Part sand, part magic, it’s KINETIC SAND!
The ‘magic’ is a bonding agent that allows the sand to adhere only to itself in a soft clump.
Kinetic sand feels and flows much like wet sand, but leaves surfaces completely dry and (most importantly for parents) almost completely mess free! Due to its composition, Kinetic Sand is ideal for sensory play exploration, as well as sculpting and moulding. Kinetic Sand is reusable and it never dries out. It is non-toxic, anti-microbial and also adheres to Australian safety standards.
Kinetic Sand is a great way to further sensory play for children aged 3 years and up. The other benefits of kinetic sand include it’s forming ability. Much like a playdough or putty, Kinetic sand is quite malleable. The sensory experience of Kinetic sand is different to normal sand, or even wet sand, and this differentiation means that it can become a welcomed addition to any ‘sensory play’ area in any home, kindy, or school.
For many younger children that may experience difficulty with low muscle tone, Kinetic sand can provide some ‘physical resistance’ for the hands and encourage hand strength and finger strength to develop from a young age. Kinetic sand is also a great way to encourage early fine motor skills, such as bilateral integration, finger isolation and dexterity, where both hands can work on forming and manipulating shapes with the sand. Much like playdough and putty, children learning to write can use kinetic sand to form letters to promote awareness of letter formation, without the pressure of handwriting. Given it is a sand base but also adhesive, sand pit toys, playdough cutters and other tools can all be used to support play.
Given its versatility, children of all ages can use the sand by themselves, with a friend or in a group setting. If you want to add Kinetic Sand to child’s sensory play collection, try the following locations:
- Windmill Toys, 252 The Parade Norwood
- From Little Things: http://fromlittlethings.myshopify.com/products/kinetic-sand-sensory-play
- http://www.kineticsand.com.au/
- Australian Geographic Adelaide: Shop R2 Myer Centre, Rundle Mall