Edible play sand is so easy to make with Cheerios! I love how easy it is to make plus you don’t need to worry about your little ones taking a bite. You can use this sand for sensory bins, sensory play trays, and more!
You can literally make it under a few minutes. I like to come up with ideas that can be done with very little supplies and that we currently have on hand at home. It saves us time and money! Read along to see how to make it and what activities can be done with it.
How to Make Edible Cheerios Sand
To make the edible sand, you will need a few things:
- Box of cereal (we used Cheerios). You could also use crackers.
- A food processor or a blender. Even a Magic Bullet works!
- A bin or a tray
- Some scoops and containers to play
Step 1 – Grab some cereal! Any cereal can do but keep in mind – the higher the sugar amount, the more sticky it will be! Depending on the size of your bin – you may need a full box or more.
Step 2 – Grind the cereal until it’s very fine. Here we used a small food processor/chopper. You could also smash it in a baggy with a rolling pin.
Step 3 – Once ground, pour the edible sand into a clean bin for your child to play in. Add some toys they enjoy, some kitchen tools & accessories. I love to add some little containers as well as she loves to scoop and pour.
I would suggest throwing out the “sand” after it’s been played with, to avoid any type of germs or contamination. I’d rather play safe myself and make a new batch whenever needed.
Other Activities You Can Make with Edible Sand:
1 – Tracing Tray
Use any type of tray you may have on hand (cookie sheet, pyrex, serving tray, etc) and spread some edible sand in the tray. Using their finger, a brush, or any other tool – have your child trace letters, numbers, etc.
2 – Play Trays
Similar to a sensory bin, use a tray (think cookie sheet!) and add the sensory sand, some farm animals, and some blue jello (to create a pond!). Your child now has a sensory farm tray to enjoy!
3 – iSpy Bottles or Bags
Grab an empty plastic bottle or Ziploc bag, and add the sand and some little items (we love to use letter beads and mini toys). A fun game that can be played over & over again!
What is a sensory bin?
It starts with a container that you would possibly have on hand. You could use a plastic bin, a storage box, a cardboard box, a large bowl, etc. A sensory bin is mainly made of sensory materials like rice, beans, water beads, sand, water, and so on. You then add various elements like spoons, cups, little animals, etc. to create a fun play environment.
I love sensory bins as they are very easy to put together with items you have on hand. It can literally take me a few minutes to put it together. Get more ideas on how to make sensory bins with oats.
What if my child avoids sensory play?
This can certainly happen with some children. My daughter who is on the autism spectrum would resist many sensory experiences, such as play dough, slime, stretchy sand, and foam soap – just to name a few! If you believe your child has sensory issues, please see this post about signs & symptoms of sensory issues.
The key thing to remember is that we need to keep exposing them to the experiences they don’t enjoy so that we can desensitize them. Now my daughter plays with play dough and can tolerate foam soap but still struggles at times with any giggly type of material like gelatine.
If you feel like your child avoids many sensory experiences, I would suggest contacting an Occupational Therapist to see if there could be any underlying issues that could be alleviated with some therapies. We have done our fair share of therapy and it is amazing the progress our child has made!
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