Those who have touched moon sand can attest to its mesmerizing nature.

It’s soft, holds its shape without any water, and seems to fall in slow motion. With the addition of some green dye and golden sparkle, this substance becomes a captivating Saint Patrick’s Day activity for kids. This moon sand recipe is a more affordable version of the store bought variety and has a biodegradable, natural option for environmentally conscious folks.

To make shamrock moon sand, you’ll need:

  • A large mixing bowl
  • A mixing spoon or rubber spatula
  • ½ cup of hair conditioner or lotion
  • 2 cups of cornstarch
  • Green dye or spirulina
  • Gold glitter or mica (optional)

Directions:

  1. Pour the lotion or conditioner into a bowl.
  2. Slowly add the drops of green dye (or ¼ teaspoon of spirulina at a time), stir, and repeat until you get a slightly darker version of the color you’d like. The addition of cornstarch will lighten up the color achieved in this step.
  3. Pour in the cornstarch.
  4. Stir until well combined. You want to be able to ball it up without too much crumbling or stickiness.
  5. Add in glitter or mica to your liking (optional).

Notes:

  1. If you’re looking to make this activity even more on-theme, you can include the following:
    • Pipe cleaners in all colors. With this, you can create rainbow arches and stick them into the shamrock moon sand.
    • Plastic golden coins, or even on-hand coins.
    • Foam shamrocks.
  2. Moon sand is great for building. Give your child some sand molds and see what they create!

Snap a picture of your craft and tag @beniciamagazine on Instagram. We would love to see your versions of this Saint Patrick’s Day inspired craft!