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Mom’s TikTok On Making ‘Edible Sand’ Goes Viral And Others Try It Out
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Mom’s TikTok On Making ‘Edible Sand’ Goes Viral And Others Try It Out

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There’s an unexplainable gravitational pull that draws your kid’s handful of sand right into their mouth. ‘Cause let’s be honest, kids would live on any non-edible, “don’t-touch-it,” and plain dangerous diet if they could.

So imagine what a relief came over parents when one mom shared an “edible sand” recipe on her TikTok. The sand takes a minute to make and all you need are some Cheerios and a blender. Elle Anna Christine posted the TikTok showing her blending the Cheerios and laying them all out on a tray. She then added some beach-themed toys as decoration.

The video was viewed a whopping 2.6M times and has since been bouncing around from one mom to another. Bored Panda reached out to Elle Anna, the Illinois-based mom behind the viral TikTok video so scroll down to see what she had to say in an interview below!

This mom shared the “edible sand” recipe on TikTok and it went viral

@elleannachristine🌞🐠🌴 ##fyp ##sensoryplay ##upcycling♬ Laxed (Siren Beat) – Jawsh 685

Bored Panda contacted 23-year-old mom Elle Anna Christine from Illinois. She said that the idea of “edible sand” came because “there aren’t many beaches around us, so I wanted to make my daughter one that was safe to play in.”

Her daughter Amara, who’s 7 months old, absolutely loved the idea, but “she didn’t eat very much of it.” Mom suspects that it’s because “she doesn’t have coordination yet, so she could barely pick up any of it.” The “edible sand” may work better for kids slightly older than Amara’s age. But just like most kids her age, Amara “is really into touching everything and putting everything in her mouth right now.”

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Elle Anna would definitely recommend trying the sand out because it’s a lot of fun, but it’s better to be done outdoors “since the process is pretty messy.” The Illinois-based mom said she has done more edible crafts on her TikTok, like “putting a couple of Amara’s toys in jello last week,” but the “edible sand” is the biggest one so far.

One more mom shared her own spin on the “edible sandpits”

@mamabee2012Edible sand! ##fyp ##cheerios ##generalmills ##toddler ##sensoryplay♬ original sound – mamabee2012

Bored Panda also spoke to Angela Thayer, educational writer and sensory play creator at “Teaching Mama,” about the edible Cheerios sand idea. Angela told us that she has seen it and loved it because “parents don’t have to worry about what their child will put in their mouth.” She also said that “it’s taste-safe and a great texture for kids to explore.”

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“Edible sand” is an example of sensory play, which is an excellent tool for kids to explore the world they live in. “As children grow, their senses are their most familiar and most basic way to explore and process new information,” Angela explained. Meanwhile, “sensory play enhances learning through hands-on activities that stimulate the child’s senses.”

And people hailed the idea as “genius”

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postvoorly avatar
hobbitly
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Would this not teach the kid that sand = edible. So when they plays with real sand, they might think they can eat it?

kateh_1 avatar
kate h
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Exactly what I posted as well. Especially kids on the spectrum. One even mentioned their kid eating kitty litter!

Load More Replies...
jmchoto avatar
Jo Choto
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Problem 1. What do you think is going to happen when that child next encounters ordinary sand? Problem 2. For their own safety, especially when it comes to emergencies, small children really need to learn the word "no".

wianjama avatar
Rissie
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Exactly. Don't accommodate for something that is just not going to work in the real world.

Load More Replies...
kateh_1 avatar
kate h
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Isn't this just teaching them that eating sand or kitty litter is OK? Sincerely, Debbie Downer

getsuyoubi avatar
Monday
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kids are gonna try to eat sand regardless. Once they taste the difference they'll stop. Regardless of whether your baby has had "edible sand" before or not, take them to the beach and they WILL pop a handful of sand in their mouth cause that's what babies do. Heck I used to eat dirt from the garden when I was a toddler.

Load More Replies...
crabcrab avatar
Hans
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sand is not normally toxic. Toddlers quickly learn that it is not edible, and changing a few sandy diapers after they "tried it" does no harm. However, having grinded cheerios will not only make them think that sand actuall is edible, but also make it likely that they eat tons of sugar. Cheerios contains about 1/3 sugar. This is definitely no food for toddlers. Whoever has children will agree that once they taste it they will crave for it!

crabcrab avatar
Hans
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One more remark: toddlers drool. If they teeth, they drool a lot. Having a pounder with 1/3 sugar in it moistened? Oh well, good luck cleaning the whole house!

Load More Replies...
wianjama avatar
Rissie
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sand doesn't kill. Kid needs to learn no. And Cheerios are mainly unnecessary sugars. So how's about we do this the way it has worked for ages? And not do this.

kennykulbiski avatar
Kenny Kulbiski
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most kids I knew only tried eating sand once. It's a useful learning experience. If your kid is trying to eat the shoreline you've got problems.

christophebeunens avatar
Christophe Beunens
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a complete waste of resources. We have enough people in the world who are dying of hunger, and here children are playing in food, because the parents cannot tell the kid that sand cannot be eaten (sand isn't even poison)

alangreen avatar
Alan Green
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Great until you take them to the seaside and they try to eat the entire beach lol

leahiniowa avatar
Country Nana
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Blended cereal is lighter and finer than sand. It's an inhalation hazard!

moviegal40 avatar
Kathy Trites
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I worked in daycare. We used cornmeal. Didn't taste great so the little ones weren't encouraged to eat it. Using cheerios defeat the purpose of teaching them not to eat it

nbo avatar
crabcrab avatar
jason_doakes avatar
Jason Doakes
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

GENIUS! My toddler always wants to drink funny colored laundry detergent and bleach, so we cleaned out a few bottles bleach and detergent and filled it with different colors of sirup, he loves it, such a GREAT idea!!! Darwin award!

vsswift avatar
Victoria Swift
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yay, let's teach kids eating sand is ok....yes, I have children, all under the age of six. No, I won't be doing this.

julie-moularde avatar
Julie Julie
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Every child eats sand. They eventually grow out of it. It does not hurt them (unless they eat an unusually large amount and if that's the case you should probably be watching them closely in the sandpit) and they eventually learn that it's not really great. Why make it taste delicious? Am I the only one who feels that fistfuls of Cheerios is actually less healthy than a bit of sand?

dbradley avatar
d bradley
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

dumbest solution to a problem is to create a new problem. how 'bout doing what you should do ... TAKE CARE OF YOUR KIDS

ithiliene avatar
Ola Pietras
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Cheerios is not good food for any child, not even as sand. :D

veni_vidi_vicky avatar
Vicky Zar
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do they know their kid won't die if it eats sand? Maybe they should put their kids in cotton?

gmadams avatar
Blackheart
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why does she need a food processor to make the sand? Any toddler will turn Cheerios into dust in second.

getsuyoubi avatar
Monday
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To everyone saying "this is gonna teach them that eating sand is okay"...have you not stopped to consider that any baby/toddler is going to stick sand in their mouth regardless of whether or not you've given them this edible version? You do realize kids have a sense of taste right? They're gonna notice on the first bite that "food sand" and "beach sand" are different. A handful of regular sand/dirt isn't going to kill your kid. We all ate handfuls of dirt when we were little. And if you want to argue about "chemicals" in the sand...maybe don't take your kid to a place where the sand is toxic?

leepeele avatar
Craymoss
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Parents low key teaching their babies that sand is deliciously eatable..... 🤦‍♀️ 🤦🏽‍♂️

cruzarts avatar
Steve Cruz
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Jake in the sandbox at the park: "My mom's homemade sand is so much better."

sbn-sturm avatar
Sabse
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And you can make it with flour.... Cheaper and without sugar. Nothing new here. *Yawn* Our Kindergarten uses this when the weather outside is too nasty.

jgallaher1117 avatar
Jessica Cole
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, according to ALMOST EVERY DAMN COMMENT on this post, along with my very first thought and EVERY OTHER PERSON'S ON THE PLANET, this was a definite"my bad."

e-samberg avatar
Tardis42
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love that they call it a "recipe" for edible sand. Ingredient 1, Cheerios. Ingredient 2, .... ummmmm

patrick_oharris avatar
Patrick O'Harris
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I really like the idea but the picture the child is getting doesnt look so good. Sure the child is young but they need to learn "no". Next time they play it's real sand and than they'll propably eat the sand plus whatever animal feces are in there.

patriciaross avatar
tuzdayschild
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yep, they will taste it once and realize it's not yummy like "home sand" then they won't do it again. Problem solved.

postvoorly avatar
hobbitly
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Would this not teach the kid that sand = edible. So when they plays with real sand, they might think they can eat it?

kateh_1 avatar
kate h
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Exactly what I posted as well. Especially kids on the spectrum. One even mentioned their kid eating kitty litter!

Load More Replies...
jmchoto avatar
Jo Choto
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Problem 1. What do you think is going to happen when that child next encounters ordinary sand? Problem 2. For their own safety, especially when it comes to emergencies, small children really need to learn the word "no".

wianjama avatar
Rissie
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Exactly. Don't accommodate for something that is just not going to work in the real world.

Load More Replies...
kateh_1 avatar
kate h
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Isn't this just teaching them that eating sand or kitty litter is OK? Sincerely, Debbie Downer

getsuyoubi avatar
Monday
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kids are gonna try to eat sand regardless. Once they taste the difference they'll stop. Regardless of whether your baby has had "edible sand" before or not, take them to the beach and they WILL pop a handful of sand in their mouth cause that's what babies do. Heck I used to eat dirt from the garden when I was a toddler.

Load More Replies...
crabcrab avatar
Hans
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sand is not normally toxic. Toddlers quickly learn that it is not edible, and changing a few sandy diapers after they "tried it" does no harm. However, having grinded cheerios will not only make them think that sand actuall is edible, but also make it likely that they eat tons of sugar. Cheerios contains about 1/3 sugar. This is definitely no food for toddlers. Whoever has children will agree that once they taste it they will crave for it!

crabcrab avatar
Hans
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One more remark: toddlers drool. If they teeth, they drool a lot. Having a pounder with 1/3 sugar in it moistened? Oh well, good luck cleaning the whole house!

Load More Replies...
wianjama avatar
Rissie
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sand doesn't kill. Kid needs to learn no. And Cheerios are mainly unnecessary sugars. So how's about we do this the way it has worked for ages? And not do this.

kennykulbiski avatar
Kenny Kulbiski
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most kids I knew only tried eating sand once. It's a useful learning experience. If your kid is trying to eat the shoreline you've got problems.

christophebeunens avatar
Christophe Beunens
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is a complete waste of resources. We have enough people in the world who are dying of hunger, and here children are playing in food, because the parents cannot tell the kid that sand cannot be eaten (sand isn't even poison)

alangreen avatar
Alan Green
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Great until you take them to the seaside and they try to eat the entire beach lol

leahiniowa avatar
Country Nana
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Blended cereal is lighter and finer than sand. It's an inhalation hazard!

moviegal40 avatar
Kathy Trites
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I worked in daycare. We used cornmeal. Didn't taste great so the little ones weren't encouraged to eat it. Using cheerios defeat the purpose of teaching them not to eat it

nbo avatar
crabcrab avatar
jason_doakes avatar
Jason Doakes
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

GENIUS! My toddler always wants to drink funny colored laundry detergent and bleach, so we cleaned out a few bottles bleach and detergent and filled it with different colors of sirup, he loves it, such a GREAT idea!!! Darwin award!

vsswift avatar
Victoria Swift
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yay, let's teach kids eating sand is ok....yes, I have children, all under the age of six. No, I won't be doing this.

julie-moularde avatar
Julie Julie
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Every child eats sand. They eventually grow out of it. It does not hurt them (unless they eat an unusually large amount and if that's the case you should probably be watching them closely in the sandpit) and they eventually learn that it's not really great. Why make it taste delicious? Am I the only one who feels that fistfuls of Cheerios is actually less healthy than a bit of sand?

dbradley avatar
d bradley
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

dumbest solution to a problem is to create a new problem. how 'bout doing what you should do ... TAKE CARE OF YOUR KIDS

ithiliene avatar
Ola Pietras
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Cheerios is not good food for any child, not even as sand. :D

veni_vidi_vicky avatar
Vicky Zar
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do they know their kid won't die if it eats sand? Maybe they should put their kids in cotton?

gmadams avatar
Blackheart
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why does she need a food processor to make the sand? Any toddler will turn Cheerios into dust in second.

getsuyoubi avatar
Monday
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To everyone saying "this is gonna teach them that eating sand is okay"...have you not stopped to consider that any baby/toddler is going to stick sand in their mouth regardless of whether or not you've given them this edible version? You do realize kids have a sense of taste right? They're gonna notice on the first bite that "food sand" and "beach sand" are different. A handful of regular sand/dirt isn't going to kill your kid. We all ate handfuls of dirt when we were little. And if you want to argue about "chemicals" in the sand...maybe don't take your kid to a place where the sand is toxic?

leepeele avatar
Craymoss
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Parents low key teaching their babies that sand is deliciously eatable..... 🤦‍♀️ 🤦🏽‍♂️

cruzarts avatar
Steve Cruz
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Jake in the sandbox at the park: "My mom's homemade sand is so much better."

sbn-sturm avatar
Sabse
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And you can make it with flour.... Cheaper and without sugar. Nothing new here. *Yawn* Our Kindergarten uses this when the weather outside is too nasty.

jgallaher1117 avatar
Jessica Cole
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, according to ALMOST EVERY DAMN COMMENT on this post, along with my very first thought and EVERY OTHER PERSON'S ON THE PLANET, this was a definite"my bad."

e-samberg avatar
Tardis42
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love that they call it a "recipe" for edible sand. Ingredient 1, Cheerios. Ingredient 2, .... ummmmm

patrick_oharris avatar
Patrick O'Harris
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I really like the idea but the picture the child is getting doesnt look so good. Sure the child is young but they need to learn "no". Next time they play it's real sand and than they'll propably eat the sand plus whatever animal feces are in there.

patriciaross avatar
tuzdayschild
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yep, they will taste it once and realize it's not yummy like "home sand" then they won't do it again. Problem solved.

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