This toddler-friendly introduction to sand painting transforms a favorite backyard building material into a magical art supply. We like using salt shakers for the sand because they're easy for little hands to hold, and with just a bit of tape stuck to the lid, you can control the speed of the granules coming out of the bottle.

Materials

• Craft knife
• Colored card stock or construction paper
• White and clear Con-Tact paper

• Colored sand (available at craft stores)
• Salt shakers (we got ours at a dollar store for $1 per pair) or other empty containers
• Tape

Instructions

1. Use a craft knife to create a frame by cutting out the center of the card stock, leaving a 1-inch border.

2. Trim the Con-Tact paper so that it's slightly smaller than the frame, then set the Con-Tact paper face down and peel off the backing. Carefully lay the frame over the sticky surface and press it in place.

3. Pour the sand into the salt shakers, then put on the lids and cover some of the holes with tape. Give your child the bottles and let him pour the sand over the sticky surface -- one color at a time or all at once, as he likes. Dump off the extra sand as he fills the space. When he's done, you can set a piece of clear Con-Tact paper over the front to help preserve the design.

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Find more about:

• 1-2 Hours |
• Drawing |
• Natural Objects |
• Nature Projects |
• Toddler

Related Categories:

• Backyard Nature Crafts |
• Drawing Projects |
• Nature Crafts |
• School-age