Talk about sand. Examine sand. Then, give each child some sand in a shallow pan or on a sheet of paper. Feel the sand. What does it feel like? Where does sand come from? Examine sand with magnifying glasses. Sand can change shape, pour and make an impression. Experiment with your sand. Does sand move at the beach? How (wind and waves)? What happens when sand gets wet? What can you do with sand? (Make sand castles, dig, bury things, etc.) Have a treasure hunt in the sand box (or sand table). Prepare by burying coins, shells, rocks, small toys, etc. in the sand box. Have the children hunt for the items. Make Sand Toys Each child will need a large ice cream bucket (with lid), a small bleach bottle, a powdered detergent scoop and a plastic spoon. Make beach shapes (i.e. shell, starfish, fish) on colored contact paper for the kids to cut out and decorate with permanent markers. Put them on the sides of the buckets. Cut each lid in half with a saw tooth pattern for sand combs. Cut the bleach bottle into a scoop. If the lid is not glued on then the children can use it as a scoop or a funnel. Everything can be decorated by the children with permanent markers. All the toys can be carried in the bucket. Sand Dough Mix together: 2 cups flour 1 cup salt 1 cup water a few drops oil or liquid detergent