🦃 Salt Dough Thanksgiving Name Cards

45 minutes 6-8 years old 9+ years old

Supplies Needed

In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, and water to create a dough. Knead the dough until it’s smooth and pliable. This will make approximately 12 name cards depending on the size of your cutouts, if you need more, just increase the amounts.
Roll out the dough on a flat surface using a rolling pin. Roll to about 1/4 inch thick.
Use cookie cutters to cut out fall-themed shapes, such as leaves, pumpkins, or turkeys.
Use a small straw or skewer to make a small hole at the top of each shape.
Place the dough shapes on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F for 1-2 hours, or until they are completely hard. (Check every 20 minutes, it can take longer depending on the thickness)
Once the shapes have cooled, decorate each one with paint or markers. You can paint the shapes with fall colors like orange, red, and yellow.
Write the names of your guests on small paper tags. Poke a hole in your name tags.
Thread ribbon or twine through the hole at the top of each shape and then thread through your name tags and tie them on.

Ask your child: “What do you think is happening to the dough when we bake it? How does it change?”
Talk about Thanksgiving: “Why do you think we use place cards at a big dinner? How does it make everyone feel special?”
Discuss fall: “What are some of your favorite things about fall? What colors remind you of Thanksgiving?”
Reflect on gratitude: “What are you thankful for this year? How could we express that on our place card?”
Encourage imagination: “What would your ideal Thanksgiving table look like? How else could we decorate it?”

Fine Motor Skills: Rolling, cutting, and decorating the salt dough shapes helps children develop hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
Creativity: Children can experiment with colors, patterns, and designs as they decorate their place cards.
Scientific Concepts: Learn about evaporation and the transformation of matter when baking the salt dough.
Personalization: Writing guests’ names and creating a unique place card helps children feel a sense of contribution and pride in the holiday setting.

Add cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to the dough to give it a festive, fall scent.
Use different cookie cutters for other themes—turkeys, acorns, or even handprint shapes.
Create a salt dough garland using smaller shapes, such as mini pumpkins, and use it to decorate the table.

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