft to delight the eyes of your guests for a long time, it must be properly dried. Remember: the basic rule for drying salt dough products is no sudden temperature changes.

There are two methods for drying salt dough figures:

1. The most common one is natural. Just leave the figurine to dry at room temperature for a number of days or weeks. Under no circumstances should you dry the product on a hot radiator - it will crack or crumble. A very wet room is also not suitable - the dough, like a sponge, absorbs water and can simply get wet. The natural method is very easy, but very leisurely. But we want to be faster, right?

2. Oven drying. Place the figure on parchment in a cool oven and bake over low heat, increasing the temperature evenly. Turn the product over frequently so that it bakes moderately on all sides. After finishing work, do not immediately take out the craft - let it cool in the oven.

When drying salt dough products, refer to the following table.

Low products (up to 2 cm wide)	Large works (more than 2 cm wide)
1 hour at 50 °C	1–2 hours at 50 °C
1-2 hours at 75 °C	2-3 hours at 75 °C
1 hour at 100 °C	1–2 hours at 100 °C
1 hour at 125 °C	2 hours at 125 °C
0.5–1 hour at 150 °C	1 hour at 150 °C

You can also dry dough products in a switched off oven. Warm it up properly and put the figures in a warm place. Wait until the oven cools down. Repeat the function a couple of times.

When working with salt dough, troubles are inevitable. But don’t get upset and give up. If during the drying process the craft cracked or a part fell off, PVA or Moment construction adhesive will help return the toy to its shape.

Cracks and bulges can be smoothed out with small alloy fillers. One of these will probably be found in dad’s tools.

It is better to varnish the finished product - this way it will amuse the eyes of its professional owner longer.

Find more ideas for sculpting here: