Making Sand Stick

• First have your child(ren) place dry sand in one bucket, ask them to flip it over. What happened?​

  • The sand just pours out; it will not keep its’ shape.

  • Ask them if they have any ideas on how to make the sand keep its’ shape when they turn the bucket over.

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• If they suggest making it damp, great! If not, you can lead them to this idea by putting a little water over some sand and showing them that it sticks together.

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• Then, have them put damp sand in the bucket and flip it over. It should keep its’ shape quite well.

 

• Why is this?

  • Adding water to the sand allows the individual little pieces of sand to band together, like a rubber band makes things stick together!  If you add even more water, the rubber band effect goes away and the sand starts flowing! 

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• *If you want to extend your “sand science” even more, have your children experiment with varying amounts of water! They can even look at the sand with a magnifying glass to see all of the tiny grains.