Kids get messy with kinetic sand

By Travis Fischer, tkfischer@charlescitypress.com

Twenty-one kids enjoyed synthetic sand this week for the Charles City Public Library’s Get Messy program.

Mixing together common household ingredients, the kids created colorful “kinetic sand” on Tuesday afternoon.

“It’s like sand, but softer,” said children’s librarian Stacey Leerhoff.

Made out of baking soda, sugar, corn starch, water and some cream of tartar, the sand-like substance holds shape similarly to the waterlogged sand one would find at the beach, allowing kids to build and shape it how they please.

“It’s a fun thing to make and play with,” said Leerhoff.

Next week the program will go from sand to slime as the kids learn how to make two different kinds of slimy substances.