Sand Castle Art: Shovels and Pails

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Almost everyone enjoys playing in the sand at the beach, no matter their age.

Sand art, also known as dry painting, has grown in popularity in recent years, with many people striving to achieve masterpieces on par with those who participate in sand art contests.

Like with anything, to excel at sand art, you have to have the right tools.

The essential tools for making sand art are shovels and pails. As long as you have these essential tools, then you can make sand art to make others on the beach marvel at your talent.

Let’s look at some of the best shovels and pails to help you in your sand art journey.

Table of Contents

Beach Sand Art Shovel and Pails

This set comes with a bucket, sandcastle mold, shovel, and rake.

If you like to show your kids or others the traditional way to do things, this set is for you: no frills, no modern design or advancements, just a bucket, a mold, and your wits.

The material used is recycled and BPA-free, so it is safe for everyone and looks stylish while still saving the planet.

If you are wondering about more extensive sand art, keep in mind that having a basic shovel and pail set is essential for almost every kind of sand art you may want to try.

If you have kids, sometimes nothing is more entertaining than shoveling the sand from a pile on the beach into a bucket, leaving you free to build a sand Sistine Chapel while claiming you are doing it to bond with your children.

Holady Sand Castles are an excellent addition to any sand artist’s beach gear, no matter your level of precision, as this set comes in a four-pack.

The buckets are made of BPA-free plastic but are a bit more heavy-duty to help prevent easy cracking when it’s tossed around.

The buckets come in yellow, green, blue, and pink and have the castle design built into their mold, as well as easy-pour spouts to help you along your path to creating the right degree of sand texture to make your sand art.

Keep in mind that this four-pack does not come with shovels.

If you have some buckets but need some excellent shovels, look no further than these roomy scoops.

With a shorter handle, you can get the leverage required to fill the oversize scoop portion with as much sand as you need in one shot.

These are easy for kids and adults alike to use and will help cut down on the amount of digging needed as it can move more sand in one movement than most regular shovels can move in multiple digging.

These mini shovels are essential for good sand art.

Any sand artist will tell you that digging down is part of what makes for intricate and lasting sand art pieces, and doing so even with the sturdiest typical beach pail shovel is next to impossible.

So, enter the beach shovel. With a long wooden handle and a sturdy plastic spade, these shovels are ideal for the beach.

Not only do they give you the functionality you need, but they are still lightweight enough to carry around with you at the beginning and end of your day on the beach.

Having a plastic spade instead of a metal one allows you to dig deeper while still being as gentle as possible to the sand and beach area surrounding your art piece.

The Hape’s Beach Basic Sand Toy Set may be what you need if you are looking for something more versatile.

The set comes with a sand bucket, shovel, and rake, which are essential tools for any sand art.

Also included in this set is a sieve. Fill the sieve up, shake it out and get rid of all the sand, leaving behind some unique beach shells and rocks you can use to decorate your sand art, adding the character you envisioned.

I don’t live near a beach but I want to try Sand Art.

If you don’t live near a beach there are some alternatives you can look at so that you too can try your hand at Sand Art

  • Kinetic Sand
  • Purchase or Build a Sand Box for your home

Kinetic Sand

If you dont live near a beach or are unable to travel to get to one sand art is still a viable activity for you.  

Kits are available that will give you the opportunity to participate in building your masterpiece from your home or back yard by using Kinetic Sand.

Kinetic sand is a lightweight, silky, non-toxic sand.

It is prized for its colors,  and endlessly moldable properties; it’s as light as a feather when digging but can become firm enough to support objects quickly.

Kinetic sand sticks together when you touch it, but feels like wet beach sand.

It’s easy to mold into any shape, even if you don’t know how to sculpt.

It stretches and squeezes with your hands – just like real sand at the beach. But unlike real sand, kinetic sand never dries out so you can play with it as long as you want!

The best part is that kinetic sand doesn’t get stuck in carpeting or furniture crevices.

Kinetic Sand Art Shovel and Pails

The National Geographic Play Sand Combo includes Blue, Purple and Natural colored Kinetic Sand. There is 2 lbs. of each color which translates to 2700 grams.

Also included is 6 molds to help you begin your sand art journey.

This kit includes a tray to hold the sand which is a nice way of containing the sand. 

The amount of sand included is limited so you may want to purchase additional sand to immerse yourself into the full sand art experience.

Mining Shovel

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