My favorite type of sandcastle is the "drip" sandcastle. It looks like something out of fairytale, or a place where all the little beach sprites could live. Next time you go to the ocean or lake, teach your kids how to create this super easy and fantastical castle! Here are the step-by-step directions you need:
1. All you need is sand, water, a bucket or hole in the sand, and a place to build your castle. You can even do this in a sandbox or tray! Very soft sand works best, but try it with any type of sand. The texture and coarseness of the sand cause different effects that are fun to experience.
2. The key to building a drip sandcastle is plenty of water. Put some sand in a bucket or dig a hole very close to where you are planning to build your castle, then cover the sand with water. There should be about an inch or more of water on top of the sand.
3. Make a base for your castle. You can build a traditional sand castle first and then decorate it with drip castles or just build up a mound of sand to make a place for your drip castle.
4. When you are ready, get a scoop of sand from the hole or bucket with water and quickly hold it over your building site, letting the wet sand "flow" through your fingers. The sand is almost liquid. As the flowing sand hits the castle base, it will start building a sort of stalagmite as the sand "drips" stack on top of each other. See the video below to get a better idea.
5. Experiment with different amounts of water and sand to make thicker or thinner drips and blobs. See how tall you can make a column before it falls down. See if you can make a wall. Be creative and have fun!
