How is kinetic sand made? Sand that does not crumble - Kinetic Sand and its analogues for children Here's how useful the game with kinetic sand is

Engineering systems 26.06.2020
Engineering systems

Every mother strives to comprehensively develop her child from the first days of his life. When the baby grows up and begins to actively explore the world, parents begin to think about the development of his creative abilities. Today there is a huge amount of materials for children's creativity. These are finger paints, and 3D colorings, and, of course, kinetic sand.

It got its name due to its dynamic properties. At first glance, you can’t distinguish it from ordinary wet sand, but as soon as you take it in your hands, you immediately feel the difference. It does not wake up through the fingers, but rather flows out, and high towers can retain their shape for a long time. It is enough to loosen it a little with your fingers and get a fluffy mass. However, kinetic sand is wonderfully sculpted using sand molds and can be quite dense, so you can make any shapes out of it.

The main distinguishing feature is that it is always wet, but it does not smear the hands. Taking it in hand for the first time, it is difficult to imagine that anything can be built from this flowing mass. But he perfectly keeps the shape of low products

Pros:

  • due to its high density, it is very heavy, so for a normal game you need to buy a lot of this sand;
  • when rubbed on any surface, it begins to stick to clothes and shoes;
  • high price.

How to make kinetic sand at home

Expensive is probably its main disadvantage.. But thanks to craftsmen, the Internet is replete with recipes for how to make it at home.

Let's look at the best recipes. First you need to figure out what it is made of. The composition of the original kinetic sand is quite simple. It consists of only two elements - quartz sand and a plasticizer (food additive E900). To prepare it at home, we need a few other ingredients.

Classic recipe:

  • 0.5 l of sand;
  • 0.25 l of starch;
  • 0.25 l of water.

Sift the sand and fry in the oven for 1-2 hours, cool and mix with starch. Then add water and mix well. Such a mass is slightly different in viscosity from the original, but, nevertheless, it is perfect for playing with a child.

baby oil recipe

How to make kinetic mass without sand? Compound:

  • flour 4 cups;
  • baby oil (for the body) 0.5 cups.

Slowly add the oil to the flour, stirring constantly until a homogeneous soft mass is obtained. If there is not enough oil, you can add a little. It is pleasant to work with such a mass, it does not lose its properties for a long time.

Recipe with boric acid

For cooking we need:

  • quartz sand;
  • boric acid 3%;
  • silicate glue.

Mix 1 teaspoon of silicate glue and 2 teaspoons of boric acid. Then pour 100 grams of pre-sifted sand into the container and add 1 teaspoon of silicate-boron mass. Knead with rubber-gloved hands until the whole mass is moist. This option is as close as possible to the original in its properties. However, it is only allowed to play with it with rubber gloves.

liquid soap recipe with baking soda

This recipe is very popular due to its cheapness. We will need:

  • 1 glass of food baking powder;
  • 1 cup liquid soap or dishwashing detergent
  • 2 cups of baking soda.

The first step is to mix baking powder with baking soda. Then gradually add liquid soap and mix thoroughly. Do not forget that kneading should be done with gloves. The resulting mass is passed between the fingers. When there are no dry granules left, the mass is ready, but if they come across, we continue kneading. If the sand turns out to be very liquid, you can add a little baking powder.

As a result, we get a snow-white mass. Store such a composition should be in a closed container, because it dries in the open air.

hair balm recipe

You can even make a substitute for kinetic mass at home from a conditioner and cornstarch. If the latter is not available, then it can be easily changed to potato or rice. Ingredients:

  • hair balm 9 tablespoons;
  • corn starch 750 grams;
  • Dye natural or gouache.

Mix the balm conditioner with the dye. Then pour the starch into the container and gradually introduce the colored balm into it and knead well with your hands. The result is a rather viscous kinetic sand.

Flour and water recipe

In order to make the kinetic mass, we need:

  • quartz sand 6 glasses;
  • boiled water 1.5 cups;
  • wheat flour 3 cups.

Pour the sifted flour into a dry bowl. Add quartz sand to it and mix well. Then we start adding water little by little. The mass is thoroughly kneaded avoiding the appearance of lumps. If desired, the finished mixture can be divided into several parts and painted.

Kinetic Sand Games

To make the games fun, and mom not worry about having to collect kinetic sand throughout the apartment, you can buy a special sandbox. Or, if dad knows which side to take on the hammer, do it yourself. In extreme cases, you can cover the floor with oilcloth at home, and use a basin instead of a sandbox. And also, so that nothing interferes with the flight of the child’s imagination, it is worth stocking up with molds, shovels and buckets.

Create, play, develop! And let your kid be the most talented!

The range of goods for children's creativity is constantly updated. One of the sought-after novelties that appeared on our market in 2014 is kinetic sand. Its mobility and plasticity have already been appreciated by many mothers and babies, using such interesting material in their games and educational activities.

Purpose

The sand, which is called kinetic sand, was developed in Sweden for activities with children. It can be used for:

  1. learning- teach kids letters, counting, shapes, colors, numbers and much more.
  2. Entertainment- invent different games with sand.
  3. Treatments- soothe the baby with hyperactivity, as well as develop fine motor skills to stimulate speech development.

Benefit

  • With such sand, you can have fun playing at home at any time of the year and in any weather.
  • The material is clean and safe, which cannot always be said about the sand in the yard sandbox.
  • Kinetic games are great for developing fine motor skills.
  • Classes with such sand calm the child and teach to concentrate.
  • Playing with kinetic sand, the child relaxes, relieves stress, expresses himself and emotionally relaxes.
  • Thanks to classes with this material, children develop tactile sensitivity and imagination.

The process of playing with kinetic sand is presented in the following video.

Advantages over conventional sand

  • It does not dry out, so to the touch it is similar to wet sand on the shore of a reservoir. It does not need to be wetted to sculpt, and if left unpacked, it will not dry out.
  • It does not develop pathogenic bacteria.
  • Does not stick to the hands of the child (if they are not wet), as well as to glass, plastic and metal.
  • Its plasticity is much higher than that of simple sand, so it is very easy to sculpt from kinetics. This material is simultaneously dense, porous and fluid. If you press on a kinetic sand figurine, it will not crumble, but will spread.
  • When kinetic sand is poured, its sand grains move more slowly due to the formation of polymer bonds between them.
  • It is easy to form any shapes from it. When compressed, its volume is greatly reduced, and the resulting shape is not destroyed for a long time.
  • It does not crumble with the formation of individual grains of sand, but remains in the form of a single mass. It is easy to assemble by hand and at the same time it will not leave any marks on the surface.
  • It does not deteriorate from the influence of water, so if it gets dirty, it can be safely washed. If you wet it and then dry it, the kinetic sand will not lose its properties.

Minuses

  • Immediately after opening the package, there is a not too pleasant smell (vinegar or similar to the smell of glue), but over time it disappears.
  • Since it is not loose, it will not be possible to play a mill and other games in which sand is sifted with it.
  • If you make a large figure out of kinetics, it will not keep its shape well and will soon settle and spread.
  • It sticks to silicone molds, therefore it is not recommended to sculpt with their help from this material.
  • If you step on it, it will firmly stick to the shoes.
  • Due to the rather high density in a kilogram package of this material, there is not much mixture.

Can it cause harm?

The kinetic type of sand is a harmless and safe material. It is non-toxic and hypoallergenic. Even if the baby accidentally swallows it a little, this will not pose a danger to his health. The sand will not dissolve in the child's digestive system, but will be removed from it naturally.

Compound

Most of the volume of kinetics is represented by ordinary sand (quartz) and only 2% of the composition is a safe synthetic additive based on silicone. It is she who determines all the properties of this material and distinguishes it from simple sand and analogues.

At what age can you give?

According to the manufacturer's recommendation, this material should be played from 3 years of age. Such restrictions are due to the fact that children under this age often taste it. However, babies get to know ordinary sand as soon as they start walking. At the same time, rarely anyone does not try bulk material from the sandbox.

Since the kinetic version is much cleaner than the street version, games under the supervision of adults with such sand can be played from the age of one.

Types and what additionally can be included?

Signature colorless Swedish kinetic sand from Waba Fun sold in packs of 1 and 5 kg (they contain two bags of 2.5 kg, which are sold separately in many stores without breaking the original packaging). Not so long ago, the company also began producing colored sand, so you can buy 2.5 kg packages of blue, green, purple, red, yellow or pink sand.

In premium sets from Waba Fun you will also see molds, presses and an inflatable sandbox.

The Optima series of this manufacturer is represented by sets with sand, molds, press molds, stamps and a container that serves as a sandbox.

For those interested in sand of an unusual color, Waba Fun's Kinetic Sand brand offers a kinetic sand of emerald, amethyst, gold, onyx, silver, ruby ​​and sapphire. It is presented in packs of 454 g and is distinguished by the addition of shimmering particles. The brand also offers 680g packs of blue, pink, green and purple sand, and its Build series includes sand in two different colors.

If you are interested in themed sets, at the Kinetic Sand brand you will see the sets "Ice Cream", "Sea Kingdom", "Autopark", "Construction" and others. They also include special molds.

Look at the kinetic sand games - it's really fun and exciting!

How much sand do you need for a full game?

The required volume should be selected taking into account the age of the baby. The smaller the child, the shorter will be his games with such material, and the less volume will be enough for him. For example, a child at the age of 1.5 years will be captivated by a kilogram package of kinetics for a long time, and a three-year-old needs more sand, so a package of at least 2.5 kg or a set of several colors is preferable.

A 5 kg package is enough for several children to play. Also, such a voluminous package is needed for a child who is fond of modeling and can easily build many large and beautiful structures.

How to play?

With kinetic sand, you can come up with a lot of interesting games:

  • Form different figures using a variety of molds and improvised items.
  • Using cookie cutters, play pastry baker with your child. Let the kid cut out of the "dough" or make a "cake" and cut it into portions
  • Taking a toy dump truck for the game, play a construction site.
  • Hide tiny toys in the sand and invite your child to look for them.
  • Cut out the figures with sorter cutters and name their shape, as well as count and memorize them.
  • Make large and small figurines and then compare their sizes.
  • Learn to use a knife by cutting "sausages".
  • With a sharp stick, draw numbers or letters, and also sculpt them from kinetics.
  • Leave stamps with different objects.
  • Choose from sand buttons or small balls.

Can you mix colors

Particularly interesting are games with sets of colored kinetic sand, however, it should be noted that sand of different colors is mixed without the possibility of its subsequent separation. If you mix many shades, you will end up with a dark mass.

A little about security

Although, as we have already noted, the kinetic version is harmless and non-toxic, it should not be allowed to get into the mouth and eyes of the child, as well as into the ears or nose.

All games with such material should be supervised by adults.

Storage and operation features

  • For storage, you can use a sandbox or a plastic container so that dust and other contaminants do not get into the material.
  • It is advised to store it at room temperature in conditions of low humidity (40-60%).
  • If it accidentally gets wet, no special heating is required to dry it. With high humidity in the room, it can become sticky and more fluid. This is corrected by drying a thin layer.
  • When stored in a low humidity environment, the kinetic will lose some elasticity. To return it, the material should be sprinkled with water and wrinkled briefly in the hands.
  • Remember that it easily absorbs odors, so it is advisable to wash your hands well before practicing with this material.
  • Play on a clean surface, and girls' hair should be tied up before class.
  • Also, choose clothing that the kinetic will not stick to. A good option would be smooth tight sweatpants, jeans or leggings.
  • Try to collect all the sand after class, otherwise its volume will be greatly reduced over time.

Is it easy to clean up after playing?

Collecting kinetic sand at the end of the game is very easy. It is easily assembled by hand, as well as a sandy lump. The grains of sand will stick to the main lump as easily as if they were a magnet. If desired, you can also use a vacuum cleaner for cleaning.

If you are wondering what will happen to kinetic sand if it is frozen or baked in the oven, see the following video.

Where could I buy?

Since kinetic sand appeared on our market not so long ago, it is not always possible to purchase it in a regular children's store. In some cities, they have not even heard of such a material, so for original and high-quality kinetics, you should contact online stores offering the Swedish product of Waba Fun and Delta Of Sweden.

To please your child, it is absolutely not necessary to buy expensive toys in the store. It is enough to show imagination, peep a couple of ideas on the Internet and, together with the child, make, for example, kinetic sand, which will captivate the baby for a long time. Affordable ingredients can be searched in the kitchen or bought at the nearest store.

With kinetic sand, it is easy and fun to develop children's creativity and tactile perception

Why is kinetic sand good for kids?

As soon as they do not name a novelty that has recently appeared on our market: panetic, dynamic, hygienic, gymnastic, genetic, space sand. Everything is past. The real name of this miracle product is kinetic sand.

Appearing on the gaming market, he immediately aroused the delight of the kids. The correct alternative names for such “magic” sand are kinetic, living, lunar. This variety implies the possibility of choosing materials for sand, but the point is to give pleasure to the child.

With the help of such sand, a child from the age of one year realizes his desire to sit in the sandbox without leaving the house. Bad weather does not prevent digging in the sand, building towers, sculpting sand dumplings - making magic sand at home is not so difficult, but the effect is obvious. Having fun in this way, the child imperceptibly develops:

  • fine motor skills of the hands, which helps to coordinate the nervous system and muscles, activating connections between the hemispheres of the brain;
  • an eye gauge - after all, you need to figure out how much sand will fit into one or another mold;
  • perseverance - it is not so easy to quickly complete a sand tower with your own hands;
  • thinking - using a variety of food colors, you will help the child learn colors, and when counting the figures made, the baby will quietly learn the numbers;
  • creativity - you can build figurines using beads, or you can invent new ones and sculpt them, or simply draw drawings on the surface with your finger.

The advantage of kinetic sand is that it can be played at home without going outside.

Once you've made your own kinetic sand by following our beginner recipes, here are a few things you can do to prolong its lifespan:

  • Before playing with such material, you need to dry your hands;
  • try not to put the sandbox in open sunlight;
  • do not add components that are not provided for in the recipe to the sand;
  • when water enters the sandbox, wet particles must be removed and dried.

Options for making kinetic sand at home

Kinetic sand - an invention of Swedish innovators - appeared in our country recently, but immediately found its admirers in the face of children and parents. Today, at home, you can cook several options for such a sand. See what ingredients you have at home, and what you need to buy in order to make such magical sand - and go ahead, create magic!

From starch


To make living sand from starch, you will need:

  • 5 parts of fine sand, bought at the nearest hardware store;
  • 2.5 parts corn starch (flour works too)
  • 1 part water;
  • food coloring - from vegetables (beetroot juice will give a red color, carrots - yellow), or bought in a grocery store.

Mix sand with starch (flour) in a large bowl, dissolve the dye in water in a separate container. Then gradually introduce the colored liquid into the "sandy" starch and mix your mixture well. Transfer it to a container with a lid. Living sand is ready!

From semolina

For games and various decorations of household items, it is possible to use colored semolina. What is needed for this:

  • semolina;
  • alcohol (replaced by vodka);
  • food coloring;
  • paper.

Put a couple of drops of dye into a container with semolina and add alcohol while stirring until you get the desired consistency. Then lay the mixture on a sheet of paper in a thin layer and dry, then pour into a container with a lid. The use of alcohol prevents the semolina from swelling, fixes the dye and dries the material.

From soda

Sand without sand - is it real? Yes, if you replace it with soda. The composition of this mixture is very simple. To make live sand you will need:

  • 2 cups of soda;
  • 1 cup baking powder;
  • 1 cup detergent (can be replaced with liquid soap).

Gradually adding soap to baking soda and baking powder, mix the ingredients. The output will be a wonderful airy and crumbly mass, with which it will be pleasant to play.

Made from colored quartz sand

Closest to the original Swedish product, this kinetic sand is prepared using quartz sand. It consists of the following ingredients:

  • boric acid;
  • quartz sand;
  • silicate office glue.

Thoroughly mix boric acid with glue in a 2:1 ratio (for example, 2 tsp acid and 1 tsp glue). 1 tsp the resulting sticky substance is added to 100 g of sifted sand. Then, after putting on a rubber glove, you need to gently knead this mass with your hand until the sand becomes wet. The result should be a loose substance that has excellent performance - it does not crumble and does not leave marks on surfaces.

The polymers that make up the silicate adhesive give the mixture ductility, and the acid does not allow it to decompose. The resulting “smart” sand is closest in its characteristics to the original, but, due to the toxicity of boric acid, it is advisable for a child to play with it with gloves on. The video instruction will help you prepare this recipe at home.


From flour without glue

Modeling mass without sand can also be made using flour. For this you will need:

  • 8 parts flour;
  • 1 part baby body butter.

To prepare sand, you need to slowly pour oil into a container with flour, stirring until you get a homogeneous, pleasant to the touch substance. Such sand allows you to sculpt a variety of figures, using it in a new way each time. If it doesn't stick well, you can add more oil. On the video you can see different types of product, including the moon one.

How to make a sandbox for kinetic sand?

Now you know many ways to make kinetic or moon sand at home yourself. Playing with it will not only give the child a lot of new impressions and emotions, but also make parents think about the play place. If everything is clear with storage (a plastic container with a lid is great for this purpose), then you need to come up with a place for games.

In order not to have to collect grains throughout the apartment and vacuum after each game, it is enough to buy a sandbox or make it - this will not require a lot of time and materials.

For games, you can use an ordinary large cardboard box, after cutting its walls to a height of 10-15 cm. The inner surface of the box must be glued with smooth paper, self-adhesive materials such as wallpaper can be used.

One option is a regular plastic container, preferably with not very high sides. Before starting classes, you need to make sure that the playing surface is clean and dry. If there is moisture on it, it will harm the sand. In the photo you can see different versions of the sandbox made for playing with kinetic sand.

Educational games with kinetic sand

Kinetic sand, made at home, makes it possible to diversify games in the cold season, when conventional sandboxes are not available. After watching the video, you can see how much fun it is for children to play with such magical material. There are a lot of options for playing with sand mass:

  • you can make the same figures of different sizes and compare them;
  • using special molds, sculpt geometric figures or animals;
  • tamp the mass with fingers or a scoop, developing hand coordination;
  • combine different colors by mixing them (blue-blue, pink-red, yellow-orange);
  • decorate molded figures with beads or buttons;
  • draw with a finger, developing imagination;
  • decorate with sand a variety of interior items;
  • make sand compositions of different colors.

Clinical and perinatal psychologist, graduated from the Moscow Institute of Perinatal and Reproductive Psychology and Volgograd State Medical University with a degree in Clinical Psychology

In this article, I will tell you about what kinetic sand is. This unusual sand has many names. It is called alive, magical, Martian, crazy, rainbow, magical, lunar, cosmic. The genius of this creation is that it has become the best toy of the 21st century for children, especially this is a great game for the winter period and can keep a child busy for a long time. Of course, babies under 3 years old themselves cannot be left with such sand, but older children can sit quietly for a long time so that their mother can cook something.

My toy rating: 10 points How often can captivate a child: 2-3 times a week in winter The time that the child can spend playing on his own: 30 - 90 minutes

This versatile toy was invented in Sweden by chemists. She quickly won the sympathy of thousands of children and parents in all corners of this country. The first batch of "Kinetik Sand" (sand that lives and moves...) was produced in 2013 and sold very quickly in Swedish children's goods stores. Within a few months, tons of this sand were purchased by foreign consumers. Currently, the "miracle sand" has reached our children's stores.

What is kinetic sand made of? It consists of environmentally friendly sea sand (silicon dioxide SiO2) in the amount of 98% and 2% of the linear polymer dimethylsiloxane (food additive E-900), which acts as a binder that envelops each grain of sand of the additive. When pouring "live" sand under the influence of gravity, its particles tend to separate, and the binder is drawn into polymer (almost invisible to the eye) threads 1-2 mm long, slowing down the movement of sand grains. When compressed, the volume of this sand decreases by 2 times.

Properties of kinetic sand

Kinetic sand is an environmentally friendly material and fully complies with all mandatory requirements for a children's toy. No dyes or toxic substances are used in its manufacture. Outwardly, it looks like ordinary sand, has no smell, but has unique properties:

  • amazing plasticity and softness;
  • does not stick to hands and any surfaces;
  • there is no danger of poisoning (if the child ate kinetic sand, then do not worry - it is neutral to gastric juice and will come out naturally);
  • is not an attractive environment for bacteria and other microorganisms;
  • does not dry out, remains constantly moist to the touch, does not lose its properties from temperature fluctuations and washing (for prevention purposes) with water;
  • has high rates of flowability and formability, has both a dense and porous consistency;
  • for a long time retains the shape formed as a result of external influence;
  • does not create dust, easily assembles in the form of a compact mass, after it no cleaning with a vacuum cleaner is required (just put it on a clean surface before playing, wash and wipe the handles well so that it does not absorb dust and unpleasant odors);
  • subject to repeated and long-term use;
  • does not require special storage conditions, but it is best to store it in a plastic sandbox container with a tight lid;
  • does not cause allergies, which is confirmed by its numerous studies.

Toddler games

For older kids, you can come up with more serious games


This is what we got from the video tutorial

Benefits of kinetic sand

The ideal toy should be useful for children, safe, evoke positive emotions, encourage creativity, provide comprehensive development and be relatively inexpensive. This toy is kinetic sand. He does not need any instructions and manuals. Unlike plasticine, it does not need to be kneaded for a long time. It is enough to smooth out the lump - and create any masterpiece. It is very important that you can play in the sandbox at home and even in winter.

It is difficult to surprise modern children with something. They use laptops and gadgets almost from the cradle. Therefore, choosing a gift for a child is a very difficult task for adults. How happy our four-year-old son was when on New Year's Eve Santa Claus brought him a gift - a kilogram box with kinetic sand! He made an amazing impression on the baby (3.5 years old)! In addition to this, we also turned on the video (about all kinds of games with wonderful sand) and silence reigned in the house for a long time.

Kinetic sand can be played by children from the age of three. This living sand can be passed between the fingers, crushed, rubbed, sculpted, rolled. Thanks to its "survivability" and shapelessness, it is one of the best educational toys and brings great benefits to children, namely:

  1. aesthetic pleasure from its fluffiness, friability, the ability to preserve various forms for a long time, and its “spreadability” is literally mesmerizing
  2. develops creativity and spatial thinking
  3. promotes memory training and broadening horizons
  4. excellent development of fine motor skills
  5. beneficial effect on the emotional state, helps to relax
  6. teaches you to concentrate
  7. peculiar texture develops tactile sensitivity
  8. promotes the development of communication skills and expands vocabulary (when playing with peers)
  9. has a calming effect (it's like petting a cat), is the best medicine for the nervous system, especially hyperactive and excitable children
  10. takes away negative energy, according to parapsychologists.

What can be made from kinetic sand


Beautiful packaging with multi-colored drawings in itself arouses children's interest. When unpacking the kinetic sand, the child is surprised at the “growth” of its volume. Kinetic sand - "two in one" (sand in the sandbox plus plasticine). It provides an excellent opportunity to entertain the baby and activate the process of his individual development. Touching this unusually pleasant to the touch mass evokes positive emotions, sensory perception. The child plunges his hands into it, kneads, passes between his fingers, sculpts lumps, rolls balls and, pressing them with his fingers, admires their “melting”.

After a long and comprehensive acquaintance with this unusual sand, you can already proceed to more interesting “things”. Kinetic sand is multifunctional, it can be used for:


The number of games with kinetic sand is great. Fantasize, create, dare with your children!

Which sand to choose

At present, the number of kinetic sand producers has increased. Depending on the technology (with the same composition), its viscosity and quality are completely different.

The multi-colored sand was also on sale. Many users have begun to make "live" sand on their own. Various homemade recipes have appeared:

Kinetic sand recipe #1.

  • Sifted ordinary sand - 100 g
  • Silicate glue - 2 tsp
  • Boric alcohol - 3-4 tsp.

Kinetic Sand Recipe #2

  • Sifted sand - 4 parts
  • Starch - 2 parts
  • Water - 1 part.


I chose to buy certified (dye-free) kinetic sand made in Sweden, as this country is famous for the high quality of its products and attention to their safety. Later we also bought Chinese in a cardboard box. It was the same in quality, tactile sensations, in addition there were dinosaur molds in it. The only thing they say is that it does not contain natural dyes.

My friend said that they bought sand in a bucket, I don’t know what brand, but it had an unpleasant smell and did not have such fluidity as ours. So if you come across one, do not be disappointed in this wonderful toy, just find the best quality. After all, this game is really useful and interesting, both for toddlers and adults.

Health, love, happiness and joy to your kids and you!!! Thank you for your attention. See you again. Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Sand play is a favorite pastime for preschoolers. Needless to say, it is interesting for older children and even adults. This malleable material develops imagination, creativity, the desire to experiment, and concentration. The result is not long in coming - it is the development of the intellect.

The difficulty lies in the fact that it is convenient to use wet sand in warm weather. In winter and when it rains, this type of game library is not available. You can create a kinetic analogue with your own hands at home. It will perfectly replace river sand. And there will always be an educational game for kids at hand. The soft structure, its pliability, is available for the weak hands of the child.

Preparation and Precautions

Making kinetic sand is a creative experiment. Get your child involved. Study the composition, properties of materials, compare them. Let the child help pour, mix. For a baby, it will be unusual and interesting.

If the sand is clean, it is advisable to ignite it in the oven, if it is dirty, rinse well and fry it in the same way.

Preparation for work

  1. Choose a place to work. Put on a protective apron for your child, create a creative mood.
  2. Prepare a large bowl or basin, a spoon or wooden spatula, a measuring container.
  3. Take a spray bottle. With its help, you can bring the mass to the desired consistency.
  4. To create a color kinetic, use food coloring, watercolor or gouache, dissolving them in water to a rich color.

Making kinetic sand with your own hands

When cooking at home, river or sea sand is used. Some recipes do not include this ingredient. In this case, the mass repeats some kinetic properties.

Classic variant

Compound:

  • Water - 1 part;
  • Starch (corn) - 2 parts;
  • Sand - 3-4 parts (take from the sandbox or buy at the store).

Cooking:

  1. Method 1: mix sand with starch, gradually adding water and stirring.
    Method 2: stir starch in water, add sand. Bring to a soft, homogeneous mass.

ATTENTION! Small children put everything in their mouths. To be safe, play with just 2 players or replace the sand with brown sugar and the water with vegetable oil.

Recipe without sand, on water and starch

You will need:

  • Starch - 250 g;
  • Water - 100 ml.

Cooking:

Mix the ingredients with a spatula. If homemade sand turns out dry, crumble it and moisten it with a spray bottle. Use colored water, then the mass will turn out bright, attractive.

Flour and butter method


What you need:

  • Baby massage oil - 1 part;
  • Flour - 8 parts.

Cooking:

Make a well in the flour pile. While stirring, slowly pour the oil into the middle. Next, knead with your hands. It will turn out a pliable mass of pale sandy color, which does not lose its properties for a long time.

Sand made from baking soda and liquid soap

What you need:

  • Soda - 2 parts;
  • Baking powder - 1 part;
  • Liquid soap or dishwashing liquid - 1 part.

Manufacturing:

After mixing the baking soda and baking powder, gradually pour in the soap. Bring to a homogeneous state. If you get excess moisture, add baking powder. The mass is formed white and soft. Crafts from it are fuzzy, so it is advisable to use molds and a spatula in the game.

Sand, glue and boric acid recipe

You will need:

  • Sand - 300 g;
  • Stationery (silicate) glue - 1 tsp;
  • Boric acid 3% - 2 tsp.

Cooking:

Mix glue and boric acid until a sticky, homogeneous composition is formed. Add sand. Mix by hand while wearing protective gloves. A loose mass is formed, resembling kinetic sand. Drying in air, it loses its properties.

Video plot

Create a sandbox

Sand - the kinetic is ready. Now create a comfortable place to experiment. Although its structure is viscous, non-friable, cleaning is required after each game. Therefore, build a sandbox in such a way that there is no dirt left.

Suitable for sandbox:

  • Plastic container 10-15 cm high;
  • A box with sides of about 10 cm (paste the inside with wallpaper);
  • Small inflatable pool.

ADVICE! To prevent the material from scattering on the floor, place the sandbox on an old bedspread, paper tablecloth, or in an inflatable pool.

Kinetic Sand Games


How do we play

Molds, spatulas and rakes are used. You can diversify with other items:

  • Various plastic molds that can be found in the house, baking molds.
  • Children's utensils, safety knives or plastic stacks.
  • Small cars, little animals, dolls, kinder toys - surprises.
  • Various materials - sticks, tubes, caps from felt-tip pens, boxes, jars, corks.
  • Natural materials - cones, acorns, stones, shells.
  • Decorations - large beads, glass beads, buttons.
  • Seals, both homemade and purchased.

Choose a game

  1. Pour into a bucket (for the smallest).
  2. We make Easter cakes using a mold or manually (we study the size, count, play in the store, canteen).
  3. We sculpt and decorate cakes, pastries, cut sausage and cakes (we play tea parties, cafes).
  4. We draw on a flat sandy surface (we guess what we have drawn, we study letters, numbers, shapes).
  5. We leave traces (on a flat surface we invent our own traces, guess which object left a trace, create beautiful patterns).
  6. We are looking for a treasure (we bury in turn and look for small toys, for older children you can search and guess with your eyes closed).
  7. We build a road, a bridge (we use small cars for the game, waste material to create a bridge, road signs).
  8. We build a house, a store (we play story games with small dolls, animals, small pieces of furniture).
  9. We create a sand sculpture (we sculpt letters, numbers, guess in turn what we have blinded).

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What is kinetic sand and its advantages

Kinetic sand is a Swedish invention that has moving properties. The composition includes 98% sand and 2% synthetic additive, which gives softness, airiness and ductility. It seems to flow through the fingers, the grains of sand are interconnected, do not crumble. Outwardly, it is moist, holds its shape well, is easily molded, cut, thereby attracting children and adults. Branded material is stored for 3 years.

The tool is very popular, but for many it is not available due to the high price. Some parents create an analogue with their own hands, to the delight of the children. Although it is inferior in properties, it has a number of advantages.

  • Interesting in the game. Not only children are interested, but also adults.
  • The texture is easily restored (if it dries up, moisten it with a spray bottle, if it gets wet, then dry it).
  • Does not stain clothes and hands, just shake off.
  • The structure is viscous, so it is easy to clean up after the game.
  • Does not contain dirt, safe for health.
  • Quickly and easily created with the child.

With home cooking, affordable.

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Benefits for children and adults

Acquaintance with sand and its properties begins from the first year of a child's life. This is one of the first building materials that you can sculpt, cut, decorate, you can create buildings and experiment.

  • Develops creative imagination, fantasy.
  • Forms artistic taste.
  • Promotes the ability to concentrate, perseverance.
  • Creates emotional relaxation with nervous tension and fears.
  • Helps in the study of shapes, sizes, letters, numbers.
  • Develops fine motor skills of hands.
  • Stimulates the formation of skills in drawing, modeling, writing.
  • Accelerates speech development, the ability to communicate and negotiate.

Working and playing with kinetic sand, the child develops intellectual abilities, develops inquisitive mind, visual-effective and imaginative thinking. And for an adult, this is a way to relieve stress, pleasant for work and creativity.

The opinion of doctors about sand-kinetics


Softness, plasticity of kinetic sand attracts parents as a playful, developing material for children. It is popular among pediatricians and neurologists. The unique remedy has healing properties. Calming effect corrects mental disorders in children and adults. It is widely used for the rehabilitation of patients with mental and nervous disorders. The composition of quartz sand, which is safe for health, does not cause allergies. Hygienic composition, does not contaminate hands, clothes.

  • Kinetic is not afraid of water. If during the game it gets wet, you can dry it a little.
  • At elevated temperatures, the composition becomes viscous and sticks to the hands. When chilled, it molds perfectly, keeps its shape.
  • The sand composition sticks to silicone molds, they are unsuitable for games.
  • To collect scattered grains of sand, it is enough to roll up a ball and roll it over the surface.
  • Store game material in a plastic container in a cool place.

The kinetic mass created at home does not completely repeat the properties of the branded material, but it is also well molded and cut. True, it does not have airiness and fluidity. And the shelf life is shorter, as it dries quickly, and in a closed container it deteriorates, and it has to be replaced. But the affordable price allows kids to play with any quantity and at any time.

One of the most favorite children's activities is modeling. The main thing is that the material is soft, pleasant to the touch, easy to form and safe for health. Kinetic sand, made by hand, will be an excellent educational and creative game for children and adults.

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