How to Build a Futuristic Sand Castle

Sand castle building is a fabulous beach activity for kids and adults alike. With time, patience and a few tricks, you can build virtually any type of temporary sand sculpture that you can dream up. When heading to the beach this season, challenge your sand castle building skills, and create a futuristic castle that will get the beachcombers talking.

Things You'll Need

• Sketch of your castle
• Household items for sculpting your castle
• Molds
• Decorations

Instructions

1. Decide what futuristic elements you will include in your sand castle. You may build a smooth, spherical castle or even include a landing pad for spaceships. Sketch a rough design of your sand castle before beginning to determine the size of the base and the height of your castle.

2. Collect a few household items that will help you to shape and design your futuristic sand castle. While there are professional sand sculpture kits available on the market, common items such as shovels, straight-edge screwdrivers, paint brushes, cake decorating kits and cheese slicers are all you need to create a multitude of textures.

3. Gather your molds, now that you have designed the basic structure of your futuristic sand castle. Common items that make fantastic molds might include funnels, ice cream scoops, measuring spoons, candy molds and buckets. Use your imagination and things around your house to create the futuristic sand castle you have sketched.

4. Make the foundation of your futuristic sand castle first. Make a pile of sand the size you would like. Stomp the sand down with your feet to remove any pockets of air. Repeat until the foundation is firm and no dry sand remains. Add small amounts of water slowly to avoid over-wetting.

5. Fill your molds and follow the same procedure of adding water and pressing out the air bubbles. Build up your futuristic castle structure one layer at a time. Once you have added all of your layers you can begin to carve and shape your futuristic castle with your selected tools.

6. Add the final touches. Decorate your castle with your "Star Wars" action figures, place toy spaceships on the landing dock or place a miniature Martian inside. Don't forget to take a photo, as sand castles don't last for very long.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember that hollow spaces are more difficult to construct, so the more solid your sand castle, the more likely it will remain standing.