This activity is for preschool or school-age children like yourself! It is a great way to imagine how visiting a real beach can be a fun and relaxing experience. This craft can help you feel more calm as you play with this sand you can mold in your hands, and if you want to add nice smells, they can make you feel better too! It can help you notice what you see, smell, taste, hear, and touch more, which will make you feel like you’re enjoying a day at the beach!
Supplies:
· 2 cups of flour
· ¼ cup of cooking oil or baby oil
· 1 tsp of blue oil-based food colouring
· Assorted fish/shells/any other sea creatures
· Measuring cups for filling and packing
· Measuring spoons
· Large bowl
· Large spoon
· Large plastic container with a lid
· *optional* Essential oils (e.g., lavender, peppermint and grapefruit)
Step 1: Find an open and clean table or counter in your kitchen. Gather all of the supplies and ingredients and place them on one side of the table or counter. You can also do this activity outside or place a plastic sheet down on the table or counter first for easy cleanup!
Step 2: First, grab your large bowl and place it in the middle of the table or counter. Next, pour ¼ cup of cooking oil (or baby oil) into the bowl. Then, using a measuring spoon, add 1 tsp of blue oil-based food colouring and stir with the large spoon.
If you want to add scents, here is where you would add 3 drops of each essential oil (lavender, peppermint, grapefruit) to the bowl and stir with the large spoon. You can add more food colouring if you want it to be a darker part of the ocean!
Step 3: Next, add the 2 cups of flour using a measuring cup into the bowl. Add in a bit of flour at a time and then stir with the large spoon after each bit is added so it doesn’t spill out of the bowl! Make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl too so most of the flour turns blue!
Step 4: When it looks like most of the white flour has turned blue, now it’s time to get messy! First, take the spoon out of the bowl and place it in the sink or on a plastic sheet so it doesn’t turn anything else blue! Then, use your hands to mix everything together more so all of the flour is covered with the blue food colouring. You can squish it and stir it with your hands as much as you like! This part feels really neat and makes you think of playing with real wet sand at the beach!
Step 5: Next, using your hands, scoop the moon sand into a large plastic container. If you use a clear container, you may be able to see some of the fun creatures we’re going to add through the sides!
Step 6: Then, use your fingers to add in your seashells and fish and any other sea creatures you want to add that you may see at the beach! What is your favourite sea creature you could see at the beach? What are some sounds these sea creatures make? Use your hands again to mix these into the sand. You can even hide some and have someone else try to find them!
Step 7: Finally, it is time to play! You can use measuring cups of different sizes and pack the moon sand into each cup to make castles or any building you want! Are there any interesting creatures or shapes you could see at the beach? You can also use cookie cutters to create these fun creatures or shapes!
*Fun tip: As you play, think about what you may be feeling during a trip to the beach. What could you see, smell, taste, hear, and touch and picture yourself there now. Feel free to share these feelings with your family and friends!
~Made by Emma F.