How to Make Sand Cast Stepping Stones

Sand cast stepping stones allow kids to add a little of themselves to the garden and provide a touch of whimsy. Bits of favorite toys, shells, pebbles and rocks from trips, feathers and leaves can all be used to make beautiful patterns on your stepping stones. Simply press the items into wet sand, add wet plaster of Paris mix, let it harden, remove and hose it off.

Things You'll Need

• Dish pan
• Sand
• Water
• Found objects such as stones, feathers, leaves, marbles, pieces of favorite toys, game pieces or any other small object
• Plaster of Paris mix
• Garden hose with spray nozzle

Instructions

1. Fill a dish pan with sand. Add just enough water so that sand is wet and holds together, but not enough that a hole poked in the sand will fill with water. Begin with a smooth surface or push a pie pan into the ground to make a stepping stone shape to fill. Push found objects halfway into the sand. To make a relief pattern, remove the object carefully before adding the plaster of Paris, otherwise, leave the object in the sand to become part of the stepping stone. Be sure your objects do not have sharp edges. If they do, use a file or sandpaper to smooth them before use.

2. Pour the plaster of Paris mix into the pie pan-shaped hole, covering all the objects you pushed into the sand. For irregular shaped stones, pour plaster over objects pushed into surface sand without making a pie pan imprint first. Smooth plaster around into the shape that pleases your eye. Add additional plaster if needed to cover objects completely. Your stepping stone should be at least two inches thick when removed from the sand.

3. Allow the plaster to harden, then remove the stone from the sand. Wash off loose sand with a hose. Place in the garden according to your preference. For example, lay stones leading to a cool grotto next to a waterfall, lined with padded benches for quiet contemplation. Surround a birdbath or sundial. Scatter throughout a raised flower bed so that people using wheelchairs or who have visual differences may also enjoy them.

4. Try making mosaic stones by using pieces of ceramic tile, glass beads, marbles or aquarium gems in your piece. Be sure to put the colored side down so that when the stone is removed from the sand, you will be able to see the tile. Make "game piece" stones in X and O shapes. Place them in tic tac toe patterns. Lay out a hopscotch game using white PVC rods for the squares. Place a stepping stone in each square.Use your stepping stones to decorate a wall. Use quick drying cement to attach a stone to the wall, propping it so that it cannot drop off before the cement dries. Fill in areas between stones with found objects, then smooth over with cement mixed with sand and pea gravel. Wipe away excess cement with a wet cloth.

5. Make hand or foot prints in the sand to give to parents and relatives as keepsakes. Scatter extra hand and foot prints throughout the garden.

Tips & Warnings

• Wet sand just enough to press objects into it, but not so much that a puddle forms when you poke a hole in the sand.

• Be careful to file or sand off all sharp corners before using any object in your sand cast stepping stones.