Kinetic Sand Treasure Dig for Toddlers

Kinetic sand (2-3 cups)

A shallow bin or baking tray

5-6 small toys — plastic animals, toy cars, or shapes

A small shovel or spoon

Pour kinetic sand into a shallow bin about two inches deep.

Choose five or six small toys and bury them in the sand, pressing them completely out of sight.

Present the tray to your toddler: "There are hidden treasures in here! Can you find them?"

Let your toddler dig with their hands, a spoon, or a small shovel.

Celebrate each discovery loudly: "You found the dinosaur! What else do you think is hiding?"

Once all the toys are found, let your toddler rebury them and dig again.

The burying-and-finding cycle can go on for a surprisingly long time.

Kinetic sand is amazing because it sticks to itself, not to hands, which means less cleanup than regular sand.

For toddlers still mouthing, supervise closely and choose toys too large to be a choking hazard.

Add counting to the game: "You found three so far! How many more are hiding?"

Try burying objects from one category (all animals, all vehicles) for a natural sorting extension.

If you don't have kinetic sand, you can make a similar texture by mixing 4 cups of fine sand with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of dish soap.