Beach Sand - Summer Science for Kids!
- Amy Wung Tsao
- Jul 1
- 3 min read
Updated: 17 hours ago
Quick links if you’re too busy to scroll:
Beach Sand Science Videos for Kids:
4 Steps to the Perfect Sandcastle! from SciShow Kids
Scientific Sand Castles! from Science Max
Where Does Sand Come From? from Colossal Questions
Beach Sand Science Books for Kids:
Parrotfish has a Superpower! written by Jill Esbaum, illustrated by Bob Shea
Beach Sand Science Activities for Kids:
Experiment with Sand from Lessons 4 Little Ones
Find Magnetite in Sand with a Magnet from Lakeshore Museum Center
Keep reading to learn more about adding some fun beach science for kids to your next summer beach trip!
Beach Sand - Summer Science for Kids
“...in every grain of sand there is the story of the earth.”
~ conservationist Rachel Carson
Credit: Elena Ktenopoulou on UnSplash
Here’s a light and fun summer science topic for kids - beach sand! Make the beach or playground sandbox into a whole science lab for them to play in.
(Just a reminder - I am never paid to mention any of these resources; there are no affiliate links.)
Beach Sand - Science Videos for Kids
from SciShow Kids
If you can believe it, I never made a sandcastle until I was a grown adult taking my own kids to the beach the first time! Truthfully, I could have totally used the tips in this video back then, as I had no idea what I was doing and neither did my kids! This video covers the science for why wet sand sticks together, and why you need a strong base to hold your sandcastle up!
Scientific Sand Castles! from Science Max
The sandcastle video above might be a bit basic for those older kids and experienced sandcastle builders out there. For those kids, can I recommend one of my favorite Science Max clips? Here, he again shows the difference between wet sand and dry sand. BUT - wet sand still can’t hold up heavy weights. Here’s where Science Max introduces Science Sand - using pieces of window screen to create extra friction between the grain sands, making his sand castle even stronger than wet sand!
Where Does Sand Come From? from Colossal Questions
Journey along with a rock as it gets slowly eroded over time into sand! Plus, learn about why most sand in tan, but some sand is pink, white, or black!
(Teachers - learning about how rocks get eroded into sand slowly over time supports NGSS 2-ESS1-1.)
Beach Sand - Summer Science Books for Kids
Parrotfish has a Superpower! written by Jill Esbaum, illustrated by Bob Shea
I know, you’re thinking this is not a sand book. This is a fish book. And you are right, but you are also wrong.
Because (spoiler alert) it turns out that some white beach sand is actually parrotfish poop.
Parrotfish can’t wait to share this delightful factoid with your kids! Be sure to pack this book along on your next family beach trip.
(And teachers - this is a great example of how sand can be created more quickly, supporting NGSS 2-ESS1-1.)
Beach Sand - Summer Science Activities for Kids
Experiment with Sand from Lessons 4 Little Ones Simple enough for even preschoolers and toddlers! Give them a magnifying glass and let them inspect grains of sand up close. You can even do a simple experiment in your kitchen by adding drops of vinegar to your sand. If the sand starts bubbling a little bit in reaction to the vinegar, that means your sand came from crushed shells and coral. If not, your sand probably is made of bits of silica or quartz minerals.
from Lakeshore Museum Center
There might be magnetite hiding your beach sand! All you need is a magnet to find out. Magnetite is a naturally occurring mineral, and often appears as black streaks in the sand. This is so simple, I can’t wait to try this at the beach later this summer! And if you want to add on some more magnet fun, I’ve got a whole post about magnet science for kids here!
I hope you found a fun, easy way to add some learning to your next beach trip!
For more summer STEM fun, sign up to get my monthly emails and then check out these other summer STEM posts!
Fireworks Science for Kids
Summer STEM/STEAM Activities Round-Up
Outdoor STEM/STEAM Activities Round-Up
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