• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Work with Me
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Appetizer
    • Dinners
    • Instant Pot
    • Slow Cooker
    • Salads
    • Side Dishes
    • Desserts
    • Grilling
    • Condiments and Spice Mixes
  • Shop
  • FAVORITES
  • Subscribe

Juggling Act Mama logo

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Game Day Menu
  • Holidays
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Quick Meals
  • Reader Favorites
  • DIY
  • Holidays
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Quick Meals
    • Reader Favorites
    • DIY
    • Holidays
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Kids

    Rainbow Kinetic Sand

    [published_or_updated] · by Angela Paris · Leave a Comment[affiliate_disclosure]

    Pin
    Share

    Rainbow Kinetic Sand is a fun activity for kids of all ages. This tutorial will show you how to make homemade kinetic sand with just 3 items!

    Child's hand playing with homemade kinetic sand.
    DIY kinetic rainbow sand is easy to make and so much fun for kids!
    Jump to:
    • Materials
    • Instructions
    • Variations
    • Storage
    • More Fun Sensory Ideas
    • Rainbow and St. Patrick's Day Ideas
    • 💬 Comments

    The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

    While you can purchase small kinetic sand kits online, I prefer making my own using colored play sand. I'll share my easy recipe to make your own at home. Homemade kinetic sand is a cinch and you can make it any or all the colors of the rainbow!

    I get my colored play sand online and you can sometimes find it in big box hardware stores also. It's easy to work with and you don't have to worry about food coloring or anything like that.

    My kids have been obsessed with kinetic sand since they were young toddlers. There's something quite satisfying about the soft sand and the way you can press it into different shapes.

    Kinetic sand is a great way for kids to work on their fine motor skills. Using all sorts of different tools and molds, the kids love making colorful castles and other designs. Like homemade playdough, kinetic sand really lends itself to all sorts of creative possibilities.

    Bowls of materials for making rainbow kinetic sand.

    Materials

    • 1 cup of play sand in each color
    • 2 cups cornstarch
    • ½ cup olive oil

    You will need 6 small bowls to mix each of the sand colors and a spoon. Brush the spoon off completely between mixing batches.

    Be sure to check out my Juggling Act Mama Storefront on Amazon where you'll find all kinds of great products that will make your life easier! Thanks so much for being a part of Juggling Act Mama ❤

    Instructions

    1. In each of the 6 bowls, add one cup of play sand - one color per bowl.
    2. Next, add ⅓ cup of cornstarch to each bowl of sand, and stir until completely combined.
    3. Add 4 teaspoons of olive oil to each bowl, then stir well to combine.

    Now your rainbow sand is ready! You can add the colors to a cake pan or baking sheet in a line to create a rainbow.

    Small containers of kinetic sand are perfect gifts and are great for stockings, Easter baskets, party favors, and more.

    Tray of homemade rainbow kinetic sand with tools.

    Play tools for play dough and kinetic sand

    Kinetic sand kits often come with squisher stamps, sand portioner, stacker mold, and a kid-friendly slicer but you can find other options online, at the dollar store, and in your own kitchen.

    My nieces use measuring spoons, little plastic cups, and cookie cutters.

    We also love this set of play dough tools with extruders, rollers, and cutters. Most of these tools also work great for kinetic sand play. Other kids like this one with mini sand castle molds and sculpting tools work great with molding sand, too.

    Child's hand playing with kinetic rainbow sand.
    You only need a couple of items to make your own kinetic sand.

    Variations

    If your kids love sensory play, add a few drops of essential oils to the colored kinetic sand. You can add the same to each one, or different scents for each color.

    Storage

    After you make kinetic sand, you want to keep in an airtight container. (These are my favorite airtight containers). Small containers for each color are best.

    • How to Make Mermaid Slime Without Borax - Juggling Act Mama
    • A child's hand holding green 2-Ingredient Oobleck.
    • Child's hand holding Jello Slime.

    More Fun Sensory Ideas

    • Homemade Oobleck
    • Jello Slime
    • Homemade Playdough
    • Sparkle Playdough
    • Mermaid Slime (no borax!)
    • Ice Cream Play Dough

    Rainbow and St. Patrick's Day Ideas

    • St. Patrick's Day Printable Poem
    • Minty St Patrick's Day Chocolate Bark
    • 25+ Rainbow Snacks
    • Lucky Charms Chex Mix
    • St. Patrick's Day Activities for Kids
    • Rainbow Bath Salts
    • Rainbow Activities for Kids
    • St Patricks Day Activities for Kids collage image.
    • Rainbow bath salts in a glass mason jar next to a small bowl filled with the same.
    • Close up of Lucky Charms Chex Mix in a bowl.
    • Rainbow snack collage with text overlay.
    Pin
    Share
    « Italian Sausage Pasta with Blistered Tomatoes
    Wooden Spoon Garden Markers »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome! I'm Ang'e - the Juggling Act Mama! I love sharing quick and easy recipes, creative DIY projects, and fun family travel with you. Like many of you, I am a multi-tasking mama juggling priorities which is why here I offer solutions to tame your hectic lifestyle.

    More about me →

    Delicious Smoothie Recipes Story

    POPULAR POSTS

    • Homemade Cowboy Butter in a small yellow dish with a butter knife.
      Cowboy Butter
    • Top down view of teriyaki chicken wings.
      Honey Teriyaki Chicken Wings
    • Sheet Pan Pancakes with Pancake Mix: stack of pancakes with strawberries and blueberries.
      Sheet Pan Pancakes with Pancake Mix
    • Cheesy John Wayne Casserole on a plate with a fork.
      John Wayne Casserole

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Republication Policy

    Follow Us

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • TikTok

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with me
    • Copyright Notice
    • Trademarks

    Juggling Act Mama is more than just recipes—it's a trusted resource for busy families looking to make mealtime simple, stress-free, and delicious. Whether it’s a 30-minute dinner, a slow cooker shortcut, or a budget-stretching batch-cook plan, we’re here to help you juggle less and savor more.

    READER FAVORITES

    • Close up square image of Chicken Broccoli Pasta Bake in a bowl with a fork.
    • Close up of cowboy spice rub on a small wooden spoon.
    • Close up of Puff Pastry with Chicken on a plate.
    • Pool Pallet Storage with towels, pool noodles, etc.
    • Party Cotton Candy Mocktails surrounded by confetti.
    • Hand holding a ppot with a plant and adding soil.
    • A tall cedar planter box on porch with boxwood.
    • Close up of mashed sweet potatoes.
    • Two glasses of Tropical Storm Punch with straws and drink umbrellas.
    • Summer Beach Tote Hack: bucket with a handle full of summer essentials like sunscreen and bug spray.
    • Close up of Mermaid Drink Lemon Drop cocktail.
    AS SEEN ON

    Copyright © 2011-2025 Juggling Act Mama