Kinetic sand (kinetic sand - English version of the writing) is a very interesting modern material for the development of children. You can do it directly at home, for example, in rainy weather. It will bring great pleasure to the child, but it is expensive and not sold in every store. Create an analog of such a mixture with your own hands. Its components are accessible to everyone and cost little.
Interesting educational game
Kinetic sand is an original, modern formulation developed in Sweden. It can be used for entertainment, during the educational process, and even for therapeutic purposes. An unusual substance consists of 98% natural sand and a safe binder. It has a soft, pleasant consistency, which creates a feeling of fluidity, although outwardly resembles an ordinary wet substrate. From it you can build cakes, turrets, roll balls and sausages (as from plasticine). It is cut with a knife and retains the shape made by stencils. The color of the mass for the game is light brown, as similar to natural as possible. You can make kinetic sand with your own hands. The composition of the home-made product will be slightly different from the purchased one.
Two types of mass for the game
Often kinetic sand and living combine in one concept, putting an equal sign between them. In fact, these are not synonyms; they mean different compositions. Kinetic sand is a mixture of sieved fine fraction of ordinary sand with a silicone binder. A living one consists of crushed shell rock, therefore it is white and costs more. The first is produced in Sweden, and the second in South Korea. A kilogram package of kinetic sand costs about 750 rubles, and a five kilogram package costs 3,000.
Kinetic sand does not lose its properties. Even if it gets wet, nothing bad will happen. After drying, the properties of the mass will again become the same. The use of plastic containers with lids for storing the composition is recommended only so that dust does not get on it.
A package (0.7 kg) of live sand costs 1000 rubles, and a half kilogram - 1500 rubles. This mass is soluble in water, so it can not be wetted. If moisture gets into the mixture, the damaged part will need to be discarded. Keep the composition in an open container, as it needs to breathe. But in direct sunlight it can not be kept. Just as you should not deal with it on paper or fabric. As a basis, plastic is suitable.
Advantages and disadvantages
Children's kinetic sand contributes to the development of fine motor skills and imagination, as well as provides excellent pastime in any weather. Like every toy, this composition has its pros and cons. The positive qualities of kinetic sand are as follows:
- gives a pleasant tactile sensation ;
- holds any form well;
- easy to operate;
- removing waking up mass is easier than ordinary sand;
- does not require special storage conditions;
- does not dry;
- does not deteriorate from water;
- allows you to offer your child many different games (from it you can sculpt cakes, build towers);
- develops tactile sensations and fine motor skills;
- possesses relaxing properties;
- quite safe, as it does not contain toxic substances, dyes, flavorings.
Despite the large number of advantages, there are also disadvantages:
- collecting small particles of mass is not as simple as the manufacturers promise (to clean with a broom or rag is too wasteful, given the high cost of the mixture);
- sticks to clothes and shoes if stepped on, while sticking tightly to the surface on which it falls;
- It has a high density and mass, so 1 kg of the mixture is not so much.
Children really like to use kinetic sand. Photos clearly demonstrate this. The child will be happy to play with such a mass for creativity. Given all the positive aspects of the gameplay, each parent should pay attention to this product. If you make kinetic sand with your own hands, the composition will not have the same properties as the purchased one, but it will turn out to be very similar to it.
What is useful for adults kinetic sand
If children with this mass help to develop imagination, creativity, fine motor skills, then in adolescence they will allow you to relax, express yourself, inner feelings. Kinetic sand relieves stress for adults, makes it possible to relax and get emotional rest, increase working capacity, and restore enthusiasm.
Where can I buy
Kinetic sand is still a novelty in the market for baby products in our country. Not every store, even specializing in the sale of educational games, you can buy kinetic sand. It so happens that sellers themselves do not know and have never heard of such a thing.
The best option is to order unusual sand in the online store. There you can choose different weight packages weighing 1, 2.5 or 5 kg. In addition, in the kit or separately presented special molds or sandbox for use at home.
What training options can I offer
The advantage of kinetic sand is that it is convenient to carry out both developmental and therapeutic procedures with it. Here are some ways to play with this composition:
- pouring from one hand to another or between fingers causes a pleasant tactile sensation, creating conditions for psychological unloading ;
- unfolding the mixture in jars with a scoop or from molds in buckets (it trains coordination of hand movements, and monitoring the process has a calming effect);
- suggest choosing balls, buttons, and other small objects from sand (attention is trained, perseverance);
- the creation of traditional pies, pies, as well as turrets, animals and other items.
Molds and accessories
Children are interested in playing kinetic sand. Castle Molds Castle Creation Kit significantly diversifies the process. Unlike conventional sets of buckets and scoops, it includes two special syringes designed to extrude cylinders and parallelepipeds of different heights. There is also a special shape for a tower with a spiral staircase, its conical roofs, a castle wall, and a round platform fence. The set has plastic knives that make it easy to cut kinetic sand. You can order such a miracle via the Internet for a very reasonable price within 500 rubles. The child will be engaged with these subjects for a long time and with enthusiasm.
DIY Kinetic Sand: Composition
To create mass for playing with a child, it is important to use only natural ingredients. In the above recipes, those ingredients are offered that are in the kitchen of every housewife. With the help of food colors, the substance can even be made colored. If you create kinetic sand with your own hands, the composition will be as follows:
- potato starch or corn flour ;
- water;
- color pigment;
- sifted sand.
The last component is the main one. If you don’t have one (some use it to make coffee in Turk), you can buy a fine mixture in a construction or garden store or use a sieve to make it from the ordinary one that you bring from the river bank. Other ingredients are easy to purchase at any grocery store.
How to make kinetic sand
Self-creation of mass for children's games is a fairly simple matter. You can even involve a child in the process. He will also be interested.
Option 1
The first recipe is based on potato starch. This mass may dry out during storage. It is enough to crumble a little with your hands and add water. The number of components is:
- prepared quartz sand - 4 glasses;
- potato starch - 2 glasses;
- water - 1 cup.
The sequence of creation is as follows:
- Mix sand and starch.
- Mix the ingredients thoroughly.
- In small portions, gradually add water. See what consistency you get. Try not to overfill. If this component turns out to be a lot, the mass for the game will become too soft and it will be bad to keep in shape.
Option 2
Take so many ingredients:
- prepared quartz sand - 5 cups;
- corn starch or flour - 2.5 cups;
- water - 1 cup;
- food coloring.
The cooking method is as follows:
- Take a clean dish, basin or bucket.
- Pour sand and starch there.
- Mix thoroughly.
- In a different container, dilute food coloring in water.
- The resulting color solution is introduced into the main composition.
- Bring the mass to a homogeneous consistency.
You can try both options, give your child a play with them and choose the best one. If you are worried that the baby wants to taste the mass, the sand should first be calcined in the oven for the purpose of disinfection.
Thus, to conduct a developmental lesson and provide your fidget with an interesting affair to the strength of any parent, even at home. If you consider the purchase of the kinetic sand branded composition wasteful, prepare a mass similar in properties with your own hands. It is made from natural ingredients. In this case, you will know for sure that not only the base, but also the binder is an environmentally friendly material.