How to Make DIY Monster Moon Sand
Learn how to easily make this DIY monster moon sand! It is so fun to make and is a great taste-safe sensory play option for young toddlers to celebrate Halloween.
Monster Moon Sand is a spooky, fun twist on traditional sensory play. My kids loved all things monsters, so we made a bunch of crafts and sensory play with that theme for Halloween.
This DIY recipe combines the squishy texture of moon sand with the excitement of creating monster-themed creations using colorful sand, candy eyes, and more. We made sure to make this moon sand taste-safe in case they decided to try to eat something.
It is perfect for Halloween or any time of the year if your kids just like monsters like mine do.
In this article, I’ll share a simple Monster Moon Sand recipe and offer some creative ways to use it to make playtime even more fun.
Why Sensory Play is Important for Toddlers
Sensory play activities like Monster Moon Sand stimulate toddlers’ senses, encouraging them to explore textures, shapes, and colors.
Here are a few main benefits of moon sand sensory play:
- Develops Fine Motor Skills: Manipulating the sand, molding shapes, and placing candy eyes in their creations helps toddlers strengthen their hand muscles and improve dexterity.
- Encourages Creativity: Sensory play allows toddlers to create and explore without boundaries. Monster Moon Sand invites them to mold and shape monsters, inspiring their imagination.
My kids loved to create stories about each of the monsters they created. - Promotes Mindfulness: Sensory activities like this can help toddlers focus on the present, calming their minds and supporting emotional regulation.
- Builds Cognitive Skills: Exploring sensory materials helps toddlers develop problem-solving skills and spatial awareness as they experiment with how the sand moves and molds.
Pin This Post For Later:
Some of these links are affiliate links meaning if you purchase from these links, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Everything I share is my own opinions and things I personally use and love. You can learn more by reviewing my disclosure. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Monster Moon Sand Recipe
Making Monster Moon Sand at home is simple and requires only a few ingredients. Here is how to make your own:
Supplies Needed
2-3 Cup flour
¾ Cup oil (vegetable or coconut)
3oz grape Jell-O
Candy eyes
¼ Cup water
Purple food coloring
Sensory bin
Directions
To make this taste-safe, cook the flour for 5 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees. Then, let it cool down.
Add 2 cups of flour and the package of grape Jell-O to the medium sensory bin, and stir
to combine. Add oil. Combine with hands or use a spoon.
In a small bowl with water add 10-15 drops of purple food coloring, and stir to combine. Pour the water/food coloring mixture into the flour and Jell-O, then stir thoroughly.
Add another cup of flour and stir to combine all the ingredients.
Place the candy eyes into the mixture.
Let little ones use their hands, scoops, and spoons to play with the monster moon sand!
Play Ideas for Monster Moon Sand
Now that your Monster Moon Sand is ready, it’s time to play! Here are some fun ideas for how to use it:
- Create Monster Shapes: Encourage your toddler to mold the sand into monster shapes and faces. They can place candy eyes in their creations, making each monster unique and silly.
- Sensory Exploration: Let your toddler simply dig, squish, and run their fingers through the sand. Ask them to describe the texture and how it feels—this promotes sensory awareness and language development.
- Hide-and-Seek with Eyes: Hide the candy eyes deep within the sand and have your toddler dig through the mixture to find them. This game helps build fine motor skills and problem-solving abilities.
- Monster Storytime: After creating a few monster shapes, make up stories together about the monsters’ adventures. This encourages imaginative thinking and supports language skills as your toddler learns to express themselves through storytelling.
Want to join our FREE community and have more support to help you raise your toddler to be mindful, happy, and kind? Join HERE!
Mindful Play with Monster Moon Sand
Monster Moon Sand is not only a fun and engaging activity but also an opportunity to introduce mindfulness into your toddler’s playtime.
As your child molds the sand and decorates their monsters, encourage them to focus on how the sand feels and moves.
Taking a mindful approach to sensory play can help toddlers calm down, stay focused, and develop emotional regulation skills.
Conclusion
Monster Moon Sand is a perfect sensory play activity for Halloween time, or all year round if your toddler loves monsters.
So whether you’re preparing for Halloween or just looking for an engaging activity, Monster Moon Sand is such a fun imaginative play idea for kids!
Check out these other sensory bin ideas:
