A parenting influencer who goes by the name @ellethevirgo on TikTok has shared a brilliant hack that can turn a simple box of Cheerios into a fun sensory sand experience. The great part is that the sand is edible, so you don’t have to worry if your child puts some in their mouth, which they will inevitably do.
The recipe for Cheerios sensory sand is pretty simple:
- Grab a box of Cheerios (avoid honey nut flavor unless you want your kid to have a sticky sensory experience).
- Grind the cereal by dumping it into a blender or food processor. You can also get a rockier texture by putting it in a sealable bag and grinding it with a rolling pin.
- Pour the sand into a bin and add some scoops and containers for the full sensory experience.
Now, here’s where we’ll include our mandatory disclaimer: Children should only play with the sensory sand under adult supervision. Always make sure the bin is clean and the sand is replaced before every use.
Parents on TikTok couldn’t believe they hadn’t heard of the hack before.
“Yess!! So if she accidentally eats the sand it’s ok bc it’s freaking Cheerios,” Nelly Gomez wrote.
“Wait, what? Holy hell this is genius,” Momma Cusses added.
@ellethevirgo 🌞🐠🌴 #fyp #sensoryplay #upcycling
A few commenters were concerned that the sensory sand may encourage small children to eat real sand. This is a legitimate criticism because, according to doctors, sand can be a choking hazard. “Isn’t she going to be trained that all sand will taste like Cheerio dust now?” Eric asked.