Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Kinetic sand for a 2 year old ?

38 replies

Disneymagic321 · 09/02/2022 19:34

Is it better to stick to one colour ? Introducing my play doh loving toddler to kinetic sand (supervised ofc) , should I get lots of one colour or 2 colours ? Will 2 colours just blur into one weird colour ? Play doh eventually did get mixed around but not sure how kinetic will be to play with . I could put 2 colours in different trays ? Or only bring one colour out at a time if there’s enough of it ?

OP posts:
Smartiepants79 · 09/02/2022 19:38

One colour.
It will get everywhere and is extremely difficult to clean up especially from carpet.
I hate it personally, think it’s utterly pointless.

Original poster
Disneymagic321 · 09/02/2022 19:43

Oh dear , a little confused because I’ve seen a few comments similar to yours @Smartiepants79 but also many comments about how amazing it is for mess free play !!

OP posts:
NannyR · 09/02/2022 19:50

As a nanny, I love kinetic sand, it's no more difficult to clean up than play dough and is brilliant fun to play with (for adults too!). I would just get one colour - we have the one that looks like proper sand.

bettertocryinamercedes · 09/02/2022 19:51

We had the red glitter one. I put down a cover, I had a table set up, I had a container

I was still finding bits of red glitter sand when we moved out. They got it on the floor, then on their socks and walked it through the living area to the carpet in the bedrooms. It stains....

Adatwistscientist · 09/02/2022 19:51

It's great but save it for summer.and do it in a tuff tray in the garden.

bettertocryinamercedes · 09/02/2022 19:51

So the plain one would be my suggestion. Not a colour or glitter!!!

Soubriquet · 09/02/2022 19:52

Don’t get anything with glitter in it. Normal kinectic sand is fine and hoovers up nicely.

The colours will mix if you have it, so unless you’re happy to have mixed colours, go one at a time

ISpyCobraKai · 09/02/2022 19:52

Oh god, no sand is the best sand!

TwoShades1 · 09/02/2022 19:59

We have the plain sand coloured one. It cleans up fine, but we don’t have carpet.

Bunce1 · 09/02/2022 19:59

Plain kinetic sand is the best.

Grantingmum · 09/02/2022 20:01

It's great to get two colours - it's quite exciting for them to mix the colours and learn what 'new' colour they create.

picklemewalnuts · 09/02/2022 20:01

You can make it out of talc and baby oil, if I remember correctly. Or was it flour?

picklemewalnuts · 09/02/2022 20:03

Here we go. Can make whatever colours you want, then.

picklemewalnuts · 09/02/2022 20:03

eatingrichly.com/kinetic-sand-recipe/

VelvetChairGirl · 09/02/2022 20:05

Stick to playdoh I wouldn't get it for a kid that young, its very strange stuff with a consistency that reminds me of the muck you get in the bottom of the hoover, it stinks, leaves a oily residue on stuff and the instructions make clear its for kids over 3 as they could choke on it and they should wash hands after use.

SamMil · 09/02/2022 20:08

My child got given kinetic sand for a birthday.

The colours are a nightmare to try to separate and it gets EVERYWHERE! All over her legs and feet, in between toes. Luckily we have wooden floors but we have to shower her off afterwards and still find it at bedtime!

SheWoreYellow · 09/02/2022 20:09

Dries beans and rice are good too and a lot less messy. You can dye the rice pretty colours.

brio4ever · 09/02/2022 20:16

This kit is great, Kinetic Sand Sandisfying Set with 907 g of Sand and 10 Tools, for Kids Aged 3 and Up https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07PCBZ4K1/ref=cmswwrcppapiglttidll6YKJVN4WK6K6JA2D8JNW

The tools make it more fun, and all but one are simple enough for 2 year old to use. Can either use 1 bag of sand at a time to avoid mixing, but at least if they do mix the result is purple sand. I personally think it's far less messy than playdoh, as it at least can't be trodden into things, stuck in hair etc. We just use on the cardboard mat that comes in box on the dining table, and only have to do a light hoover directly under chair afterwards. Some sort of basic tray would help contain in more for younger child.

angelopal · 09/02/2022 20:17

Just stick with 1 colour. Our colours are just grey now. No matter how hard you try to it will end up mixed together.

brio4ever · 09/02/2022 20:18

I would add I'm not letting my child sit in like a PP who said it gets stuck between their toes Confused We treat it with the same rules as playdoh.

Louisa4987 · 09/02/2022 20:18

I can't stand the stuff. In fact each time DD plays with it and I hoover up afterwards I think we're one step closer to their being none left because of the amount that goes in the hoover each timeGrin

Cleopatra2022 · 09/02/2022 20:24

We had it once. It got everywhere and took hours to Hoover up. Never had it since!

ponkydonkey · 09/02/2022 20:24

Of you like your carpet then NO

if it's in your kitchen FINE

Also it buggers up your Hoover 😬

Haudyourwheesht · 09/02/2022 20:25

It's messy, messy. It's pretty easy to hoover up, tbh, but the kids just have to look at it and it's all over the house. You'll be finding it in places you thought nobody ever went.
If you must, I'd get the plain sand colour, and just the one colour as ours is just a horrible pinky sludge colour now.

TulipsGarden · 09/02/2022 20:26

One for nursery, personally. I don't want sand in the house. There's a sand tray in the garden for summer (and actually mild winter, he was using it last week).