How to Make Moon Sand With Baby Oil and Flour
Tomorrow morning we’re heading to Jacksonville Beach to spend the week at an Air B&B (I’m packing as soon as I publish this post!) so I’ve had ocean-y things on my mind for a while.
Here’s a super-easy sensory activity that’s perfect for using all the seashells you collected during a beach vacation — whether that was yesterday or 4 years ago.
This recipe for DIY moon sand (sometimes also called moon dough or cloud dough) is simple and quick, and you probably already have the ingredients on hand.
It’s great for squishing, molding, packing, squeezing, or just letting it slide through your fingers.
Honestly, playing with this stuff is very calming at any age, especially when you have a lot of stuff on your mind and need to clear your head.
If you want your moon sand to smell good (and why wouldn’t you?) you can add a little vanilla and/or cinnamon to the dough.
It looks just like beach sand, but if you want a variation, you can add blue and/or green oil-based food coloring to give it an ocean look.
This can get pretty messy, so I would recommend either having your kids play with it outside or putting a beach towel underneath the bin.
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Moon Sand Supplies
- 8 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup baby oil
- Bin or tray (these or these work way
- Mixing bowl
- Mixing spoon
- Seashells
- Food coloring, vanilla, and/or cinnamon (optional)
Directions for Making Moon Sand
- Pour the flour into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the baby oil. (If you’d like your moon sand to be colored, stir some food coloring into the baby oil before adding it.)
- If you want your moon sand to smell nice, add a couple drops of vanilla and/or a few shakes of cinnamon.
- Stir the baby oil into the flour. It’ll take some time to get all of the dough and oil mixed together well, so just hang in there.
- Once you get the dough mixed well enough, continue mixing the dough with your hands until most of the dough and oil are no longer in big clumps.
- Pour the dough into the sensory bin or tray.
- Add the seashells any way you like and have fun!
Moon Sand FAQs
Is Moon Sand and kinetic sand the same?
No. Moon sand and kinetic sand are somewhat similar, and both are safe and fun to play with, but they’re not exactly the same thing.
Kinetic sand has a layer of silicone oil that gives it a soft, silky texture. While you can mold and press it into different shapes it won’t hold them for long. (Hence its name.)
Moon sand has a more crumbly texture and is more reminiscent of clay or play dough. It’s more “mold-able” and also tends to be more messy, so you might want to use it outside.
What are the ingredients in moon sand?
Moon sand is so easy to make because you only need two ingredient: flour and oil.
You can also add food coloring or something to bury in the sand or use to play with the sand, like we did above with the seashells. My son was obsessed with construction vehicles when he was little, so that’s another great idea to “add” to your sand.
What can I use instead of baby oil in moon sand?
If you want to make your moon sand “taste safe,” you can substitute oil oil, canola oil, or coconut oil for the baby oil.
Can you put moon sand in water?
Sure! Moon sand and water can be the beginning of a sun sensory bottle.
How long does homemade moon sand last?
Moon sand can last for about a month or two. However, it’s so easy to make that you may want to just make another fresh batch before then.
Make sure that you keep it airtight so it doesn’t dry out. You can put it in a Ziploc-style bag and press all of the air out of it, or put it in an airtight container. Store in a cool, dry place, like the kitchen pantry.
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DIY Seashell Moon Sand
Materials
- 8 cups flour
- 1 cup baby oil
- Bin
- Seashells
Tools
- Large mixing bowl
- Large spoon
Instructions
- Pour the flour into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the baby oil.
- Stir the baby oil into the flour.
- Once you get the dough mixed well enough, continue mixing the dough with your hands until most of the dough and oil are no longer in big clumps.
- Pour the dough into the sensory bin or tray
- Add the seashells any way you like and have fun!
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