Easy DIY kinetic sand for kids for less than $10

Every kid loves to play with kinetic sand, but it can get kind of pricey if you buy it in the store. So, here’s a super easy DIY kinetic sand recipe that you can make from home for less than $10! Let’s get started.

My two-year-old daughter loves playing with kinetic sand and moon sand plus it helps with her fine motor skills. The best part is this is a fun way to have play time with your small children. So, after sweeping up and throwing away our last batch of kinetic sand, I wanted to see if there was a more affordable option. And of course, that option was to make it ourselves. It was super easy and only took three ingredients. Take a look.

Gather your DIY kinetic sand ingredients

This super simple recipe only requires three simple ingredients. Some of which you probably already have in your home. Here’s your homemade kinetic sand recipe:

Vegetable oil or baby oil (1/2 cup)
Corn starch (1 1/2 cups)
Fine play sand or regular play sand (2 1/2 cups)

I already had vegetable oil and cornstarch at my home so all that I really needed was the sand. Of course, you can buy it on Amazon but it’s waaay more expensive than buying it at Home Depot or Lowe’s. I bought a 50-pound bag of fine sandbox sand for only $7. What a steal! It’s up to you the type of sand that you want to use.

Ingredients for kinetic sand — *Affordable ingredients for kinetic sand*

Mix your ingredients

This seriously only took me like five minutes to make. In a large bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups of fine sand with 1 1/2 cups of cornstarch. Mix until well combined and then add 1/2 cup of vegetable oil. Stir until combined really well. Then, you’re done! If you would like, you can also add some food coloring.

*Mixing sand and cornstarch to make kinetic sand*

Add food coloring

If you want to add a splash of color to your kinetic sand, you can add some food coloring. I separated a cup of sand into four different bags and added about a tablespoon of food coloring into each bag. Shake the bag and move it around with your fingers until the food coloring in well combined.

*Four different bowls of colored kinetic sand*

Helpful kinetic sand tips and tricks

Moon sand or cloud sand – If you want to convert your kinetic sand to a different texture, add about a 1/4 cup of dish soap.
Clean up – Sweep and throw away the extra sand that falls on the ground. Then make a ball and dap the remaining sand on the table.
Drying out – Kinetic sand is not supposed to dry out because it is oil-based, however humidity can affect the texture. In that case, just add a little bit of water to turn it back to normal.
Wet sand – Don’t worry if it gets wet. Spread it out on a table and let it dry. It will go back to normal.
Cookie cutters – Get out the cookie cutters, sand castle molds and sand molds. They work great with kinetic sand
Air-tight container – You can store in an airtight container for literally months
Sensory bin – Use the kinetic sand for a sensory bin and sensory activities.
Essential oil – Add some drops of essential oils for an extra yummy smell.
Kinetic sand kits – If you’re not into DIY project, you can buy your own kinetic sand kits on Amazon.
Party favor – If you have a birthday party coming up, use this DIY sand as a party favor! This is a great way to engage kids of all ages in imaginative play.

Moldable sand — *Colored sand is so fun and moldable, like sand slime!*

Here’s a video showing how I made this sand. I hope you have as much fun making DIY kinetic sand as we did. Let me know how it goes in the comments below.

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