Easiest & Best DIY Kinetic Sand Recipe Ever • Kids Activities Blog

Kinetic Sand is the rage at our house and it is surprisingly simple to make at home with this easy kinetic sand recipe. Our kids love to play with kinetic sand and it is a really fun sensory experience. It is definitely time for us to learn how to make the moldable magic sand for ourselves.  While the kids enjoy the fun of the beach, they are also getting a great sensory sand experience.

DIY Kinetic Sand

This kinetic sand recipe has a unique feel and the same elastic qualities as the store bought kinetic sand (regular sand, that is coated with silicone oil), it is similar to play dough in the way that you can mold it. But it also gritty (this version is even grittier than the store stuff) and it melts a bit like sand making it a must-have in your sensory play materials.

It is an easy craft and great way to entice kids to play in new ways. This sensory experience is one of those things that your kids will play with it for hours which makes it worth the effort of making kinetic sand. To me it is a mesmerizing experience, it feels just like wet sand and you can’t help but build sandcastles!

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How to Make Kinetic Sand

1. Get a batch of slime. You can buy it here or you can make your own slime.  We found that a stickier recipe – like our fake snot– makes our favorite consistency of kinetic sand.
2. You will need disposable containers like a bowl and a stirring utensil (we ended up throwing away the spoon after the slime “glued” itself to the spoon we used for the mixture – don’t make the same mistake).
3. Play sand. We attempted to remove the tiny pebbles from the sand (larger grains of natural sand if you are using real beach sand) to make it less gritty.  We used a kitchen sifter – but even with the small stones, the sand still “works”.
4. Now, pour your slime into the sand and stir or mix it with the spoon until it clumps together.
5. Once it is a “mound”, as is pictured above, you can use your hands and finish mixing in the sand.
6.  Continue to add sand to your ball until it is no longer sticky. If it is still wet, add more sand!
7. Mix the kinetic sand until it makes a ball and you now have homemade classic kinetic sand.
8. Store your homemade kinetic sand in an air-tight container.

How Much Kinetic Sand Does this Recipe Make?

This sand slime recipe is scalable to be as big or as small as you want. It is loosely based on how much sand you use. If you use a cup of sand, you will have about a cup of kinetic sand to play with.

Tips FOR THIS KINETIC SAND RECIPE

• We used nearly half a cup of slime per every cup of sand (estimates).
• One of the things I love about Kinetic Sand is that, while it IS messy, it is a lot less messy than either regular play sand or moon sand. It clumps together so the mess is less.
• You still will want to put a shower curtain down before you play.
• If you want a colored version like blue kinetic sand, use the food coloring of your desired color choice…you will need more than a few drops!

You can’t tell by the photos, but this sand is fluid. It sorta melts after you build with it. Slowly becoming a puddle of sand. It’s a sensory experience blast to play with!

How to Store Kinetic Sand

Traditional kinetic sand doesn’t really dry out because it uses a silicone coating that stays wet. Our homemade kinetic sand recipe is more like a homemade playdough or slime that can dry out over time. And you will want to keep it all in one place safe from spilling! An airtight container like a plastic bag or plastic storage container with a lid works great for storing your leftover kinetic sand for another play day. If it gets dry, add some drops of water to refresh it.

DIY Kinetic Sand Recipe FAQ

Does kinetic sand dry out?

The silicone coated traditional kinetic sand does not dry out, but our homemade version using slime will over time. You can revive it by adding more slime or try a little water – I like using a spray bottle.

What is the secret ingredient in kinetic sand?

Our secret ingredient is slime! It can be the store bought kind or our homemade version. Our favorite slime to use is the fake snot slime recipe because it is a little wetter than a traditional slime consistency.

Is kinetic sand safe?

Yes, although as with anything that might be eaten by children, you will want adult supervision because this is definitely not edible! If you are uncomfortable with your child’s hands having exposure to borax, you can simply use a borax-free slime as an additive.

Is kinetic sand toxic?

Our homemade version of kinetic sand is not toxic. It uses everyday ingredients like sandbox sand, school glue and liquid starch. None of these ingredients should be ingested, but playing with kinetic sand with your hands is safe.

Can you make kinetic sand without sand?

We have substituted corn meal for sand. It will change the amount of slime required because the cornmeal tends to soak up the liquid in the slime more than sand does.

What happens if you put kinetic sand in water?

Our homemade kinetic sand will keep getting wetter and wetter. If it gets too wet, simply let it dry out a bit before storing it.

Is kinetic sand bad for dogs?

Yes, your dog should not eat kinetic sand. Your dog should stick to dog food. Because none of the ingredients in our homemade kinetic sand are toxic, it will likely result in a stomach ache, but don’t take the chance!

Is kinetic sand made with glue?

Our homemade kinetic slime is made with glue. We used a school glitter glue, but any school glue will work.

What is kinetic sand good for?

Kinetic sand is really fun to play with. It will remind you of building sand castles on the beach! Kinetic sand is also a really fun sensory tool. Kids can explore all sorts of textures and how they feel while playing with hand coordination and proprioception.

More Kinetic Sand Fun & Fine Motor Skills Play

What did your kids think of making their own homemade kinetic sand recipe? How did they play with the sand…endless ways?