Salt Dough Cactus Craft

We have been reading about life in the dessert and one of our favorite things is the cactus, obviously! They range from big to small, and some even have beautiful flowers! Not only have we looked at pictures and watched videos about them (did you know some types absorb rain water and swell up?), we have been able to hike and view them locally, as native species! Very cool! Here's a short educational video for you to watch with your child before starting this craft!

Salt Dough Cactus Craft

You will need:

• 2 ½ cups flour
• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 cup water
• Large bowl
• Wooden spoon
• Baking Sheet
• Parchment Paper (optional)

First things first, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Now, add the flour and salt to your bowl. Pour the water in slowly and begin to mix with a spoon. Switch to mixing with your hands (or your kiddo can have fun doing this) to thoroughly knead the dough and get a sensory experience! If sticky, add a little bit more flour. If too dry or crumbly, add a little bit more water. After shaping the dough into a round ball, I used a knife (this is a grownup’s job, unless it’s a plastic knife) to cut the dough into four even sections. These were separated and used to create our four different types of cactus! 

Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. We have always used parchment paper when making salt dough creations, but I have seen other people who don’t. I’m not sure if that would cause the creations to stick to the baking sheet or not.

When forming your cactus shapes, try to not let them be too thick, or this will increase your baking time. To add more texture, we used toothpicks to draw into our dough. *Tip: Shape and create your cacti directly on the parchment paper to avoid messing them up during a counter-to-parchment transfer! Bake for 35-45 minutes; start checking the cacti at 35 minutes. Allow to cool completely before painting your creations! You can either paint them to look life-like, or go the more psychedelic route like our child did. If you make these creations with your little one, remember to use #mountainmotherrunner so I can check out your project! Enjoy!

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