Two Ingredient Moon Sand Excavating Asteroids Sensory Activity
Two ingredient moon sand is a simple way to create a sensory bin filled with endless hours of play opportunity. The recipe is so simple and perfect for making with kids. It offers the space to teach measurement, mixing and combining two ingredients to create a different and new substance.
Recipe for Two Ingredient Moon Sand
There are truly only two ingredients in moon sand (flour and baby oil). Here is a recipe card that you can print and use when making this activity with your kids.
Start by letting your child help gather supplies and ingredients. You will need:
- Bowl
- Spoon
- Measuring Cups
- Flour (4 Cups)
- Baby Oil (Half Cup)
Mix ingredients together in the bowl with the spoon. Pour moon sand into a larger container for more play fun.
GLUTEN FREE TIP: If your child is allergic to flour, Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Flour works for this recipe too.
Excavating Asteroids
I LOVE this space activity from MindWare Toys. You can order these to use for party favors, goody bag treats, potty prizes or just for fun. Every one of them has a little space toy in the middle after taking time to excavate it from the “asteroid”. Truth be told, my college age kids still love these eggs and the whole process of finding the prize in the middle. We are certainly in a culture of surprise toys and mystery bags.
Start with a work space for each kiddo. Basic brown paper is a great surface cover for this and can easily be decorated with black marker. Add crayons to the table for extra coloring fun while waiting to get started if you are working with a group of kids in a classroom setting (or even at a party).
Put the asteroids in water. They bubble which is super fun. Leave them in the water for a couple of minutes. Getting the asteroids damp helps make the chipping and digging easier for little hands. Additionally, a paper towel is a good idea to add to each work station.
Excavate to find the treasures by using the little tool to chip and dig along the edges of the asteroid.
Six Asteroid Fun Facts
- Asteroids are leftovers of the early Solar System.
- Most asteroids are in a “belt”.
- Asteroids are made of different things.
- Some asteroids also lurk near planets.
- Asteroids have moons too.
- We have flown by, orbited and even landed on asteroids.
Free Astronaut Printable – Design Your Own Space Suit
Here is a fun free astronaut printable with directions to design a space suit. This is a fun way to explore individuality and creativity. If your kids were to make history for landing on an asteroid or traveling in space — what would they want their space suit to look like? For younger kids this may be as simple as a color where as older kids might add more design elements.
Best Ways to Use Free Printables
You might have seen this list from me before but I think it is worth sharing over and over. Sometimes the people in the back need to hear things a few times, right? There are so many great ways to use free printables. Here are some of my favorites.
- Print them and mail in an envelope with a stamp. Snail mail rocks.
- Batch some up to make an activity book. This is great for a road trip!
- Print and use at a place setting on the table to create a conversation starter.
- Add them to goody bags. By the way, goody bags are not just for birthday parties.
- Package them up with your favorite markers and crayons to give as a gift.
- Drop a few off at the local coffee shop with fun pencils to spread some happy.
- Cut them up to make cards, gift wrap and decorations.
BEST Tools For Working With Free Printables
These are my favorite tools and art supplies to use with free printables and why I love them too.
- Printer – This Laser Printer is inexpensive and works like a charm. It even works with Alexa. Bonus!
- Scissors – Lots of printables can be cut up to create decorations and cards and things like that.
- Markers and Crayons – All thing ooly work the best for me. I LOVE all of their markers, pencils and crayons.
- Colored Pencils – For adult coloring, PRISM makes the colored pencils that I love to use most.
- Twine – For creating banners and garlands from printables, I love this twine best.
- Adhesive – Lots of printables have pieces that get cut out and put together. This is my fave tape runner!
MORE SPACE IDEAS
YAY for Space, Learning and Playing,
Laura