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Beach Dough Creatures

Jun 10, 201318,301 views
Play Doh
Summer Sensory Activity : Beach Dough Creatures Save
fine motor activity Save
making a snail Save
creatures line up Save
all creature using sensory sand dough Save
playing with shells Save

by TurkeyMom in Play Doh

Ages2–5 yrs
Prep10 min
Activity30 min
Leveleasy
MessMedium
Works for1:1 · Small group · Class

Mix play sand into a simple no-cook play dough for a gritty beach dough, then press in shells, sticks and stones to build little beach creatures. A summer sensory and fine motor activity for toddlers and preschoolers.

⚠️ Safety first

  • Adult handles the boiling water. Kids can help knead, but watch that hot water and make sure the dough has cooled before little hands knead it.
  • Shells, pebbles and small stones are choking hazards. Supervise toddlers closely and skip tiny pieces for children who still mouth things.
  • Sticks and pointed shells can poke. Check for sharp edges and broken shells before play.
  • Not for eating: the dough contains sand and uncooked flour.
  • Contains wheat flour. Check for wheat or gluten allergies.
  • Supervise sensory play at all times.

Before the kids arrive

  • Gather shells, sticks and stones, and check them for sharp or broken edges.

Steps

  1. Put the sand, flour, oil and cream of tartar in a bowl and mix them all well.

  2. Adult: add the boiling water a little at a time and stir.

  3. Once it's cool enough to handle, knead the mixture into a play dough with a gritty texture. Add a splash more water if you like it more pliable.

  4. Set out an invitation to play: the beach dough with a basket of shells, sticks and stones.

  5. Squash, knead and feel the beach dough.

  6. Press shells into your share of the dough and count them as you go.

  7. Add sticks and pebbles to your creation.

  8. Use the dough like glue to build creatures, such as a bird or a snail.

  9. Line up all your beach creatures.

Tips

  • Use the measurements as a base and adjust to your own preferences. We like our play dough very pliable.from the author
  • The recipe is so simple that your kids can help knead. Watch for that hot water, though.from the author
  • Expect different ages to play differently. My toddler was all about squashing and pressing objects into the dough, while her older sister used it as a glue of sorts to create more elaborate creatures. At their own levels, both were developing some serious fine motor skills.from the author
  • One family has made it two summers in a row at the beach as a break from the sun, and brought googly eyes and watercolor paints along to paint the shells and dried creatures.from readers
  • It's a great way to use a shell collection you didn't know what to do with.from readers

Make it your own

  • Add googly eyes to the creatures.
  • Let the creatures dry, then paint them and the shells with watercolors.
  • Take it to the beach for a shady break from the sun.

Questions readers asked

Will it work with room-temperature water instead of boiling water?

A reader asked this, but neither the post nor the comments answer it. The recipe as written uses boiling water.

Can I paint the finished creatures?

A reader painted the shells and the dried creatures with watercolor paints and loved it.

The story behind it

By TurkeyMom · June 2013
sensory activities with sand dough
I set out an invitation to play with beach dough, shells, sticks and stones. It was met with an excited squeal and giggles.
1 / 9

Beach Dough Creatures: the original post

Here is an Homemade beach dough recipe for a fun fine motor, sensory and nature play with a big splash of summer theme. To make beach dough you will need. I used the 4 minute no cook play dough recipe as a base.

  • 1 cup Play Sand
  • 1 cup Flour
  • 1tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 1 tbsp Cream of tartar
  • 1/2 cup-3/4 cup of Boiling water ( add in small increments)

Use the above measurements as a base and adjust to your own preferences. ( we like our play dough very pliable) I added the sand, flour, oil and cream of tartar and mixed them all well. Once mixed, I added the boiling water and started kneading the mixture. Soon you will get a play dough like material with a gritty texture. That’s it! You have your own beach sand dough for little hands to explore and enjoy. I set out an invitation to play with beach dough, shells, sticks and stones. It was met with an excited squeal and giggles ( how exciting to see your kids get excited over your little set-up)

sensory activities with sand dough Any sensory activity including play-dough substance is great for developing fine motor skills. The recipe is super simple that your kids can help knead ( watch for that hot water though) The girls set off to play, explore and create with the beach dough.

Toddler’s take on the sensory activity

My toddler as usual saw this as a complete sensory exploration. She was all about squashing, kneading and feeling the beach dough.

squishing play dough

Soon however, she turned the sensory activity into a **fine motor activity.**She started picking up the shells and arranging them on her share of beach dough while counting the shells and simply vocalizing her process. playing with shells

She soon added sticks and pebbles to her creation. It was great to see the kids using objects from nature to play and create.

toddler play

toddler sensory activities As you can see my toddler was more into pressing objects into the beach dough. While her older sister was using the beach dough as a glue of sorts to create more elaborate creatures. At their own levels both were developing some serious fine motor skills all while playing and creating with nature.

Preschooler’s take on the sensory activity

My preschooler’s sensory activity leaned more towards “creating” with the dough than exploring the dough by squashing. Here is her beach dough bird.

fine motor activity My personal favorite her snail ( I even so shamefully screamed” kiddo you are so creative”)

making a snail

creatures line up All the creatures in this summer sensory activity.

all creature using sensory sand dough

Hope you enjoyed the play idea. If you happen to make and play with the beach dough, come back and share your pictures and creations.

Thanks for reading

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What readers say

💬 5 comments

🎉 Worked for us

A beach-day favorite two summers running

A parent has made the beach dough two summers in a row with kids aged 2 to 5, as a break from the sun at the beach.

“...at the beach when we needed a break from the sun.”
Claire, Aug 2014

✨ Readers' twist

Add googly eyes and watercolor paints

The same family brought googly eyes and watercolor paints to decorate the shells and the dried dough creatures.

“I brought along google eyes and watercolor paints to the paint shells and dried creatures, too.”
Claire, Aug 2014

🛠️ Troubleshooting

No boiling water at the beach?

A reader wanted to make it on the beach without boiling water and asked about room-temperature water. The post doesn't answer this, so test a batch at home first.

“Would love to do this on the beach but will not have boiling water.”
Mary Kathryn, May 2014

✨ Readers' twist

Put a shell collection to use

A mother of three who loves the beach saw the dough as a way to finally use her shell collection.

“I have a collection of shells that I didn't know what to do with them..”
Jeannette Morris, Oct 2013

Tried it?

Reviewed before it appears. No links, and please no children's names.

Read all 5 comments

  1. Claire · Aug 2014

    We have made this the last 2 summers (kids were 2 & 4 last year, 3 & 5 this year) at the beach when we needed a break from the sun.I brought along google eyes and watercolor paints to the paint shells and dried creatures, too. It is fantastic! Thank you for the great idea and recipe!

  2. Mary Kathryn · May 2014

    Would love to do this on the beach but will not have boiling water. Will it work with room temp water@

  3. Jeannette Morris · Oct 2013

    Hello, Mother of three and I recently found homemade playdough and my children love it and can't get enough of it. This one specifically intrigued me because we live in Trinidad and Tobago and I love the beach as do my children and I have a collection of shells that I didn't know what to do with them.. doing this playdough will give me reason to us them. Thank you so much. I am even thinking about starting a small business selling different types of play dough because I can see how much it builds a child developmentally. THANK YOU!!!!!

  4. Shaunna (@Shaunna_FFL) · Jul 2013

    That sand dough looks very interesting. I bet it was a neat sensory experience. Thanks for linking up to Discover & Explore. I'm featuring this post today.

  5. Veens · Jun 2013

    It looks so awesome! Love the way it turned out. Definitely going to try it.

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