Avoid cabin fever with sand art for kids

It's cold outside. And because the weather gods clearly don't know what it's like to have young ones cooped up indoors for months at a time, you're stuck trying to entertain the kids while subzero temps and ice patches wreak havoc on your peace of mind.

Enter Suburban Life. We've tested a few at-home projects with the hopes of helping you occupy the antsy inhabitants of your home. Each are very inexpensive and relatively straightforward to execute.

Check in with us over the coming weeks for other ideas as we publish our three-part series on easy, inside activities to do as a family.

Challenge: To kill time on a snowy, winter day.

Guinea pigs: The Gountanis boys. Thirteen-year-old Angelo, 11-year-old Nikko and 9-year-old Alex were asked to participate.

Location: A Downers Grove, Ill., kitchen.

Project concept: Sand art

Materials:

- Sidewalk chalk: The Darice Kid's Crafts tub does the trick. Buy it at Michaels for $2.

- Salt canister: Value brand's plain salt works just fine. Get some at Ultra Foods for 39 cents.

- Empty, clear bottles, jars or vials: Michaels carries cute ones with cork stoppers (Please note: The project requires the container to have a lid of some sort). They were 99 cents apiece. Or use household items like baby food jars.

- Plastic bowls: Use at least three, but the number varies depending on preference.

- Funnel

- A thin, pointed object like a toothpick, straw, shish kabob skewer, straw or pair of scissors to slide in the chosen container.

Prep:

Make sure the containers are cleaned of their contents and stripped of any labeling. Goo Gone can help with sticky residue.

Clear off the kitchen table and consider spreading out newspaper for easy clean-up. Set out a handful of the bowls and have the rest of the materials ready to go.

Then just gather round.

Step 1: Decide which colors your palette should include. Designate one bowl per color and fill each with generous helpings of salt. The amount will depend on the size and number of the containers to be filled. You'll have to eyeball it and will likely have to add more as the colors are depleted.

Step 2: Choose a piece of chalk and begin coloring the salt by grinding the piece over the grains in circular motions. If you're looking for pastels, don't stir the materials for too long. But if you prefer more vibrant colors, keep at it for a few minutes. Repeat until you have completed bowls for all of your colors.

Step 3: Using the funnel, pour a layer of colored salt into the container while paying mind to how thick the tier becomes. You can either jiggle the container so the salt settles evenly or tilt it to the side so that the layer is lopsided, which makes for asymmetrical designs. Continue to layer other colors, having fun playing around with the thickness and color sequence. But make sure that the salt rises to the top of the rim. This is necessary because, once the container is sealed, there can't be any open space for the salt to shift, which will destroy the design.

Step 4: Take the stick-like, pointed object and position it at the top of the sand against the side of the container. Slide it carefully to the bottom to artistically upset the striped layers and create a zigzag pattern. Repeat this motion along each side until you are happy with the design.

Step 5: Cap the container tightly. Place the finished product on a shelf, dresser or coffee table as a homemade decoration. Enjoy the kids' handiwork!

Reflection: "The hardest part was doing the grinding, but it was worth it because we did get really cool final products," Angelo said. "I'd do it again."