Pressed Flower Salt Dough Pendants

To celebrate Mother’s Day, we spent the afternoon making pressed flower salt dough pendants, a simple and beautiful nature craft using ingredients that are likely already in your kitchen and garden.

This activity combines creativity, sensory play, and time outdoors collecting flowers and leaves. It also makes a thoughtful handmade gift for someone special.

Ingredients:

1. Two cups of all-purpose flour

2. One cup of salt

3. One cup of cold water

4. A satay stick or other pointy tool

5. Fresh flowers or leaves

6. String or twine

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Add the water and stir until combined, then knead the dough for about 10 minutes until smooth. Children can also help mix and knead the dough using construction toys or other creative tools :)

2. On a large piece of foil or baking paper, flatten the dough using a jar or rolling pin. Use the jar to cut out circular pendants. Carefully press flowers or leaves into the dough, then use a satay stick or another pointed utensil to make a small hole at the top for the string.

3. Because we used fresh pressed flowers, we chose to dry our pendants outside in the sun rather than bake them in the oven. Drying time will depend on the thickness of the dough and the weather.

If you prefer, the pendants can also be baked in the oven. I baked a few for about 10 minutes at 250°F (120°C).

This was such a lovely slow afternoon activity. Simple, creative, and connected to nature.

Happy Mother’s Day!!