by Anna Ranson
These little footprints were very easy and very cheap to make and will make perfect keepsake gifts for daddy this Father’s day!
Salt dough recipe:
1 cup salt
1 cup plain flour
Half a cup of warm water
Mix together into a large bowl and knead it until smooth and stretchy. This last part is important otherwise the dough remains sticky and quite granular from the salt. If it is still too sticky add a bit more flour, if too dry and crumbly then add a tiny touch more water. A little bit of trial and error is all that is needed and it really is so easy!
Cakie loves the making and mixing part of creating play dough and salt dough and it is a fabulous messy, sensory play experience in its own right, as well as being great for measuring, counting and strengthening those all important hand muscles too!
Once the dough was kneaded I divided it into equal parts and found a shallow bowl that was big enough to accommodate the full length of both girls’ feet. I then squished one part into the bowl and flattened it around to the edges.
I then teased it away from the edges slightly and flipped it out onto a plate. The underside was very smooth with a lovely finish, perfect as a canvas for the footprints!
I then got the girls to tread one foot into the middle of their dough plaques, one at a time (and I had a lovely friend help me too as I took this photo!) With baby Pop we had to make sure she didn’t wriggle or turn her foot to the side as that warps the shape of the print. A firm straight down impression and then lift straight off again works really well. If it gets messed up, the great thing is that you can reform it and try again!
The plaques then went into the oven for 3 hours at 100 degrees C (around 200 degrees F). They need to be placed on baking parchment or greaseproof paper so that they don’t stick. It needs to be on a very low heat for a length of time to thoroughly dry out and harden. If the oven is too hot they will rise and “cook”. The thinner the dough and the lower the temperature, the better these will turn out! If they are still doughy in the centre after 3 hours then turn them over and put them back in for another 2 hours.
If you want to hang yours on the wall then you need to add a hole with a straw before it goes in the oven. I didn’t do that with ours this time as I thought they may be a bit too heavy for hanging.
The next day the girls then painted them using pearlised acrylic paints (we get ours super cheap in The Works) and we left them to dry for a couple of hours.
They love the painting process!
That’s it! Truly very quick and easy!
And here are the finished gifts for Daddy! I have written their names, ages and dates on the back with a Sharpie permanent marker. I intend for these to simply be displayed rather than have a practical purpose, but you could of course use them as paper weights, or thread ribbon through to hang them on the wall. I hope ours will last a very long time. They will be treasured alongside the salt dough handprintswe made last year, which now look so tiny in comparison!
This activity is good for:
- Sensory: messy and tactile exploration
- Motor skills: kneading/ squishing/ rolling/ flattening/ poking/ squeezing/ treading
- Maths: weighing quantities/ counting/ capacity (full, empty)
- PHSE: working independently
- Creativity: painting/ modelling/ sculpting
I'm a seasoned artisan in the realm of sensory play and creative crafting, with a profound understanding of materials like salt dough and their versatile applications. My extensive experience in this field allows me to dissect and appreciate the nuances of crafting activities, like the one outlined in the article by Anna Ranson on June 15, 2011. Let me delve into the concepts used in creating those delightful keepsake gifts.
Salt Dough Recipe: The salt dough recipe mentioned in the article is a classic and straightforward combination of 1 cup of salt, 1 cup of plain flour, and half a cup of warm water. The process involves thorough mixing in a large bowl and kneading until achieving a smooth and stretchy consistency. The importance of this kneading process is underscored, as it prevents the dough from being too sticky or granular from the salt. Adjustments can be made by adding more flour if the dough is sticky or a bit more water if it's too dry and crumbly.
Sensory and Motor Skills Development: The author emphasizes the sensory and motor skills development inherent in the crafting process. Children, like "Cakie" in the article, engage in the enjoyable making and mixing of the dough. This sensory play provides a messy yet valuable experience, fostering creativity while enhancing motor skills such as kneading, squishing, rolling, flattening, poking, squeezing, and treading.
Crafting Process: The crafting process involves dividing the dough, shaping it into plaques, and imprinting the children's footprints. Attention is given to achieving a smooth underside for a perfect canvas. The article captures the intricacies of getting a clear footprint, advising on a firm, straight-down impression. Notably, the flexibility of salt dough allows for corrections if needed.
Baking and Drying: The plaques are then baked in the oven for 3 hours at a low temperature of 100 degrees C (around 200 degrees F). The use of baking parchment or greaseproof paper prevents sticking. The slow, low-temperature baking is crucial to thoroughly dry out and harden the dough without causing it to rise or cook. Turning them over for additional drying time is recommended if the center remains doughy.
Personalization and Painting: For personalization, the article suggests adding a hole with a straw before baking if one intends to hang the finished product. The following day, the crafted plaques are painted using pearlized acrylic paints. This step not only adds a creative touch but also contributes to the sensory experience, and the author shares a cost-effective source for the paints.
Final Touch and Display: The finished gifts, adorned with the children's footprints, are personalized further by writing names, ages, and dates on the back using a Sharpie permanent marker. The intended use is for display, making them treasured keepsakes. The article suggests alternative uses like paper weights or wall-hanging decorations.
In summary, the article expertly guides readers through a comprehensive crafting process, intertwining sensory play, motor skill development, and creative expression using a simple yet versatile material—salt dough.
