We are doing a candy cane craft today! Kids of all ages will have so much fun with this candy cane craft. Not only can you use this holiday craft to make Christmas ornaments or Christmas décor, but these candy canes can also be used as play food which helps promote pretend play. You can make this candy cane craft at home or in the classroom!
Candy Cane Craft
This candy cane craft is a budget-friendly Christmas craft that uses salt dough and paint to make super cute candy canes that you can play with. Not only will kids get to sculpt and paint, but this craft also promotes pretend play and really helps you get into the holiday spirit.
With this festive holiday craft, your kids will be practicing their fine motor skills, which is always a plus! And even if you don’t use these clay candy canes as pretend food, you can always put them on the Christmas tree! So, without further ado, let’s make this candy cane craft!
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Related: Make these scented playdough candy canes.
Supplies Needed To Make This Candy Cane Craft
Salt Dough Recipe:
If your dough isn’t coming together add a little more water. If it’s too wet, add a little more flour.
Other Supplies:
How To Make This Simple But Festive Candy Cane Craft
Step 1
Mix together the flour and salt and add the warm water and mix until you have a dough formed.
Step 2
Form small balls of dough and then roll them out until they are a snake.
Don’t make them too thin and they should be 4-5 inches long.
Step 3
Fold over the top part of the candy cane so that it is curved, thus creating the simple candy cane shape.
Step 4
Bake your ornaments for 2-4 hours at 200 degrees F or you can let them air dry for 72 hours.
Craft Notes:
Keep an eye on the ornaments. You may need to flip them over to allow the bottoms to dry out.
Decorating Your Candy Cane Craft
Step 1
Paint white stripes starting at the bottom and going up leaving equal space between each white stripe.
Step 2
Paint the spaces between the white stripe red or green… or whatever color you want. They’re your candy canes!
How To Make This Candy Cane Craft Your Own
Just like all our other crafts you can change up this candy cane craft to fit your family’s needs. There are so many different things you can do to let your creativity shine through this craft like:
- Making mini candy canes that are thinner and only 1-3 inches tall.
- Make tape candy canes instead of using paint.
- Turning them into candy cane ornaments by adding strings or hooks.
- Making them smell like real peppermints by adding peppermint essential oil to your dough.
- Celebrate this holiday season by making non-traditional candy canes. There are so many different flavors meaning you can paint them any color you want.
- Add red glitter and white glitter to the painted spots.
- Wrap them in pipe cleaners.
- Add a bow to them.
- Be silly and glue googly eyes to them and add a smiley face mouth.
Our Experience With This Candy Cane Craft
As a mom of a toddler, kindergarten aged child, and an older child, finding fun Christmas crafts can be a challenge sometimes. They can’t all do the same thing, and that’s okay. But it’s also why I love this candy cane ornament craft.
All kids can shape their own ornaments and paint them how they want. And my older kids put their candy canes on the tree while my youngest is using them as pretend food in their play kitchen.
But there are so many things you can do with them (that we may be doing next year) like making a candy cane wreath or making candy cane garland. The possibilities are endless. I just hope your family had as much fun making them as mine! Merry Christmas.
When Were The First Candy Canes Invented?
No one is sure the exact history of the candy cane. But the prevailing story is that a choirmaster in 1670 at Cologne Cathedral in Germany handed them out to children. This helped them stay quiet during church service, but worried it would be improper to give candy out at church, he added the crook to look like a shepherds staff so kids would be reminded of the nativity.
Were The First Candy Canes Peppermint?
No, originally candy canes were just sugar. They actually were not flavored until the 20th century.
How Many Candy Canes Are Made Each Year?
There are over 1.76 billion candy canes made each year.
Category: Christmas crafts
Materials
- Salt Dough Recipe:
- 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 Cup Salt
- 3/4 Cup Warm Water*
- Other Supplies:
- Paintbrushes
- Acrylic Paint
Instructions
- Mix together the flour and salt and add the warm water and mix until you have a dough formed.
- Form small balls of dough and then roll them out until they are a snake. Don’t make them too thin and they should be 4-5 inches long.
- Fold over the top part of the candy cane so that it is curved, thus creating the simple candy cane shape.
- Bake your ornaments for 2-4 hours at 200 degrees F or you can let them air dry for 72 hours.
- Paint white stripes starting at the bottom and going up leaving equal space between each white stripe.
- Paint the spaces between the white stripe red or green… or whatever color you want. They’re your candy canes!
MORE HOMEMADE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS FROM KIDS ACTIVITIES BLOG
How did your candy cane craft turn out?
