When your family plays at the beach in the Summertime, bring supplies to enjoy this family craft project. Even if you do not visit the beach, this activity can be done in your child's sandbox or sand table. Make sure you wet the sand with water before you mold it and pour in the wax. Supervise children throughout this activity; the wax will be very hot.
Supplies Needed for Making Sand Candles
- Shovel
- Molds
- Double boiler
- Candy thermometer
- Paraffin wax
- Small amount of beeswax (optional but recommended)
- Candle scent
- Candle color
- Wick
- Wick clip
- Long stick
- String
- Heat source, such as camping stove
If you are staying at the beach, you can use the stove in your house or cabin to heat the wax.
Example of sand candle molds include small buckets and toys to make sand castles, and bowls or shells. For a fun alternative, make the deepest imprint that you can in the sand with your foot, and use this as your candle mold.
Sand Mold Preparation
- Pour water on the sand, make sure it is wet.
- Dig one hole for each sand candle.
- Push your mold into the hole in the sand. When you pick up the mold, make certain that the inside of the hole is the shape that you want your candle to take. Also, make sure that the bottom has a flat part; that will be the bottom of the candle. You don't want a candle that will wobble.
- Thread the end of primed wick through a wick clip.
- Wind other end of wick around a think, long stick.
- Place wick clip on bottom of hole, on the flat part. Push it just a little bit into the sand.
- Balance the stick over the hole. Make sure the wick is long enough for the wick clip to stay on the bottom, and short enough to be in a strait line.
Sand Candle Making
- Heat paraffin wax with a little bit of beeswax (if you have it) to 261 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Pour carefully into mold.
- Wait a few minutes and you will see that the wax has seeped into the sand.
- Refill the mold and let it sit undisturbed for a couple of hours.
- A well will have formed on the top of the candle. Heat your wax back up to just 219 degrees Fahrenheit, and pour onto candle.
Sand candles take a long time to cool. Depending upon the size of your candle, it could take six hours before the candle is ready to be removed from the sand. Better to wait longer than ruin the candle by removing too soon.
When ready, perhaps the next day, dig out candle carefully. Brush off excess sand from the candle until you have a smooth, firm finish.
In the Wintertime, try making container candles.
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