Are you planning on racking up some beach time with the kids this summer? If so, you may want to think about ways to incorporate those lovely beach memories into summer crafts. I happen to know of two beach crafts for toddlers that my family and I have enjoyed over the years. Here they are:
Sand Dough
When I was a child, one of my favorite activities was making large sand castles. If your children feel the same way, you may want to whip up a batch of sand castle dough when you get back home. In order to make sand castle dough, you’ll need some sand, corn starch and water. Some folks also opt to add glitter and food coloring to the mix. Personally, I prefer using sand without all the extra additives.
Place all three main ingredients into a saucepan over the stove and let it cook until you end up with a dough. You may also opt to skip the sauce pan and cook the dough in your microwave using a microwave safe bowl. Once the mixture thickens, remove it from the stove and let it cool. After it cools, turn it over to the kids and let them make sand castles with it. I generally let the sand castles air dry and then either spray paint them with an acrylic sealant or coat them with an acrylic resin in order to help protect them from the elements.
If your child is not a fan of making sand castles, they may prefer making sand spin art. In order to complete this project, you’ll need a spin art set or a used record turntable, sand, decoupage glue, a foam brush, card stock and food coloring.
Start by cutting the card stock so it fits on either the spin art machine or the used record turntable. Once you have the card stock ready, turn your attention towards the sand. You may opt to use plain sand or jazz it up with the food coloring. If you go with the food coloring option, you’ll need to allow the sand to dry thoroughly before using it. Continue by using the foam brush to coat a piece of card stock with the decoupage glue. Then put it onto the spin machine and turn the machine on.
As the card stock spins, let the kids sprinkle the sand onto it. Based on my experience, it will result in funky patterns similar to what you would get if you used paint onto the card stock. Once the kids are satisfied with their design, remove the card and let it dry. Afterward, spray the card with an acrylic sealant. The sealant should help keep the sand in place.
Killeen Gonzalez enjoys summer sports and recreation with her family. She also enjoys arts and crafts.
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