You’ve seen them in touch pools at the aquarium or maybe even in tide pools at the beach, starfish or sea stars that is! This easy salt dough starfish craft is sure to be a hit in your classroom or at home to explore these awesome sea stars. Learn more about starfish as you create your own model out of salt dough! No starfish template needed! A fun and easy activity for an ocean theme!

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Make A Starfish Craft For Ocean Theme

There is so much to love about the ocean. I love the colors of the water, looking on the beach for seashells and exploring tidal pools. That was my inspiration when we decided to make this salt dough starfish craft for our newest ocean activity.

Making sea star models is great for learning about these ocean sea creatures. Check out some fun facts about sea stars below and while you’re at it, why not explore more preschool ocean activities.

We have quite a collection of fun ocean activities with favorites from growing crystal seashells, to playing with sand slime! You can even make your own glow in the dark jellyfish craft for exploring bioluminescence!

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How To Make Salt Dough

Salt dough is a very simple mixture of flour and salt that creates a type of modeling clay that can be baked or air-dried and then saved. We also use it for some of our awesome sensory play activities.

When salt dough dries, it becomes tough and durable and has a substantial weight. If you have ever made salt dough ornaments around the holidays, this is the recipe!

You can easily turn these salt dough starfish into ornaments by adding a hole to one of the arms.

Why is there salt in the salt dough? Salt is a great preservative and it adds additional texture to your projects. You’ll notice the dough is heavier too!

NOTE: Salt dough is NOT edible!

Salt Dough Tips

  • You can make your salt dough ahead of time and store it for up to a week in zip-top bags. Though a fresh batch is always best to work with!
  • Salt dough can be painted either when it’s wet or dry. What color sea stars will you make?
  • Salt dough can be baked or air-dried.
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Fun Starfish Facts For Kids

  • Starfish are not actually fish but related to sea urchins and sand dollars! To avoid confusion, we now more commonly call them sea stars.
  • This sea creature can live for 30 years or more.
  • A starfish can regrow an arm if it loses it.
  • Starfish can weigh 10 lbs or more. That is one big starfish!
  • You will find starfish living in saltwater but they can live in both warm and cold water.
  • Many starfish are brightly colored. Think red or orange, while others can be blue, grey or brown.
  • Starfish have tube feet and a mouth in the middle of their body on their lower side.

Starfish Craft

This starfish craft is super simple to do! Make up your batch of salt dough, and then roll and squish out the arms of your sea star. Along the way, have a conversation or two about the amazing sea life living beneath our oceans.

Supplies:

  • 2 cups of flour
  • 1 cup of salt
  • 1 cup of water
  • Baking pan
  • Toothpick
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Instructions:

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

STEP 2: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, water, and salt and mix well using a hand or stand mixer.

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STEP 3: Form your dough into a small golf ball sized piece, break into 5 pieces and roll into log shapes.

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STEP 4: Stick the 5 log pieces together to make a star.

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STEP 5: Smooth out the star and use a toothpick to make a line into each star arm.

STEP 6: Use the toothpick to poke everywhere around the line indents on the star.

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STEP 7:  Bake for 2 hours and then let cool. Alternatively, leave the salt dough out to air-dry!

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More Ocean Animals To Learn About

If your kids love ocean animals, then why not try more of these fun and easy ocean animal activities, including starfish, narwhals, squid, and sharks? Perfect to add to any ocean theme lesson plan or fun at home.

Printable Ocean Activities Pack

If you want to have all of your printable ocean activities in one convenient place, plus exclusive worksheets with an ocean theme, our 100+ page Ocean STEM Project Pack is what you need!

Check out The Complete Ocean Science and STEM Pack in our SHOP!

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