Dough Ornaments

We had some friends over today and had a blast making dough ornaments. The dough is very simple and easy, and it rolls out and cuts just like cookie dough. This project kept four kids, ages 2 to 7, happy for over an hour!

Here's what you need:
4 cups flour (plus a little extra)
1 cup salt
1 1/2 cups warm water (plus a little extra)
toothpick
rolling pin
cookie cutters
acrylic paint
ribbon
Sharpie

Here's what you do:
1. Combine the flour, salt, and water and knead it into a dough ball. Knead for about 5 minutes. If it's too dry (all of the dry ingredients should be combined but not be too sticky), add another tablespoon of water.

2. Roll out the dough. Helps to flour the rolling pin before you roll out the dough.

3. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters.

4. Make sure to add a small hole at the top of each ornament with the toothpick for your string.

5. Bake ornaments on an ungreased cookie sheet for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees, until they're nice and hard. While we were waiting for our ornaments to cook, the kids made Kid-Safe Luminarias.

6. Cool the ornaments and paint them to your liking.

7. You can also write your child's name and the year on the back of the ornament with a Sharpie for posterity. This is especially great if it's a gift.

8. Tie a piece of string or ribbon through the hole and hang on your tree!!