X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
Product GuideSign in
  • Awards
    • Parents' Choice Awards 2023
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

DIY: How to make your own kinetic sand and make the most out of sand play

3 min read

Playing with sand is a great way to develop your child’s imagination, fine motor skills, hand & eye coordination, and so much more. And now, with the introduction of kinetic sand, playing with sand isn’t as messy as it used to be. Kinetic sand is also easier to mold than normal sand, making it ideal for your little ones.

But kinetic sand at toy stores usually come at pretty high prices. 12 ounces of kinetic sand typically cost US$20. You can save so much by just making your own! Here’s a DIY Kinetic Sand recipe from BabyFirstTV.

All you need is:

  • Fine sand; the finer the better! (1 cup)
  • Cornstarch (1.5 cups)
  • Dish soap (1 tsp)
  • Water (1.5 cups)
  • Food coloring (optional)

Here’s what you should do:

1. Mix sand and cornstarch in a bowl.

2. Add dish soap. This is supposed to prevent bacteria or mold from growing on the sand.

3. Add enough water so that the sand and cornstarch mix together. According to About Education, it’s alright for you to add a bit more of any ingredient so you get the consistency you want.

4. Add food coloring.

5. Let it dry for 1-2 hours.

6. Play!

Your sand will dry up over time. When this happens, just add more water!

On the next page: how to make the most of sand play.

Here are some ways from Early Childhood News that you can make sand play better for your child:

1. Make the sand play environment more interesting and challenging

You can provide measuring spoons and cups, different kinds of containers, balance scales, and so forth.

2. Ask open-ended questions

One great thing about sand play is that it’s open-ended—in contrast to ready-made toys, sand requires imagination and participation. Ask your child open-ended questions that allows our child to learn on their own. What you’re doing is giving them support while allowing them to figure things out on their own. Some examples of open-ended questions are:

  • How can you fix that?
  • Is there another way?
  • What happens when you…?

how to make kinetic sand

3. Arrange play dates

Sand play is not only good for your child’s motor skills and creativity, it also helps promote social skills when kids play together.

4. Use mathematical terms

Playing with sand is a great way to introduce mathematical terms like more/less, heavy/light, etc. You can also ask your child to count how many scoops it takes to fill a container.

5. Keep the sand play area free and child-centered

Though you should supervise your child’s play, it’s alright—even better—if you take a few steps back and let your child’s imagination take center stage.

6. Remember: there is no right way to play with sand

Your child won’t care if she’s using cheap or recycled measuring cups or a branded set from a toy store. You can look for different things around the house to incorporate into their sand play, like rolling pins, funnels, PVC pipes, and so forth.

 

Partner Stories
Great ideas for gifts for Chinese New Year 2023!
Great ideas for gifts for Chinese New Year 2023!
Learn Tech and Media Skills, Gain Industry Exposure and Build a Portfolio. Here’s How Your Child Can Benefit from an Infocomm or Media CCA!
Learn Tech and Media Skills, Gain Industry Exposure and Build a Portfolio. Here’s How Your Child Can Benefit from an Infocomm or Media CCA!
Korean Stars Take Center Stage at Disney Content Showcase in Singapore
Korean Stars Take Center Stage at Disney Content Showcase in Singapore
Health is Your Greatest Wealth. Learn How Your CPF Savings Can Safeguard Your Healthcare Needs and Provide Peace of Mind
Health is Your Greatest Wealth. Learn How Your CPF Savings Can Safeguard Your Healthcare Needs and Provide Peace of Mind

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Cristina Morales

  • Home
  • /
  • Lifestyle
  • /
  • DIY: How to make your own kinetic sand and make the most out of sand play
Share:
  • Bond With Your Kids at 13 Best Sand Play Areas in Singapore

    Bond With Your Kids at 13 Best Sand Play Areas in Singapore

  • The importance of play time

    The importance of play time

  • Wife Forgives Husband Who Had Two Affairs And Got A Woman Pregnant

    Wife Forgives Husband Who Had Two Affairs And Got A Woman Pregnant

  • ‘You Will Always Be a Part of Us’: Singaporean Family Gives Helper of 20 Years ‘Long Service Award’

    ‘You Will Always Be a Part of Us’: Singaporean Family Gives Helper of 20 Years ‘Long Service Award’

  • Bond With Your Kids at 13 Best Sand Play Areas in Singapore

    Bond With Your Kids at 13 Best Sand Play Areas in Singapore

  • The importance of play time

    The importance of play time

  • Wife Forgives Husband Who Had Two Affairs And Got A Woman Pregnant

    Wife Forgives Husband Who Had Two Affairs And Got A Woman Pregnant

  • ‘You Will Always Be a Part of Us’: Singaporean Family Gives Helper of 20 Years ‘Long Service Award’

    ‘You Will Always Be a Part of Us’: Singaporean Family Gives Helper of 20 Years ‘Long Service Award’

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and lifestyle updates.