LEARN AND LIVE

learn and live Sandcastles

Science, engineering and artistry compressed into art

THERESA BAER

Here in land-locked northern Colorado, building sandcastles may not be the top activity that comes to mind for summer, but it’s definitely an easy, fun outdoor choice for families of all ages visiting local lake swim beaches or even your backyard sandbox.

Very few tools are required to get started…a bucket for mixing sand, shovel and maybe some fun plastic molds. Simple plastic spoons/ knives/ forks or offset kitchen spatulas are great for carving and smoothing finer details. In fact, several kitchen tools could be used to create unique designs…think melon ballers, plastic storage bins, cookie cutters, etc.

The first step is to prepare your sand, either in your bucket or by digging a hole and adding water so it can hold a shape. Many experts agree the ideal combination is about 99 percent sand to 1 percent water which forms a consistency like think mud or a milkshake. If your sand is too dry, it will crumble easily and if it is too wet, it will be too sloppy to use and just slide away.

Once the sand is ready, you can create a strong foundation by simply using your hands and the “scoop, plop, jiggle” method of making pancakes and continuing layering up those pancakes with gentle jiggling to solidify the water and sand. Some professional sand sculptors suggest using larger buckets of varying sizes with bottoms cut off to form a basic structure. With a bottomless bucket, fill it with the wet sand and jiggle it some to get the air bubbles to rise to the surface, then smooth the top before sliding the bucket sleeve up and away. With either method, compaction is essential for a stable sandcastle. Scientists in Australia recommended against bucket dumping saying, “While you can compress sand in a bucket, it loses much of its strength and compaction when it is tipped out.” (source: www.science.org.au/curious/ technology-future/how-make-perfectsandcastle)

Once your basic structure is complete, use your fingers or the plastic knives, etc. to smooth and carve details like doors, windows, bricks and rooftops. You can make arches, dig moats and more to add realistic details…or perhaps you might choose to create animals or one-of-a-kind creatures with big eyes, gnarly teeth and wild hair! How about building a giant truck or a self-portrait? The possibilities are truly endless with your kids’ imaginations at work.

For some tips on technique and to share the science and engineering behind building successfully, check out the following sites: • www.kiwico.com/blog/the-sciencebehind/the-science-behindsandcastle-building • www.science.org.au/curious/ technology-future/how-makeperfect-sandcastle

Swim Beaches–where to go in NoCo:

Boyd Lake State Park, 3720 N County Road 11- C, LV https://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/ BoydLake

Carter Lake

www.larimer.gov/naturalresources/parks/ carter-lake

Horsetooth Reservoir, FC

www.larimer.org/naturalresources/parks/ horsetooth-reservoir

Lake Loveland, 2626 N. Taft Ave., LV www.lovgov.org

Windsor Lake, 421 Chimney Park Dr., WS www.recreationliveshere.com/210/Swim-Beach

To view some amazing sculptures from around the world and learn advanced building techniques of professional sand sculptors, visit www. insmoothwaters.com/best-sand-castlebuilders-to-follow.