Crafting with your kiddos can be a lot of fun — but it can also be expensive, too. That’s what’s so great about making moon sand. It only requires two items, although if you want to be fancier, you can always add in other ingredients, such as food dye or kid-safe essential oils. And making it is an activity that you can do with younger children, since it doesn’t require using a stove. All you need is a mixing bowl, and a good arm to incorporate all the items.
Here’s the super simple recipe to make moon sand:
8 cups of flour
1 cup of oil (such as baby oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil)
Directions:
Mix flour and oil together until it’s well blended. It’s going to be a bit lumpy and bumpy, but that’s due to the oil. And voila, you have moon sand.
Once combined, be prepared for some serious fun! If you’re worried about the mess, (and there will be mess, for sure), you can always spread an old sheet or plastic underneath the area your children are going to be playing in.
If you want to color your moon sand, be sure to use food dye that is oil-based. Otherwise, you’ll wind up with itty bitty beads in the sand, which can also add an interesting effect.
Now, it’s time to get molding! The cool thing about moon sand is that it not only feels fun to play with, but it holds its shape, too. Which means you can use molds (or even cups or bowls) to create interesting designs. Moon sand is also great to use for sensory bins. Just bury some toys inside the sand and let your kids dig to their hearts’ content. For an added out-of-this-world experience, hide some mini astronauts or spaceships.
The best part: unlike other crafts that are a one-and-done deal, moon sand can last a few weeks. Simply store it in an airtight container, and your kids will be able to play with it again and again. Or until, you know, it gets full of dog hair or bits of Goldfish crackers, and has to be tossed into the trash.