How to make moon sand

Are you looking for inexpensive ways to keep your children entertained today? Make our simple moon sand recipe with only two ingredients.

January 15, 2023

Caxton reporter 2 minutes read

How to make moon sand — Moon sand can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for up to a month, but it should be discarded if it becomes dirty.

Moon sand provides a soothing sensory experience for babies, toddlers, and children. It stimulates their imagination while improving their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.

Moon sand is made with just two ingredients: flour or cornflour and oil. You can also use food colouring. It’s mouldable but crumbles easily, ready to be reshaped, and doesn’t dry out, making it ideal for small children developing hand strength.

Because no cooking is involved, you can include children of any age in both making it and playing with it, which will teach them about measuring and mixing.

Pack the moon sand into cups or cutters, or let your child squish it with their hands.
Our moon sand is edible, but we don’t recommend it because it doesn’t taste very good! It’s also suitable for babies.

You can make as much moon sand as you want – eight parts flour to one part oil. We used a tablespoon to make a small amount, but you can use any size cup or scoop as long as you measure the recipe by volume and level off the flour.

Simple moon sand recipe

What you need

• 8 tablespoons flour or cornflour
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or sunflower oil
• A few drops food colouring (optional)

How to make it

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, oil, and food colouring.
2. Rub the oil and food colouring into the flour with your fingertips, as if making pastry, until the mixture feels sandy and there is no visible oil. If the mixture appears to be too dry, add a few more drops of oil; if the mixture appears to be too soft, add some more flour. When squeezed, the consistency should be that of a dry, shapeable clay that crumbles fairly easily.

Tips for having fun with moon sand

Moon sand is messier than playdough, so cover nearby surfaces when your child is playing with it. It is best to place it in a shallow tray or on a tray-table. If you place a sheet beneath the table, you can catch and reuse any that fall.

How to remove moon sand

We recommend sweeping the moon sand up with a dry brush and dusting off any equipment as thoroughly as possible before washing – the moment water comes into contact with moon sand, it becomes gluey.