DIY Moon sand - It's Simply Lindsay

This Moon Sand recipe for kids is a fun, easy DIY activity that lasts forever and kills childhood boredom. I actually never had Moon or Kinetic Sand growing up, but I remember being in awe of the commercials – a moldable sand that crumbles? Amazing. We often play with conventional Play Dough or our homemade 2 Ingredient Play Dough, but this is a refreshing alternative with loads of sensory activities to go along with it. Now, I can live out my childhood fantasy at home, with my kiddos.

You only need two simple ingredients (three if you’re opting for color sand), it only takes a few minutes to assemble, and stores perfectly in a Tupperware container.

Moon Sand ingredients

Flour

Oil (I used vegetable oil and will try Baby Oil for my next batch)

Optional: Crushed chalk or oil-based food coloring if you don’t want white sand

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2 ingredient Moon Sand recipe for kids

moon sand recipe

Instructions

  • Put 5-8 cups of flour in a large bowl
  • Add 1 cup of oil (vegetable or baby)
  • Optional: If you’d like colored “sand,” crush 4 stick of chalk by putting them in a Ziplock bag and crushing it with a hammer until it’s a fine dust or use a few drops of an oil-based dye.
  • Mix together with your hands to incorporate all ingredients. It won’t form a dough, but you’ll know it’s finished with it can be molded in your hands and crumbles upon pressure. If you think it’s not working, just keep on working with your hands and adjust your oil/flour if needed. Just don’t add too much oil trying to form a conventional dough.

Colored moon sand

How to play with Moon Sand

I put our Moon Sand in different size containers with a variety of toys. We played inside with a vinyl table cloth underneath for easy clean up, but playing outside is even better with zero mess. Here are some ideas of how to play with your sand, though if you just lay out a bunch of tools and toys, your kids will figure it out.

  • Use shovels, sand rakes, and scoops to make different patterns and shapes in the sand
  • Use measuring cups, spoons, and other household items
  • Hide little figurines and toys; take turns burying treasure and using tools to find them
  • Make snow balls or sand ice cream cones for pretend play

moon sand recipe DIY moon sand recipe

Lasting thoughts

Did you play with Moon Sand when you were a kid? What are your favorite sensory activities to do with your kiddos? Share with me in the comments!

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