Unveiling the Truth: Is Kinetic Sand Toxic for Kids

As a popular toy for kids, kinetic sand has won a lot of applause, but many parents have expressed concern. Among them, the toxicity of kinetic sand is their biggest concern. The soft sand cannot harm children, but poison is an invisible enemy. Having heard so much news about toxic toys, adults are right to be concerned about whether kinetic sand is toxic.

We’ll go over the details of what kinetic sand is made of and how it works in this blog. At the same time, we will discuss the current major international safety standards for children’s toys. These will let you know why kinetic sand is non-toxic and safe. I hope that after reading this article, you can relieve the above worries and have fun playing and growing up with your children.

Understanding Kinetic Sand

First, we need to understand kinetic sand. This is a lightweight sand that is as soft as marshmallows. When you hell it in your hand, it will lie there. And when you tilt your hand slightly, it will flow away slowly like mud.

You can repeat the above steps an unlimited number of times because the kinetic sand will not dry out. You can use it to build castles, and use molds to make various shapes. It’s more durable and fun to play with than beach sand.

What is Kinetic Sand Made of

The ingredients of kinetic sand are not special. The main one is sand, accounting for 98-99%.

However, pure sand does not stick to each other, nor does it wet forever. Therefore, it also requires a magical substance: silicone oil. In kinetic sand, silicone oil accounts for 1-2%.

Sand

Usually, we use quartz sand. It has fine particles, light weight and low cost. Most of the world’s beaches are made of quartz sand. Therefore, you can also say that the ingredients of kinetic sand is beach sand.

However, we don’t get the sand directly from the beach because that would be expensive. Since debris mixed in the beach sand, such as shells, seaweed, plastic garbage, etc. And seawater also traps excess salt in the sand.

When making kinetic sand, we use pure quartz sand that has been sterilized and cleaned. Their particles are finer than beach sand because the machine grinds them more evenly than ocean waves. Also, the sand will be lighter. These quartz sands come in different colors, so we can also make colorful kinetic sand.

Silicone Oil（PDMS）

Silicone oil is a liquid polymeric siloxane with good lubricity. Among them, PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane) has magical viscoelasticity. It can maintain its form like a solid and flow like a liquid.

The rheological property makes silicone oil an important ingredient of kinetic sand and silly putty toys.

More importantly, PDMS is colorless and non-toxic, and people use it to make contact lenses and medical devices. It can even be added to cooking oils (E900). And, although it is oil, PDMS is not flammable.

Fragrance

Fragrance is minimal in kinetic sand and not even necessary, but we can’t ignore it. We all know that smell affects feelings and behavior. For example, sweetness will make you want to eat, and floral scents will make you feel relaxed. Children also prefer scented toys, as special scents attract their attention.

Nowadays, more and more businesses like to add scent to the sand. But fragrances are complex, even though we always extract them from plants.

Let’s be honest, some kids are allergic to fragrance. The EU list of allergenic fragrances is growing, which helps protect our children. Toys that meet EN71 or ASTM standards do not contain ingredients that are allergic or toxic to children.

Judging from its ingredients, kinetic sand is non-toxic and safe. Moreover, the mixture of these ingredients will not produce harmful things to us. At the same time, each country has safety standards to ensure that only toys that meet the requirements enters the market.

Food Coloring

The food coloring in kinetic sand is tiny, but it can adjust different colors. Food coloring is usually edible, and it is arguably the safest ingredient.

Kinetic Sand vs. Regular Sand: What Sets Them Apart

Kinetic sand is different from regular sand. The most essential one lies in silicone oil.

• Always wet

As we mentioned earlier, the silicone oil in kinetic sand is viscoelastic. It turns the sand into a viscous liquid like honey. What’s more, silicone oil won’t dry out and the sand will stay wet forever. No need to add extra water when kids use it to build castles.

But you can only shape and build castles in regular sand after adding water to it. As the water evaporates, the sand dries out.

• Easy to clean

The biggest trouble for moms is that regular sand gets everywhere after play. This increases the cleaning work. Fortunately, kinetic sand doesn’t have this problem at all. It sticks to itself, but not to other things.

How Does Kinetic Sand Work

Okay, now we know that it is PDMS silicone oil that gives kinetic sand its magical flow effect. So, how does it work?

The Science Behind Kinetic Sand’s Texture

Let’s first explain viscoelasticity, which is a special property.

Common substances in our lives are either sticky or elastic.

For example, water is sticky. When we put a stress on it, it will strain or break. Rubber is elastic and changes its shape when we squeeze or stretch it. But when our force is out, it resumes.

Viscoelastic means that it has both sticky and elastic properties. That’s why you can cut through kinetic sand. When you squeeze it, it will slowly return to the original shape.

Silicone oil has good viscoelasticity, so when it’s mixed with sand, it can give the magical effects. In addition, the fine sand also make the texture gentler and more comfortable when in contact with the skin.

Can Kinetic Sand Dry Out and Why

Unlike magic sand that never gets wet, kinetic sand never dries out.

Thanks to silicone oil, whose silicon-oxygen structure has good stability. This means that silicone oil will not evaporate anywhere and anytime like water. And you’ll always feel like the sand is wet, even though it contains almost no water.

If you use detergent to clean kinetic sand, you may wash the silicone oil from the surface of the sand. Then after the water evaporates, the sand will dry out.

The Popularity of Kinetic Sand in the Toy Industry

Kinetic sand has long been popular in the toy industry, and apparently not just because of its peculiar rheological properties. People’s curiosity doesn’t last long, especially in a toy industry where thousands of new things come out every year.

The secret to kinetic sand’s continued popularity is its benefits for children. Parents prefer to buy things that are good for their children, including, of course, toys.

Benefits of Kinetic Sand for Kids Play

In the eyes of education experts, kinetic sand is a sensory toy. It is non-toxic and safe, so parents can let their children play with confidence.

• Sensory Development

Sensory experience is not as complex as imagined. It’s about how we feel about things, primarily touch.

The development of Electronic Technology allows people to spend more time in the virtual world. Over time, we forget the feelings that come from the real life. For example, how long has it been since you took a pen to write?

When we touch something, we can feel its texture, hardness, temperature, etc. The texture of kinetic sand is soft and children can feel its unique flow with their hands. They can use their muscle strength to grip the sand and feel the feedback it gives the skin. These movements are good for children’s health.

• Creativity and Imagination

It’s easy to understand, when children build sand castles, they use imagination and creativity. Like memory, motor skill needs to be used regularly to stay in our body and brain.

• Reduce Stress and Relax

You may not believe it, but kinetic sand can relieve anxiety and regulate mood. In fact, we become anxious because we care too much about something. When we turn our attention to toys or others, our bodies and minds can relax. Trust me, even a short break can help our health.

Let’s play kinetic sand with the kids! First, you can relax yourself. Second, we can improve the parent-child relationship, and that will make you feel happy.

• Easy to Clean

Don’t worry about kinetic sand making a mess at home. It will just stick to falling sand and nothing else. When children finish playing, there won’t be a grain of sand stuck in their hands.

• Safe and Non-Toxic

Best of all, kinetic sand is non-toxic. Parents can safely let their children play with it.

Exploring Safety Concerns

We know that the safety of toys is the first concern of parents. Because children will hold toys in their hands for a long time. As a toy manufacturer, our mission is no doubt to let kids play healthily and happily.

Common Ingredients in Kinetic Sand

According to our previous analysis, there are only 4 ingredients in kinetic sand:

• Quartz sand
• Silicone oil
• Fragrance
• Food Coloring

These are common substances found in daily life, and you can even make your own kinetic sand at home. We will explain how to make DIY kinetic sand in the following content, you can also click the catalog to read in advance.

Potential Risks Associated with Kinetic Sand

Although kinetic sand is safe, like all toys, it presents potential risks. These risks mainly come from incorrect use. Actually, it is not suitable for younger kids.

Usually, 3+ or 6+ will be marked on the packaging of kinetic sand. This means that children younger than 3 or 6 years old are not suitable for playing with this toy.

Is Kinetic Sand Safe for Toddlers

The answer maybe NO. We do not recommend that parents allow toddlers or babies to play with kinetic sand. Experienced moms know that babies will put anything into their mouths.

The sand particles are tiny. If a baby plays with it, there is a risk of swallowing. You’ll find that toys for little ones are often big, which can prevent them from swallowing them.

In addition, toddlers also like to throw things around. Trust me, you don’t want the sand being thrown anywhere.

Safety Regulations and Standards for Children’s Toys

At present, the main International Safety Standards for children’s toys are ASTM and EN71. As you know, EN71 Laboratory Testing is the most stringent in the world. So, all the toys we make are tested and certified according to EN71.

EN71 

If you want to sell toys in Europe, you must do EN71 Laboratory Testing and obtain a formal report. This is mandatory. The EU’s Toy Safety Directive (TSD) requires a Declaration of Conformity (DoC), and you need the test report to issue one.

EN71 usually tests samples for lead, mercury and phthalate content to ensure that toys do not contain substances harmful to children. At the same time, EN71 will also test flammability, sharp points, small parts, etc. to prevent children from mechanical injuries while playing.

ASTM F963 & CPSC Certification

In the United States, people require toys to comply with the ASTM F963 standard.

ASTM F963 stipulates that most children’s toys must undergo third-party testing. The testing includes:

• Lead Requirements in Surface Coating Materials
• Toy Substrate total lead content requirements
• Cleanliness of Liquids, Pastes, Putties, Gels, and Powders
• Small Objects

In addition, toys for children 12 years old or younger must also pass CPSC testing and certification. Toy importers and manufacturers are required to conduct third-party testing in CPSC-accredited laboratories.

ISO Safety of Toys

ISO 8124 stipulates that children’s toys must comply with safe mechanical properties and chemical elements. 

For example, Part III, ISO requires testing for maximum acceptable levels of migration of antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury and selenium in toys. This ensures that there are no chemical elements in our toys that are toxic to children.

ACCC – Australian Mandatory Safety Standards

The ACCC (Australian Competition & Consumer Commission) stated that whether you are an importer, retail store or wholesaler, selling toys in Australia must comply with the Australian Mandatory Safety Standards. It is illegal in Australia to supply or sell non-compliant toys.

Since different areas have different safety standards for toys, you can ask questions or leave messages in the form, and we will reply to you within 24 hours. You can also add our WhatsApp for real-time chat: +86 180 0088 4063.

Addressing Toxicity Concerns

Children are always curious and active, and they have the courage to try all kinds of unknown things. This made adults both excited and worried.

Responsibly speaking, kinetic sand is non-toxic, especially for children. Since before suppliers and merchants can sell them, these toys must pass strict ingredient testing and audit standards.

However, no matter how safe a toy is, parents cannot let their kids play with it with absolute confidence. Because they always have a way of “hurting themselves”.

Is Kinetic Sand Edible

Kinetic sand is not edible, although it is natural sand and non-toxic silicone oil. If you think about it carefully, you will understand that natural sand is not edible either!

Is Kinetic Sand Gluten Free

Well, without Kinetic Sand is gluten-free, so, it will not cause allergic reactions in children with celiac disease. We explained the reasons in detail in our previous blog “Is Kinetic Sand Gluten Free”, which you can click to read.

While consuming the sand toy does not cause allergies, it is not edible. Thus, when children are playing, adults should supervise them to prevent them from eating toys.

Is Kinetic Sand Toxic if Ingested

Kinetic sand is non-toxic, at least for children. However, it cannot be eaten. If you ingest this sand, you will most likely feel uncomfortable or sick. Because your body always knows what it can’t digest.

What Happens If You Eat Kinetic Sand

To prevent children from eating the sand, it usually tastes terrible. When the tongue tastes the bitter taste, it spits out the sand to avoid eating it in the stomach.

However, if you eat large amounts of kinetic sand, you may experience serious adverse symptoms:

• Intussusception
• Bowel obstruction
• Bowel necrosis
• Bowel performance

These names are painful to look at. At this time, you have no other choice but to go to the hospital for treatment in time.

Of course, if you only eat a little kinetic sand, you can expel it from your body by inducing vomiting or excretion. Please be careful not to take medicine blindly, or you may aggravate your condition.

Is Kinetic Sand Toxic to Touch or Play With

Touching or playing with kinetic sand is non-toxic, since neither silicone oil nor fragrance can through the skin.

However, if you have a cut on your skin, exposure to the sand may cause inflammation. For wounds, kinetic sand is a foreign thing that you can know as an enemy of the body. Our immune system secretes more white blood cell warriors to destroy it.

Potential Health Effects of Kinetic Sand Exposure

Although kinetic sand itself is not toxic, incorrect use and play may cause some potential harm.

• Irritation to eyes

Sometimes children throw the kinetic sand as a snowball. This is a bad game. Kinetic sand can cause irritation and redness if it comes into contact with the eyes. In fact, throwing toys around is a bad habit and can easily cause accidental injuries.

• Eat by mistake

Young children like to put toys in their hands to their mouths, which can easily lead to accidental eating. Some scented kinetic sand may also arouse children’s association and make them think it is delicious.

Therefore, we recommend that children be accompanied by at least one adult when playing. This ensures safety.

Is Kinetic Sand Safe For Pets

Playdough is toxic to pets, primarily because of the salt it contains. We explained the toxicity of playdough to dogs in our previous blog “Is Playdough Toxic to Dogs? Solve and Keep Pets Safe!“, you can click to read it.

Kinetic sand contains no salt, so is it safe for pets? Unfortunately, the answer is no. We cannot assume that kinetic sand is safe for pets. On the contrary, if you have pets in your household, you should try to keep them away from kinetic sand.

Is Kinetic Sand Bad for Dogs

Dogs are usually close to children and often play with them. When children are playing with kinetic sand, it’s difficult to ensure that dogs don’t eat the toy.

Is Kinetic Sand Toxic for Dogs

The ingredients of kinetic sand contain silicone oil, which is something we are more worried about. But it is non-toxic to dogs, and silicone oil is even used in some pet surgeries.

The only thing that may cause poisoning in dogs is the scent of kinetic sand. Although fragrances come from natural plants or fruits, they can be toxic to dogs. In fact, our fruits are harmful to dogs, although these foods are beneficial to humans.

Well, because the fragrance is tiny, your dog won’t be poisoned if they don’t eat a lot. But some scents may tempt them to eat more.

Symptoms of Poisoning in Dogs

When dogs eat kinetic sand, they may experience vomiting and diarrhea. If they can get the sand out of their bodies in this way, it won’t be detrimental to their health.

However, if a dog eats a lot of kinetic sand, it will develop severe symptoms, such as convulsions, foaming at the mouth, or even coma and shock! At this time, you must send it to the pet hospital for treatment in time.

Is Kinetic Sand Toxic to Cats

Compared to dogs, cunning cats usually eat less randomly. But cats are curious and they are always interested in what you are playing with. Cats have a very keen sense of smell and they are extremely sensitive to scents. You’ve no doubt heard that cat owners can’t even use scented litter for their cats.

When people make toys, their first priority is the safety of children. However, while the scent is harmless to children, it can harm innocent kittens. Therefore, if there are cats in the family, you can choose unscented kinetic sand.

Unscented kinetic sand is relatively safe for cats, but we should still keep pets away when playing. In addition, if cats eat kinetic sand, they will also suffer from vomiting and diarrhea just like dogs. However, pets are relatively fragile, so it’s best to have them checked by a vet if possible.

Can Pets Safely Play with Kinetic Sand

We do not recommend that children play with kinetic sand with pets.

For one thing, kids can get sand into your pet’s hair. Pets eat this sand when they clean and lick their fur. On the other hand, the scent of kinetic sand may irritate your pet’s respiratory tract. Even if the toxicity is minimal, we should keep our pets away from kinetic sand.

Kinetic sand is a toy developed specifically for children, it is not suitable for pets. If you want to play with your pet, regular sand or beach sand will be better.

Ensuring Safe Playtime

There is no absolutely safe product in the world. We use kitchen knives to cut vegetables, but it can also hurt people. Only correct use can prevent dangerous behaviors from occurring.

The same goes for toys. Safe ways of playing protect our children from injury.

Tips for Safe Handling and Play with Kinetic Sand

Kinetic sand is a sensory modeling toy that trains children’s hands and brains. Thus, we need to know that it is a relatively quiet creative activity.

• √ Art creation

As an alternative to beach sand, kinetic sand stays wet for a long time and is easy to shape. Kids can build sandcastles at home or use molds to make crabs and starfish.

No matter what they create, children need to calm down and stay focused, which will make it easier for them to enter a flow state. Flow experiences will give children a higher sense of accomplishment.

• √ Learn knowledge

Some children will be curious about the properties of kinetic sand and ask you questions. This is a great opportunity for them to learn about science. You can design problems and experiments for them to operate and verify.

• × Sandfight

Kinetic sand is soft and children can use it instead of snow for sand fights. The sand won’t hurt kids, but it can be a headache for moms because the play can make the home messy and difficult to clean. Therefore, we do not recommend that children play with kinetic sand in this way.

• × Baking or searing

Playing with fire is dangerous. Don’t let kids put kinetic sand in the oven or microwave!

• × Eat

Kinetic sand is not edible, do not let children eat it!

Preventing Accidents: Proper Storage and Cleanup of Kinetic Sand

Prompt cleaning and storage of kinetic sand after play can reduce accidents. Remember a simple rule, don’t leave children and pets alone with kinetic sand. Because you can’t guarantee what they will do.

How to Store Kinetic Sand

We usually store kinetic sand in sealed bags or boxes, which has three benefits:

1. Reduces kinetic sand’s contact with air, thereby extending its play life.
2. Prevents pets from coming into contact with and playing with kinetic sand, which minimizes the risk of pets ingesting the sand.
3. Ziploc bags or boxes are easy to store and can reduce clutter in your home.

Is Kinetic Sand Messy

Children come back from playing at the beach with a lot of sand in their hair, clothes and hands. Kinetic sand, however, won’t clutter your home. Because it doesn’t stick to clothes or skin, it just sticks to itself.

However, if we don’t clean up the kinetic sand after playing, our home will eventually become messy. Therefore, it is best to put the kinetic sand into a sealed bag or box after the children have finished playing.

How to Get Kinetic Sand Out of Carpet

Well, carpet is a troublemaker. Its fibers have many tiny voids that provide a home for bacteria and microorganisms. If children play with kinetic sand on the carpet, there may be sand that gets into these gaps.

• Shake or vacuum

How to do it? In fact, moms don’t have to worry. We just need to take the dirty carpet outside to the yard and shake it out, and the sand will fly out of the gaps. If the home has a large carpet, then mothers can solve the problem by vacuuming the area where the children play!

• Detergent

The worst thing that can happen is that the kinetic sand literally sticks to the fibers of the carpet. Then we need some professional detergent. We use tools to scrape the kinetic sand out of the carpet before cleaning. You can use a knife or a ruler, whatever you think will work for the problem.

Apply detergent to the stained carpet and scrub gently with a damp towel until it is clean. Finally, you can dry the carpet with a dry towel or hair dryer.

• Professional cleaning

Well, the easiest way is to take the carpet to a professional laundry. They can always help you solve it, but it may require some extra fees.

Educating Children about Kinetic Sand Safety

No idea is more efficient than education. When you teach children how to play safely, they will benefit from it throughout their lives. And you no longer have to worry about them hurting themselves while playing.

1. First, we must make it clear to children that toys are not food. When children learn that kinetic sand is not food, they will not eat it or feed it to pets.
2. Secondly, we must establish game rules for children. For example, don’t use kinetic sand as a snowball and throw it around. Not only does this reduce accidents, it also reduces the cleaning work for moms.
3. Also, don’t let children eat while playing. If children are hungry, they should wash their hands before eating. This can effectively prevent diseases from entering through the mouth.
4. Finally, after playing, we guide children to tidy up their play area and clean their hands. Good hygiene habits will benefit them throughout their lives.

Keep Pets Away From Kinetic Sand

It’s hard to understand the behavior of pets, even though you may have lived with them for a long time. Therefore, it is better to keep pets away from kinetic sand or other children’s toys.

An easy idea is to have a separate play space for the kids. Keep pets away while they are playing. Also, store kinetic sand out of reach of pets.

Is Kinetic Sand Bad For The Environment

The proliferation and harm of microplastics has sounded the alarm to each of us. Today we are more concerned about environmental protection than ever before. Fortunately, kinetic sand is an environmentally friendly product.

• Natural Quartz Sand & No Heavy Metals

The main ingredient in kinetic sand is natural quartz sand, which itself comes from Mother Earth. It does not contain heavy metals and toxic substances, so it will not damage or pollute the ecological environment.

• Wastewater Treatment and Degradation

Unfortunately, the PDMS silicone oil material in kinetic sand is not biodegradable. However, it is absorbed as it passes through wastewater treatment facilities and is degraded catalytically by the clay. Therefore, it is actually not harmful to our environment either.

Overall, kinetic sand is environmentally friendly.

Easy DIY Recipe: How to Make Kinetic Sand Safe and Non Toxic

To be honest, although kinetic sand has few and simple ingredients, it’s hard to make it exactly the same at home as in the store.

Here’s an easy DIY recipe for a fun approximation of kinetic sand at home. Interested readers can try it with children. Although we use products commonly found in your home kitchen, please pay attention to safety during the preparation process.

Ingredients

• Fine sand 1 Cup
• Cornstarch 1 Tablespoon
• Dish soap 1 Tablespoon
• Food Coloring 2-3 Drops
• Water ¼ Cup

We do not recommend you use beach sand as it has larger particles and contains more impurities. You’re better off buying fine sand (the finer, the better) in a store or online. If the sand you purchase is naturally colored, you can skip the food coloring.

Of course, don’t forget to prepare tools such as measuring cups (Cup and Tablespoon), two bowls and a mixing spoon.

Instructions

• Step 1: Pour the fine sand and cornstarch into a bowl, mix them with a spoon and stir.
• Step 2: Add food coloring and stir evenly. Skip this step if you have no plans to change the color.
• Step 3: Pour dish soap and water into another bowl and stir until foamy.
• Step 4: Pour the dish soap solution from step 3 into the sand from step 1 and stir evenly.
• Step 5: If the sand is too dry, add water appropriately.

Mix cornstarch with water to create Oobleck non-Newtonian fluids. When mixing with sand, the sand has this special property. The dish soap solution reduces the viscosity of the sand, making it easier to shape.

Notes

1. Choose sand with fine particles so that the texture of the dynamic sand produced will be softer and more comfortable.
2. You can add food coloring or glitter powder to make homemade kinetic sand more interesting.
3. Adding glue to the above recipe can make creamy slime kinetic sand, which is also very interesting.
4. Put the homemade kinetic sand into a sealed box to store it for a long time.
5. Cornstarch attracts bugs and bacteria, so you should replace homemade sand regularly. Changing it once a week is best.

Does Kinetic Sand Go Bad

Kinetic sand usually does not go bad, with a few exceptions:

1. If the kinetic sand is placed in a humid place for a long time, it may become moldy or smelly.
2. Use detergent to clean kinetic sand, which may lose silicone oil and turn into ordinary sand.

How Long does Kinetic Sand Last

In theory, kinetic sand can last forever. Whether it is sand or silicone oil, they are relatively stable ingredients. They ensure that the kinetic sand stays moist for a longer period of time. When it’s a little dry, you just add a little bit of water and it comes back.

The aroma components in kinetic sand will slowly fade over time. Because the scent molecules have to be constantly moving in and out of the kinetic sand for you to smell the scent. When you can no longer smell the fragrance, it means that the fragrance molecules have evaporated. However, this process usually takes half a year or a year.

After the scent of kinetic sand wears off, you can add a drop of essential oil to re-scent it.

Conclusion

Simply put, kinetic sand is not toxic. Its ingredients are natural sand and non-toxic silicone oil, which are safe for children. When purchasing kinetic sand, look for the ASTM F963 or EN71 mark on the packaging, which indicates that the toy does not contain toxic ingredients.

When playing on kinetic sand, adult supervision and guidance can avoid harm caused by wrong playing methods.

Kinetic Sand Safety Warning

1. Dynamic sand is not edible. Ingestion may cause suffocation, vomiting and gastrointestinal diseases.
2. If a child accidentally eats kinetic sand, he should go to the hospital for treatment as soon as possible. Do not take your own medicine.
3. Dynamic sand is not friendly to pets. Try not to play with pets.
4. Use sealed bags or sealed boxes to store kinetic sand.
5. Store the kinetic sand in a place out of reach of children and pets.

FAQ of Kinetic Sand

Below are some frequently asked questions and answers about kinetic sand, please continue reading. If you have better suggestions or ideas, you are welcome to contact us at any time!

Can you add water to kinetic sand?

Yes. When the kinetic sand is dry, you can add a little water to restore it to the proper viscoelasticity. However, you’d better not add too much water, it will become very sticky.

Is kinetic sand magnetic?

No. Kinetic sand does not stick together by magnetism, you can prove it with a magnet or piece of iron! In fact, the secret of kinetic sand is silicone oil (PDMS), a substance with good viscoelasticity that can make loose sand flow like slime.

Can plants grow in kinetic sand?

This is probably not a good idea. Kinetic sand does not contain elements that are beneficial to plant growth, such as potassium, calcium, and phosphorus. Lack of these elements can make plants malnourished or diseased. Plants grow better when kinetic sand is mixed with soil.