This past fall, I made a very quick decision on a run through the Target toy department and purchased a bag of Kinetic Beach Sand. I was a little upset with myself as I usually don’t make those types of decisions, but when we got home and they started to play with it, ahh, it was worth every single penny again!
Over time, the original Kinetic Sand, fell to the floor a lot and we kept losing more and more each time. It was hard to keep it all together and then there was nothing left. I purchased another bag, only this time it was a colored kinetic sand and was really disappointed with that one. I tried another version of “kinetic sand” and that was really bad. We didn’t even keep it for more than a few weeks. And of course, it all started out with the DIY Kinetic Sand, which worked, but definitely messy!
I purchased a plastic container right away (Sterilite Large Clip Clear Box) so that my boys would understand that it was meant to be kept in there and played in there. Well, it didn’t always work to play it in the box, but it has stayed well in the box. It has grown to house Anthony’s construction trucks as well. These were a gift for him at Christmas and fit perfectly in the box. I have included measuring cups and spoons as well and also a spatula, but he plays so rough with his toys, that the spatula broke! He used it to flip “pancakes” and “sandburgers”.
This box gets used 3-5 times per week. It is something he uses when we work on our therapy as well. He gets to divide up the sand between the three of us. He usually lets us know what we should be making. Many times it is pizza, he gives the assignments of who makes the crust, the sauce, and the toppings. He “bakes” it and shares it all with us. We have also made s’mores, hamburgers, and cookies. It helped with fine motor skills, sharing, social skills, and even math (fractions!).
We just replaced our Kinetic Beach Sand a few weeks ago. Our first batch lasted about 6 months and we still have it. The sand seemed to be just a little damp, so I put it away for a while and will try to “dry” it out.
What I love about this sand is that it doesn’t stick to anything. Anthony has put it on his bed and the rug, without permission, and thankfully it comes right up. The other sand we have had falls apart much easier and I would sweep up blobs of it after his playtime. But the beach sand is very different and we have had no issues with it.
Does your child play with kinetic sand? What sorts of things do they do with it? I would love more ideas!
Living a Full Life,
Linda
