I'm a parent who usually cringes at the idea of compounds — anything stretchy, slimy, sticky or doughy that comes into my house usually finds it on its way out shortly after. But even I have found myself soothed by the charms of Kinetic Sand. It always that perfect, wet-beach-sand consistency, which is a sensory experience I can get behind.
This year, one new Kinetic Sand play set earned itself a Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award: the Kinetic Sand SquishMotion Play Set. The standout feature that makes kids awe are the different stampers, which turns the sand into shapes like a shark, a sun or a shooting star. And as the sand moves through the stamper, it almost looks like it's animated. Fortunately, for squeamish parents like me, it comes in its own carrying case that helps contain the grains of sand (though you probably want to put something down around it anyway).
Kinetic Sand SquishMotion Play Set
If that sounds good, now is the best time to buy, because Amazon is offering the Kinetic Sand SquishMotion Play Set at one of the lowest prices ever. It usually retails for $20, but right now it's available at 38% off, with a price tag of just $12.49. That's not quiet the lowest we've ever seen it (that was $11.19 earlier this year), but it's just about as close as possible.
In addition to the play set, it comes with three colors of sand (pink, yellow and blue) and a couple of other tools, like a crinkle cutter, so kids can really unleash their creativity. And in Good Housekeeping Institute tests, kids really did like getting into it. "My daughter likes playing with kinetic stand, and she liked the colors this came with," said one parent of an 8-year-old tester.
Another praised it for being a good on-the-go toy. "She loved that it had a little briefcase to hold the sand and bring with her," said the parent of a 9-year-old. (I guess I wasn't the only one who liked the case feature!)
The Kinetic Sand SquishMotion Play Set is for kids ages 3 and up, though in our tests it had appeal for kids even approaching their tween years. And maybe the adults in your house will find their way over to it, too.
More Toys That Boost Creativity
Paw Patrol My First Instant Camera
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
