This month we are exploring Moon Sand. Usually, this sensory recipe involves real sand, with a combination of other ingredients {check out the posts below for some amazing ideas!}. But my daughter tends to put real sand in her mouth, so I wanted to make something that she could be a part of.

And boy did she love it {scroll down for the recipe!}

My intention for sensory play is for literacy leaning as well as becoming familiar with practical life skills.

{This post contains affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy.} 

Sensory play can enhance language skills!

Reading and Writing activities could include:

• writing a letter with objects (such as blocks) in the play dough
• writing a letter with a finger in the dough
• searching for small plastic letters in the dough {you could use my free upper and lowercase charts}
• building words with hidden letters in the dough

Speaking:  My 19 month old daughter was so excited to be part of the sensory play today.  I ask her what she likes about it, what she feels, what she thinks.  When I hear her responses, I can repeat and expand what he says by using more complex speech. “Oooh!”  “Ooh it feels so soft, doesn’t it!?” Even at her very earlier age, this shows her sentence structures and teaches a broader vocabulary.

Listening: Listening to what they have to say about the experience.  This may be inaudible in younger children, like my daughter.  Sensory play may bring out new sounds or words in their vocabulary — words and noises that come with the play time!  Encourage this language building time by sitting down and simply hearing them.

Viewing: Let your child play without interference.  You can be there without jumping in.  Allow them to experience the senses they are experiencing around them.  (Of course, always use caution when choosing materials that are age-appropriate and ability-appropriate for your child.  If they are still “mouthing,” don’t give them inedible sensory items!)

Invitation to Play

Our play….  We had to wait for a sunny day (it’s been raining. a. lot.) because I know the ants would love this and I want them to stay outside — let alone the mess this would make in the house!!

I wanted to set up our play-time with some literacy learning, as well as some tools for scooping, transferring, and exploring.  I put out some letters and our ABC charts (linked above!)

The moon sand stuck together nicely. It made balls and also packed into our muffin tins :)

Our baby safe and edible moon sand is way too delicious and my kids liked it a bit too much :)  They kept tasting it!

Gluten free edible moon sand recipe

Ingredients:

• sugar
• arrowroot powder
• brown sugar
• water

I approximated all of my measurements. I pretty much used all the sugar I had, all of the brown sugar, and then threw in the arrowroot powder as a thickener — I would have used corn starch if I hadn’t forgotten to buy it at the store because arrowroot powder is a bit more expensive…. I added about 3-4 TBS of water to mix it together, and it really did feel like wet sand.

 { Normally, I’d have a problem with my children eating straight sugar – but for some reason I went with the flow today — I know this is not an every day event :) }

This post is a part of the Best of the Best Sensory Doughs: 12 Months of Sensory Dough!  Every month, on the 12th of the month, we will be sharing a post on a different sensory dough.  Check out our collaborative Sensory Dough Pinterest Board for tons of ideas!! 

Here are the wonderful co-hosts:

Lemon Lime Adventures, Delightful Learning, Glittering Muffins, I Heart Crafty Things, Little Bins for Little Hands, Look! We’re Learning!, Natural Beach Living, Powerful Mothering, Still Playing School, The Eyes of a Boy, The Life of Jennifer Dawn

Do you have a post on Moon Sand that you’d like to share? Please link below!  Please read the following guidelines before linking up:

• Share family-friendly posts related to the month’s theme. Feel free to link old or new posts that highlight your favorite recipes for sensory dough. Failures and unsuccessful attempts are welcome.

• We ask that no posts are linked with copy/paste recipes from other sources. If you use a recipe from another source, please link back to the original recipe.

• By linking up, you give permission to share your post and one photograph in future posts and through social media channels.

• The linky will remain open for two weeks. On the 12th of each month, all co-hosts will post a new dough with their spin, highlighting at least one post from the month before and pin each post to the 12 Months of Sensory Dough Board.