Under the sea Sensory Bin

Make a fun Under the Sea sensory bin using blue moon sand and ocean-themed toys!

A month ago we were on holiday at the ocean and brought back some shells and awesome memories.
The other day I found these shells just sitting there, waiting to be explored, so we made an Ocean themed sensory bin, with blue moon sand(edible) and these shells. And of course some ocean animals!

Ingredients for blue moon sand

• Cake flour (I’ve used 5 cups)
• Vegetable oil (I’ve used 2cups)
• Blue powdered drink (this is the one you use with milk, like Nesquick. 1cup or add more until you get the desired colour). One could use powder paint, or crushed chalk, but then it is not edible anymore. I have not tried food coloring yet.

W(at the time 13 months) helped me with the mixing of the flour and powdered drink. Then I added the oil, bit by bit, until I got the consistancy of wet beach sand.

When L(at the time 3.5yrs) came home from school, they had fun outside(it can get messy). The opportunity to talk about the shells, the animals and our holiday memories came up. Developing language skills, conversation skills etc.

I closed it up when they were done playing, to use it again, it does keep awhile in a closed container. When it starts smelling funky, I throw it out, usually in two weeks time.

This sensory activity is great for sensory exploration: the soft sand, compared to the hard shells, the smoothness of the rock, compared to the rough shell etc.

You might want to read a previous post on Edible moon sand, or this one where we gave Edible dirt as a gift together with a construction truck to a 1 year old friend.