So Sand DIY – The Perfect Sensory Toy!

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The Perfect Sensory Toy – Magic Sand 

Myself and my daughter were lucky enough to be able to try out one of the new So Sand DIY toys from Canal Toys recently. As a mum I am always looking for exciting and stimulating toys that can help my child explore new textures and feelings and help her learn. So Sand DIY is a full on ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) experience – not only for my daughter but for me too! From making the sand to cutting and shaping it, it really was fun and actually quite relaxing to do and to watch! 

 

What is SO Sand DIY? 

Canal Toys are a French based company that are expanding worldwide and have launched several other arts and crafts products making them a specialist in this area synonymous with fresh and innovative products. All toys are CE certified and there is a great range to choose from including The So Sand DIY Studio, Tool Case and Satisfying Sand Ball and even grab bags and single sand kits which make great pocket money purchases for the children.  

The whole idea of the products is the Magic Sand. If you haven’t seen or heard of this before then it is a sand based product which holds its shape and can be moulded or cut. It can be squeezed through your hands and feels oddly satisfying. Its like wet sand but without the mess! This is what creates the ASMR, being able to do things that you didn’t think possible and allowing your child to create and shape whatever they can think of.  

Our Experience…  

We tried the Ball Satisfying Kit – Magic Sand. This kit comes packaged in a ball with a handle which housing some moulds, a cutter and three different packets of the magic sand which colours and glitter to colour them with. It of course comes with full instructions which are actually translated in many different languages.  

We decided to start with colouring just one of the packets so my daughter could get the feel and so I could see what her reaction would be… and I’m one of those mums that cry when the play-doh colours are mixed together. We added the beautifully bright green to the magic sand and added some glitter for good measure. It was easy to mix together just by using our fingers and squashing and squishing it between our hands – a sensory experience in itself!  

   

We them put it into the ball provided and cut it using the plastic cutter also provided. My daughter did this with such precision it surprised me! She took great care in cutting each section up and seeing how small it would go before crumbling. She then shaped it all back together and did it again. As a mum it was so lovely to see her getting so much stimulation and sensory experience from such a simple toy. We coloured the remaining two packets with the beautiful pink and purple provided and had great fun making shapes cutting these together… yes I let my guard down and let her mix the colours and she made some beautiful patterns.  

On the go toy!

I also loved the fact that this was such an easily transportable toy. Being able to store everything in the compact and neat outer ball with the handle meant my daughter could carry it around and take it to her nannys or even easily take it on trips out to keep her entertained on journeys or holidays.  

 

I think it’s great that Canal Toys and the So Sand DIY brand have really thought about their products and what ages they are aiming them at. Most are aimed at ages 6+ with the larger kits having so many different tools and features they can use. It means an activity usually aimed at preschool and toddlers is now completely family friendly and accessible to all.  

Where Can I Find it?

I really recommend these toys to any parent that wants to encourage their child with a fun yet stimulating experience. It’s a great craft activity that is actually pretty low mess yet high enjoyment.  

So Sand DIY is available here and at most high street stores