This is a really fun activity that Benjamin, Lyla, and I have been doing lately when we are playing outside.
All you need is play sand and a sifter. Sift the sand (it needs to be dry sand) and you are left with all of these little sand rocks. It is a great exercise to help build fine motor skills. This is also a great way to show kids that often there is more to something than meets the eye. You just have to look a little closer.
Lyla loves to help and loves the sound that the little sand rocks make when you dump them into the bucket.
Benjamin wants to work hard to sift and collect lots of sand rocks in his bucket. He has a lot of patience for a 2 and a half year old. Of course Lyla tries to grab and dump his collection.
I'd like to try this with my little one. I think he would find sifting sand pretty fascinating.