How to Select Sand Castle Building Tools

Building sand castles is a great way to bond with your kids or express your creativity. You'll need a few basic tools to build your castle, and there are several companies that make specialized tools for professionals who create sand sculptures. If your budget is low, don't worry. You can easily improvise.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Search for free tools in your kitchen or garage. You can give old knives or paintbrushes new life on the beach. Even plastic utensils can be useful to carve windows or brick patterns in your castle's walls. Paint scrapers are good to use for sculpting walls or other structures. Paintbrushes can be used to add texture or to gently erase mistakes.
2. Purchase a sturdy shovel. Look for one that isn't too heavy, but also won't break easily. Many people opt for plastic since it is lightweight and won't rust.
3. Select a good bucket. You'll need a bucket to haul sand and water, as well as construct pieces of your sand castle. Make sure the handle is sturdy.
4. Buy plastic forms and molds, which are sold by several companies specifically for making sand castles, if you are interested in making tall and more professional sculptures. Beachstore.com has some that are easy for kids to use, while Sons of Beach has more professional molds (see Resources below). You can also make the molds with plastic sheeting found at your local home improvement store.
5. Bring a water bottle to spray the castle surface, which can help keep the structure solid. You can buy a water bottle at many discount stores, or you can select a bottle that previously held hairspray or a cleaning solution. Make sure the spray isn't so strong that it will damage the sand castle's surface.
6. Look around the beach for extra tools and decorations. You might be able to use sticks, shells or even trash to make a beautiful sand castle. Popsicles are a common beach treat and their sticks are excellent all-purpose tools to make sand castles.
7. Order a complete kit for sandcastle building if you don't have many materials on-hand. Kits generally come with a set of instructions and tips that will help beginners successfully build sand castles and other structures. Can You Dig It has a great one for kids and families (see Resources below).
8. Rent or buy a DVD about building sand castles if you are interested in learning advanced techniques. Try Sandtools.com for great beginner's videos (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• For those who are serious about sculpting sand, several companies, such as Sons of the Beach or Can You Dig It, make or sell special tools made of durable plastics (see Resources below).
• Don't select a bucket that's too large, particularly if you're working with kids. Water and sand can be surprisingly heavy. Avoid back injuries by using proper lifting techniques and not lifting too much at once.