After a bit of a rough go in the morning yesterday with homeschooling, I made a decision to turn the day's science lesson into a sensory/science project. Sensory activities are a fun way to help your kids learn using hands on play and to help them therapeutically, which is something I am sure a lot of kids right now could really use as they are surely experiencing overwhelming changes and increased stressors in their life (as we all are).
One of the things we have liked using through the years are small sand bins with toys and I always like to keep those mini archaeological dig sets around for times like this, but I wanted to actually make something. To go along with that "sandy" theme we decided to make moon sand.
Moon sand is easy to make and only uses two ingredients: flour and baby oil. The consistency is thicker than regular play sand (think more like semi-wet sand on the beach or a packed cup of brown sugar in consistency) but not "puffy" like kinetic sand. It can last a long time if kept in a sealed container and you can also add gel food coloring to the mixture as well.
Here is what you need:
Supplies
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup baby oil
- mixer/mixing bowl
- dough hook*
* the dough hook is not necessary, but definitely made the task a lot easier
Combine your ingredients in your bowl and mix for a few minutes on low, breaking up any clumps that form. To make more, simply double your ingredients. Store in a Ziplock bag or air tight container after use to keep it from drying out.
It was a rainy day, so we played with out sands inside...which I quickly regretted as it is a bit messy and embeds itself into the carpeting and furniture. Let's just say I had to run the rug cleaner after. But, it kept him calm for almost two hours and we still have some left to play with later today.
What are some of your favorite sensory activities?
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