Using Sand and Natural Materials to Encourage Quiet Kids

I’m a little addicted to buying second hand items for our nature table, and what I thought would be the biggest hit with my kids, didn’t come close to how much they loved this black bowl filled with sand.

When people say ‘It’s the simple things,’ it truly is.

Do you remember a feeling when the house was quiet, too quiet and you just knew your children were are up to something?

It felt just like that. Except, of course, that the girls weren’t painting with toothpaste or dipping their fingers in the sugar bowl.

Instead, they we’re alone or together quietly creating patterns in the sand.

Okay, full disclosure, my girls are seven and well and truly over the “dump everything on the ground” stage.  If your children are little, your experience may be quite different to mine.

Still, if you take this activity outside and grab a cuppa while you’re at it, you will enjoy some peace, I promise.

Your kids will really love this activity.

What you’ll need:

• Sand (aff.link) – I got some from the beach but this looks similar
• A big bowl (aff.link)- I used a second hand one but I love this wooden one too
• Natural materials (see all our suggestions below)

Sand and Natural Materials

This activity didn’t last for days, it lasted for weeks.

Every time I walked past, my girls were either enjoying a quiet, calm moment alone, or making new imprints and creating patterns with all the natural materials together.

It was always calm and quiet and that’s strange for us. A good strange.

I don’t know if it was because of the tactile nature of the sand flowing through their fingers, or the slowness of the activity but I’ll admit that it was heaven.

I ended up getting more of my natural materials out that had been stored away for safe keeping; shells, seed pods and stones all ended up on the table to play with. They also went out into the garden and collected some of their own too.

Add these natural materials to your sand play

This activity is certainly a keeper and so easy to set up. Grab a big bowl, any bowl will do, and some sand. Fine sand is the best because it’s easier to create imprints in the sand.

Add these gorgeous natural materials to your sand play:

• Rocks and stones
• Feathers
• Gumnuts
• Acorns
• Seed pods
• Pinecones
• Shells
• Sticks
• Leaves

Your kids will enjoy some quiet play with sand and natural materials, and you’ll love the the peace and quiet yourself!

More Sand Play

Make your own coloured sand