Last summer, when we were at the beach, I discovered that my toddler absolutely loves the sand. He could play with it for hours and not even look up when we call him. I love it because sand is actually a sensory "toy" that's perfect for toddlers.
Unfortunately, we can't be in the beach everyday.
Fortunately, I came across "moon sand" when someone in my Instagram feed sold it. Living in the Philippines and in a city where the beach is minutes away, I thought, "I don't have to buy that. I'm sure I can make that."
So during our next beach trip, while I was nursing Yuri, I asked my cousins to get me sand!
Now, moon sand is more than just sand. Because of some added ingredients, it is actually more moldable and, therefore, more fun and educational!
I am aware that there's a commercial brand, Moon Sand, available and you can buy that, but if you have some minutes free, I really think you should make it instead.
Many versions call for flour and baby oil, but mine is more tropics-friendly and pantry-forgiving. This is because I use these ingredients:
- Any kind of sand (though white is preferred if you want to use color)
- A bit of cornstarch
- Water
- (Optional) Food coloring
And here are some photos to guide you on how to make your own moon sand in minutes:
1. Sift the sand to strain out rocks,corals, shells, etc. Here's a photo of what I separated from my sand.
2. Mix cornstarch and sand. I might have added half a cup of cornstarch to 2 cups of sand. Sorry, I didn't measure, but the ratio isn't that great of a deal since the consistency of the mixture is easy to manipulate.
Note: That was not all of the corn starch. I added more.
3. Add water to the mixture. Be gradual in adding water to avoid washing out the sand.
4. Test its consistency by taking a lump out of the moon sand. Is it moldable enough? If not, add more cornstarch and try again.
5. Mix the entire mixture properly to avoid white spots.
6. Optional steps: add a few drops of coloring and mix again!
And you're done! That's it! Then get a few small sand toys, dress your squealing toddler down, and head outside the door. You don't want to get his clothes and your floors messy!
If your child is as sand-loving as mine, you can have the beach experience right at home.
PS: If you weren't able to secure some sand from your last beach trip, you can make moon sand out of flour and oil, too. There are many recipes over the web. I think the result would be just the same although I prefer to use real sand because of the rougher texture (for the sensory stimulation) and it has a longer shelf-life.
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