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Dough Wars! Cloud Dough vs Kinetic Sand

13/3/2014

20 Comments

 
This is the first of many "Dough Wars!" to be found here at Your Kids OT.  There are so many "doughs"  on the market and many more recipes for various "doughs" on the internet.  Today, I'm comparing "Cloud Dough" and "Kinetic Sand".  Don't know what they are... read on...

Cloud Dough

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What is Cloud Dough?
Cloud dough is a homemade dough made from 2 simple ingredients - plain flour and baby oil.

Mix 4 cups of plain flour with 1/2 cup of baby oil to make cloud dough. You may also add your favourite essential oils to add additional sensory stimulation.  Store in an airtight container.
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The sniff test: choosing an essential oil to add to the cloud dough.

Kinetic Sand

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What is Kinetic Sand?
According to the developers - "Kinetic Sand is fun, mess free play sand or sand in motion". http://www.kineticsand.com.au/

It is made out of 98% sand and 2% magic (ie. non-toxic synthetic polymer).  It was developed for children with special needs. 

Kinetic Sand should not be mixed with water as this changes the properties of the sand. 

It never dries out.

Cost?
Cloud dough costs approximately $2.20 (plain flour) + $2.45 (baby oil) = $4.65 for at least 2 batches of the recipe listed above.


Cost?
Kinetic Sand is a commercially available product from the website listed above as well as specialty toy stores throughout Australia.  The 5 kg box costs $49.95 and 1 kg box $19.95.
Winner: Cloud dough is the cost effective option.  I feel protective of the Kinetic sand each time I see some land on the floor and potentially be thrown away. {Feels a bit precious because of the cost, but that could just be me!}

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Sensory experience?
Cloud dough feels smooth to touch because of the baby oil in the dough.  It feels silky without feeling slimy or sticky. Cloud dough can also feel crumbly when it breaks into smaller pieces. The additional sensory experience of making the dough (ie. combining the flour with the baby oil, smelling and adding the essential oil) is rewarding for kids to be part of the cloud dough creation.

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Sensory experience?
Kinetic Sand feels soothing and smooth.  It is fluid as the sand sticks to itself and moves gently as it falls in your hands. (This may be best seen in the video below). When you touch kinetic sand you expect it to feel like ordinary sand and there are some similarities, however it feels less grainy.  It is not sticky and wet like wet sand. Definitely a unique sensation!
Winner: Either .... A personal preference here. Both feel great to me!

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Cloud Dough shaping and moulding.
Shaping and moulding?
When pressed into a mould, cloud dough sticks together and "clumps".  You can mould small clumps and hold it gently.  Too much pressure will crumble the dough.  We could not cut out shapes or mould cloud dough in flat moulds. 
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Kinetic Sand shaping and moulding.
Shaping and moulding?
Kinetic sand moulds easily in containers and shapes may be cut out.  You can mould a solid shape and hold it gently.  If you squeeze it then the sand falls apart smoothly.  You can not pick up a shape from the tray.  

Winner: Kinetic Sand is easier to mould and shape.  Both have great properties though.

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Cloud Dough mess factor!
Mess factor?
Cloud dough can become very crumbly and messy.  Whilst the cloud dough was played in a tray, there was lots that ended up on the ground or tabletop. It did stick to fingers during play too. Tiles become very slippery after cleaning up cloud dough.  I would suggest this would be a great outdoor activity!
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Kinetic Sand mess factor!
Mess factor?
Kinetic Sand proports to be mess free. We found that it still crumbles a bit on fingers and clothing. We (ok, I) was a bit precious about it when it left the tray onto the table, ground or clothing.  It can be swept back together but cannot be picked up like playdough to re-use.  I would suggest using a "messy mat" or tablecloth on the floor so the bits that fall on the ground may be collected for re-use.
Winner: Kinetic Sand is less messy but not completely mess free.

I will leave the overall winner up to you!  Both sensory experiences are fantastic.  They have unique properties that are better felt than described.  Kinetic Sand would be a great present for a child and I can see "Cloud Dough" in preschools and childcare centres across the globe!  Try them both and let me know what you think!
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Note: Cloud dough should not be consumed.  Please supervise children during this activity and it is not recommended for children less than 3 years of age. 

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Editorial Note after publication: 
Looking for more ideas when playing with Kinetic Sand? Read about"7 invitations to play Kinetic Sand".

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20 Comments
Amanda
23/6/2014 10:08:55 pm

My dother wants kinetic sand


Reply
Cindy @ Your Kids OT link
24/6/2014 02:43:54 am

Kinetic sand is really cool stuff!

Reply
Maria link
14/7/2014 06:11:59 pm

Is it possible to get a sample of the kinetic sand?

Reply
Cindy @ Your Kids OT link
15/7/2014 04:03:16 am

Sorry Maria, I am not a distributor of Kinetic Sand. I purchased this myself for my kids.

Reply
Loretta
20/7/2014 03:48:15 pm

My son got it for a birthday present. He has not stopped playing with it.. It is so good for sensory play. Mind you I like to play with it too..

Reply
Cindy @ Your Kids OT link
21/7/2014 01:01:28 am

Lots of fun Loretta. Thanks for commenting.

Reply
Natasha link
18/8/2014 06:08:53 am

I want to purchase the kinetic sand for my girls but I got sticker shock with it being $14 for a small box of It. I am glad that you did the comparison for m I can see investing in it now.

We play with cloud dough all the Time. I don't make it with baby oil as I do have a child who still like to put things in her mouth.

Reply
Cindy @ Your Kids OT link
18/8/2014 07:12:37 am

Kinetic Sand is on the expensive side but maybe a special present from a grandparent? It is worth the investment. Having said that, I think kids will also get great sensory experiences with sand, rice, playdough, etc Thanks for your comment.

Reply
Lindsey link
11/9/2014 02:33:05 am

If you don't make it with baby oil what do you make it with

Reply
Cindy @Your Kids OT link
23/9/2014 01:22:46 pm

Hi Lindsey, You could try vegetable oil, coconut oil or olive oil. You may need to change the ratio of flour. I will be trying it out soon and will post it here! Thanks

Krystal link
20/8/2014 03:25:18 am

I completely agree with you. Although cloud dough is a fantastic sensory experience and is oh so soft, Kinetic Sand is hands down the winner-especially from a clean up point of view. Thanks for the post!

Reply
Cindy @ Your Kids OT link
20/8/2014 07:41:00 am

It is good to look at them side-by-side so you can see the pros and cons. Thanks for your comment Kyrstal!

Reply
Luc
13/9/2014 08:50:44 am

they now sell Kinetic Sand in Australia in 2.5 kg box for $30.00 . I got some for my son, and it's amazing, we only use about 1/4 of the pack so far (the rest is just left in the bag, as it never dries out) and he absolutely loves it

Reply
Cindy@Your Kids OT link
13/9/2014 06:44:05 pm

Thats great Luc. Thanks for your comment.

Reply
Natalie link
30/10/2014 09:38:05 pm

If you have a Hastings store near you I bought some for my daughter and niece for $9.99 each.. It isn't a huge portion but it's enough to satisfy a child's play needs and also they each have their own color and a personal container for it that it came in. Definitely worth what I spent on it and a lot better then play dough in my opinion.

Reply
Cindy @ Your Kids OT link
31/10/2014 08:11:56 am

Thanks Natalie... Is Hastings a US store? In Australia, Kinetic Sand is now widely available in stores including Australian Geographic shops and many toy shops.

Reply
Starla
7/11/2014 11:45:16 pm

How do you make moon sand

Reply
Cindy@ Your Kids OT link
8/11/2014 04:26:09 am

Starla, I think it depends who you speak with. Some would describe moon sand as the same as the cloud dough recipe I have here. Others make moon sand with play sand, corn flour and water.

Reply
Janice
14/12/2014 02:30:42 am

I'm the same way with our kinetic sand lol have to scope up all of it for the price lol.

Reply
Cindy @Your Kids OT link
14/12/2014 07:44:07 am

I'm glad I'm not the only one!

Reply



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    Hi, I'm Cindy and I am an Occupational Therapist. I enjoy working creatively with children to see them reach their potential. Read more about me here.

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Disclaimer: The information on this site is general in nature and should be used for educational  and entertainment purposes. The activities are safe for most children, however, you should consult an Occupational Therapist or health professional to address specific movement, sensory or other medical conditions.  This blog does not replace formal therapeutic professional advice given by a health professional or medical practitioner.  Reviews and endorsements of products will only be made based on my expertise and personal opinion; and deemed worthy of such endorsement. The opinions shared in sponsored content will always be my own and not that of the advertising company or brand. Content, advertising space or posts will be clearly identified if paid, affiliated or sponsored.  Affiliate links may  be found throughout this website in advertising. This means that if you follow through with a purchase from these links, Your Kids OT will receive a percentage of the sale. Your Kids OT undertakes to meet the requirements of the "Social Media Policy" as published by Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).  Further information about this policy can be found here.

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Hi, I'm Cindy and I am an Occupational Therapist. I enjoy working creatively with children to see them reach their potential. Read more about me here.

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