SAND SCHOOL: Sensory Ideas & Projects with Baha Play Sand

Playing with sand is a sensory experience that can be both calming and stimulating for children and adults alike.

It can provide feelings of relaxation and mindfulness, helping to reduce stress and anxiety levels.

Running fingers through smooth sand grains can help increase focus and concentration, occupying restless hands while the mind works.

Engaging Sensory Activities for Kids of All Ages

Sensory-focused activities are an excellent way to help kids develop their senses and boost their cognitive and learning skills. Here are some innovative sensory activities you can try with children of all ages, with the help of Calcean’s Baha Play Sand – the safe sensory sand for kids!

Sensory Bins

Sensory bins help children engage their senses and develop fine motor skills while they play. It’s not too hard to create your own sensory bin with everyday objects, and there are many ways to stretch your imagination in building one. Try as many or as few of the options below to create your own:

-        Fill a bin (or dish, or tray…whatever you would like to use) with Baha Play Sand.

-        Experiment by playing with different sand colors (Baha Play Sand offers seven bright colors to choose from).

-        Mix amounts of the colors together to make new colors.

-        Add different textures to the sand, such as rice, dry beans, or beads.

-        Add water to some of the sand for a different consistency.

-        Fill the bin with small toys or objects to hide and find.

-        Try different utensils for digging and scooping objects in the sand.

Sensory Bottles

Sensory bottles are a great way to promote exploration and provide visual and auditory stimulation. Fill a bottle with Baha Play Sand and let your child shake and observe it.

-        Add colored water or glitter for another texture in the sand.

-        Include small toys or objects to find as you shake the bottle back and forth.

-        Watch how Baha Play Sand’s smooth, rounded particles move within the bottle, filling spaces and surrounding objects.

-        Be sure to seal the bottle cap tightly to prevent the sand and/or water from leaking. 

Sensory Painting

Did you know you can paint with sand? Adding Baha Play Sand to your child’s finger paints or to your own craft or acrylic paints can create different textures that can make your painting or craft come to life!

-        Set up a sensory painting station with different colors of paint to choose from.

-        Provide small amounts of different colors of Baha Play Sand to add to paint.

-        Offer tools such as sponges, brushes, or stamps to create unique tactile paintings.

-        Adding sand to paint can make your beach scene sandy or your fairy tale scene mossy and cozy. What textures can you dream up?

Check out our blog post where we had fun making our own stretchy sand!

Sensory Dough

Play dough and clay molding is another activity that not only fosters tactile exploration and creativity, but also builds and extends muscle movement in the hands and fingers, even serving as a means of beneficial physical therapy for those who have had hand or nerve injury.

-        Encourage kids to squish and mold play dough using just their hands.

-        Add Baha Play Sand in different colors to create texture.

-        Tools like cookie cutters, scissors, or rollers can be used to create various shapes and patterns.

-        Want to make your own DIY Kinetic Sand with Baha Play Sand? Check out our blog post for the how-to (with pictures!)

Have Fun!

Sensory activities promote creativity, fun, and a sense of discovery for children of all ages.

Remember to involve your child in choosing the activity they want to engage in, and always supervise their play.

Baha Play Sand is non-toxic and safe for kids and pets, but, like any sand, it’s best to prevent having a mouthful of it (or putting sandy fingers or hands in the mouth).

Any fine particles or color can be washed off with soap and water after sand play.