If your child is missing the beach only one week after the unofficial end of summer, this indoor hack will save the day. Make a beach-y sandbox with salt instead.

A box of coarse salt is cheap and scoops up just like sand (although you’ll want to save this particular material for toddlers who aren’t tempted to nibble, else they’ll receive a yucky surprise).

I poured the salt into a craft tray, laid down a towel to catch (most of) the overflow, and set out Veronika’s familiar toys from the beach. She was instantly delighted.

She loved scooping into her sifters that come in fun shapes like a crocodile and crab.

And she could use the shovel to fill a beach bucket.

The sand rake made neat tracks through the salt, just as with the sand at the beach.

In sum, she looked just as pleased as if she was having a sunny day at the beach again!