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Make · Wild and Tumble activity

Smooth stick sanding

From rough to silky smooth. Sand a stick with sandpaper and feel it change.

  • 20 min total
  • Some mess
  • Ages 3–5*
  • Indoors or out
  • Any season
Let's do this

*Illustrative age guidance. Your child's development and circumstances matter more than a number.

A tiny plan for your day

Estimated time: 3 min to choose a stick · 15 min to sand · 2 min to tidy. It's fine to stop early.

Before you start

What you’ll need

  • A dry stick with the bark peeled off by an adult
  • A piece of sandpaper, folded around a block or wrapped round a cork
  • A little beeswax or olive oil on a cloth, optional

Let's begin

Five simple steps

That's the whole activity. Tick each step off as you go, and stop whenever you like.

  1. Feel the stick first. Is it rough? Bumpy?

  2. Rub the sandpaper along the stick, always in the same direction.

  3. Stop and feel it. Is it getting smoother?

  4. Keep going until it feels silky.

  5. Rub in a little wax or oil to make it shine.

All done!

That's every step. However it went, you made a little moment together.

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