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These DIY air dry clay ornaments are an easy craft for kids to make (even toddlers!), require no baking and look beautiful hung on the tree. Make these homemade clay ornaments with the kids this holiday season!

air dry clay ornament with snow flake print

Air Dry Clay Ornament Dough

My kids and I love to make handmade clay ornaments for Christmas. My toddler loves “baking” and my older kid, who is 5, loves making things that become part of our home – in this case, part of our Christmas tree.

While there are many salt dough ornaments out there to be made, I wanted something simpler and more streamlined. After all, I don’t have time to be making dough from scratch and turning on the oven.

I found this simple but creative project and decided it would be a good choice for some family crafting. We had so much fun and ended up with some pretty cute Christmas decorations. Air dry clay Christmas ornaments are a great way to achieve the same idea of making a salt dough recipe ornament without all the hassle.

Plus, these are super cute wrapped up with a DIY Christmas gift tag to gift to grandparents or other relatives.

crayola air dry clay, rolling pin and cookie cutters

These air dry clay ornaments are a great project to make, not too messy (easy to clean up anyway!) and can be customized any number of ways. They really could not make it easier. The dough is ready to go and requires NO baking. It’s the best air-dry clay I’ve tried out and can be found at most craft stores.

Here’s What You’ll Need:

  • Air Dry Clay (We used white but they do have different colors available)
  • Rolling Pin
  • Round Cookie Cutters
  • Cookie Stamps
  • String/Ribbon
  • Parchment Paper

Aside from the air dry clay, you probably already have most all of these supplies in your cabinets. That means it will require very little additional cost to bring this clay project to your family. I just love how minimal but unique this diy craft is!

1. Roll Out Air Dry Clay

First things first, roll out that clay! The best way to know when you’ve rolled enough is when the dough looks about 1/4 inch thick. I suggest rolling on top of parchment or wax paper for less mess.

Go ahead and cut out however many circles you’d like to work with from your white clay. To avoid rough edges, use a cookie cutter for even shapes and clean cuts. (Don’t be mad at me if your kids want sugar cookies next!)

snowflake cookie stamp

Of course, you can opt for different sizes if you want a variety but I preferred a more uniform look for my own ornaments. The cookie cutter shape comes out right every time!

If you have a star-shaped cookie cutter, I think that would also be the perfect way to try something new!

Because I’m a bit of a control freak and I still wanted these kid-friendly ornaments to look nice on my tree, I provided the tools necessary to make them look pretty – these stunning cookie stamps.

For best results, encourage the kids beforehand not to press down too hard. It doesn’t take much pressure to leave the design imprint on the top layer.

finished clay tree ornaments

Once I showed the kids how to make them, they did such an amazing job making their own!

My 5 year old discovered that if we used the snowflake stamp multiple times that it created a beautiful pattern! Then, the whole family let loose a bit and got abstract with some of the ornaments!!

other patterns on the clay ornaments

4. Create a Hole for String

Using a skewer, paper clip or even sharp pencil, create a hole in which string will go through to hang ornaments. Don’t add the string yet – we want them solidified and completely dry first!

You’ll be surprised at how much the kids want to help poke holes. They love being involved in every little second of the activity.

stamp pattern on the clay

5. Let Dry for 24-48 Hours

The drying process is an easy one. Simply transfer the cutouts to fresh parchment paper and leave alone for at least 24 hours. If they are still even slightly soft to the touch, let dry for full 48 hours. You want these completely hard before hanging on the tree!

6. Attach String and Hang

Once the ornaments are completely dry, it’s time to add the string and hang on your Christmas tree! Your kiddos will love seeing their own designs and creations hanging proudly on the family tree.

If you’ve been on the hunt for fun projects to try with your kids or a fun Christmas craft, I hope you’ll give this step-by-step tutorial a try.

You can watch the video to see a more in depth explanation of how we made these easy Christmas ornaments. It’s so simple and fun – I definitely recommend doing this with your kids this holiday season!

diy kid craft for christmas

Air Dry Christmas Tree Ornaments

Yield: varies
Active Time: 20 minutes
Drying Time: 2 days
Total Time: 2 days 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Materials

  • Crayola Air Dry Clay
  • Cookie Stamps

Instructions

  1. On parchment paper, roll out air dry clay to about ¼ inch thick
  2. Using a cookie cookie to cut out shapes, emboss the print into each ornament shape using a cookie stamp
  3. Using a skewer, paper clip or even sharp pencil, create a hole in which string will go through to hang ornaments
  4. Transfer to fresh parchment paper to dry for 24 - 48 hours.
  5. Once dry, attach string to each ornament. Hang on the tree and enjoy!

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6 Comments

  1. What a beautiful idea. Ive jist brought the air dry clay. What paint do i ise to paint them?

    1. Jenna Shaughnessy says:

      Hi Michelle! Acrylics work best but my kids just used regular paint and it has help up just fine!

  2. What a fun project for the kids to get involved in. Happy Holidays!

  3. Ooooh I didn’t know there was such a thing as air dry clay by Crayola…genius! I’m loving your ornaments…how fun for everyone to make!

    1. Absolutely! Just roll out the clay and let them go nuts with the cookie cutters and stamps!!