I hadn’t heard of kinetic sand before, but now I’m addicted. It really is a lot of fun, and in case this is new to you too, let me explain.
Like many of the best toys, So Sand DIY is deceptively simple. It has all the fun of normal sand but without the downside, like spilling all over the carpet, ended up in eyes and mouth, you know the sort of thing.
So Sand DIY looks and feels like slightly wet sand, but it moulds into shapes like clay. You can colour it, add glittery decorations, and using the provided moulds, or even just stuff that you have in your kitchen, like jars and bowls, you can make fun, brightly-coloured shapes.
It’s great to fire up your child’s imagination – make a birthday cake like Mummy does, or a colourful patterned ball. Using the provided cutters you can slice the cake into multi-coloured sections, and once you’ve finished you can use the sand again of course.
But it’s fun for adults too. There’s a growing craze for sensory experiences and ASMR (Autonomic Sensory Meridian Response) – the new buzz acronym – a feeling of euphoria and relaxation triggered by different sensory stimuli.
How many of us have sat on a beach, scooping up handfuls of wet sand and moulding and squeezing it with our fingers as we allow it to fall, bit by bit back to earth, whilst noticing the sound of the waves, the hot sun on our face, the salty smell and the cool breeze blowing our hair? Well you may not have realised, but recreating that feeling, by playing with the So Sand DIY, together with listening to the soft crunchy sound as you cut though it, is all creating ASMR. There are even YouTube videos using this to help the viewer feel calm and relaxed, and apparently it’s good for insomnia too.
So Sand and DIY comes in various great sets. I particularly like the Satisfying Sand Case. The whole kit comes in a really useful valet case, with multiple sections where you can store the sand and cutters after use, and the base of the case converts to a play tray for the sand. It comes with three packets of sand, three different bright colouring powders, three lots of coloured and shaped glittery decorations and four different cutting tools. This kept me occupied for ages but there are other great sets too (see pictures below) such as the Sensory Studio, which looks really intriguing, don’t you think? And the Satisfying Sand Ball Case too.
Sets available from Smyths Toys: RRP ranging from £2.79 to £24.99 – a great treat for six year olds to adult. Give it a try.
By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q
Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.