It may sound complicated, but creating unique sand sculptures with your kids (think seahorses, toothy alligators or an entire school of fish!) is easier than you might think. Mark Mason, the owner of the award-winning sand sculpting group Team Sandtastic, shares some tips for families on how to turn an everyday sandcastle into an extraordinary, one-of-a-kind creation your kids will never forget!
SERIOUS SANDCASTLE BUILDERS NEED A WIDE VARIETY OF TOOLS to craft their creations, but luckily, most of what you need is already in your family’s kitchen. Raid your kitchen for tools like spatulas, cake icing spreaders, and melon ballers—stainless steel tools are the best, but any will do. Look for other household items like shovels and brushes.
PLAN OUT YOUR SCULPTURE IN ADVANCE AND BRING ALONG SOME ARTWORK to inspire you—you can draw something yourself or cut it out of a magazine. Turtles, alligators and bugs (both VW and Lady) are great ideas for beginners, and allow for group involvement and a lot of creativity. A snowman made of sand is also a fun project to try—you can guarantee your “sandman” will be the only one on the beach!
TRY TO TELL A STORY IN YOUR POSE, LIKE A ONE PANEL COMIC STRIP. For example, if you build an alligator, try to have the alligator doing something instead of just lying on the sand; carve it knitting baby alligator socks for a pile of eggs—that tells a story that you’ll want to remember!
Team Sandtastic has been sculpting sand and snow professionally all over the world for 18 years, and currently holds Guinness World Records in sand and snow sculpture and a World Championship title in sand. To learn more about Team Sandtastic and see their incredible sculptures, visit TeamSandtastic.com.
In The Photo: Mason’s niece Kali poses with her 5th birthday present.
