The Joy of Sand
Humans have been fascinated by sand for centuries. From the intricate layered sand bottles crafted by artisans in places like Jordan and the Isle of Wight, to the meditative practice of Tibetan sand mandalas, there's something deeply satisfying about watching grains flow and settle.
Sand art takes many forms in the physical world: the delicate sand paintings of the Navajo people, Japanese zen gardens raked into contemplative patterns, and the colorful layered sand souvenirs you might find at a beach town gift shop. This toy captures that same simple pleasure of watching sand cascade and pile up.
Under the hood, this is a cellular automaton - the canvas is divided into a grid of cells, and each grain follows simple rules: fall down if there's space, otherwise slide diagonally. From these basic rules, natural-looking formations emerge. Sand piles at the angle of repose, just like it does on a real beach.
How to Play
Click and drag anywhere to pour sand. Choose from three colors to layer different hues - try recreating those layered sand bottles, or just enjoy the meditative quality of watching grains fall.
Controls
Mouse/Touch: Click and drag to pour sand
1, 2, 3 keys: Switch between the three sand colors
S, M, L buttons: Change bottle size
Like raking a zen garden or tipping an hourglass, sometimes the simplest interactions are the most calming.
Learn More
Falling sand games on Wikipedia · Coding a sand simulation (video) · Sand art on Wikipedia