Sand play is a fun addition to kids daily activities, indoors or outdoors. Provide awesome opportunities for learning through play with this exciting roundup of activities that use sand.

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Sand play isn't just for the beach! There are lots of ways to enjoy sand play indoors, or in your own backyard.

This roundup of ideas is sure to inspire you to include sand play in your regular routine.

• There are options for sensory bins, crafts, and even simple experiments.

You can purchase sand online or in a hardware store. A plastic tote box with a lid makes a great bin to store the sand.

Then add a few sand toys - shovel, rake, funnel, small pail or bowls, sieve - to inspire play time!

When you set up a sand box for your preschooler, you're providing a world of fun and learning.

These are a few of the benefits of sand play.

• Sand activities promote creativity. 

• Sand activities provide sensory and fine motor play.

• Sand activities are fun for all ages.
  
  
• Sand activities support cognitive learning - measuring, pouring, discussing, observing.

Indoor sand activities especially inspire looking at a material, normally found outdoors, in a new way!

 Related: Sand play with seashells and stones

Fun ways to play with sand

The tools and toys you add to each sand activity will help shape interesting play times for early learners.

You'll find a bit of everything in this fun roundup of crafts and activities.

1. Crafts with Sand

Decorate an apple design with an Apple Sand Craft / Gift of Curiosity

Decorate a Sandcastle Keepsake with small shells. / Paging Fun Mums

Make a sand castle with a Sand Paper Craft / iHeart Crafty Things

Combine sand and sea shells for Sand Shell Art / Happiness is Homemade

Layers of sand make a Sand Art Bottle Necklace that is colorful and unique. / Easy Peasy and Fun

Explore sand and water with Tide Pool Art / Buggy and Buddy

Painted shells in this Sea Shell Craft are so pretty. / Mess for Less

2. Activities with Sand

You can Make Colored Sand to add variety to sand play. / Kids Craft Room

Support fine motor literacy with a Writing Tray using sand. / Crafts on Sea

Have fun with Sand Play in hands-on ways. / Happy Hooligans

Explore shapes with Sand Shapes Sensory Play / The Stay at Home Mom Survival Guide

Sand science is fun with a Sand Volcano / Fun A Day

Support sensory play with Pine Cones in the Sandbox / Preschool Toolkit

Sand Play with Loose Parts can include sand, sea shells and other materials. / The Imagination Tree

Whether building sand castles outdoors on a sunny day, or making crafts indoors on a rainy day, kids love including sand in their play. 

Have fun trying out these fun projects, or create your own unique uses for sand!

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