The This Is Sand project have taken a concept that I've seen in different forms and places where you turn pixels into digital sand that can then be manipulated and played with on the screen, just like running sand through your fingers at the beach. Well, not just like, but a digital simulation of the experience. It is an activity that for children and adults we could use the term 'digital playdough' because it serves the same purpose in that it is a free, open-ended activity that allows us to manipulate and shape a material in any way we see fit.

This Is Sand has some nice simple functionality for changing the colour, but the real point of difference is the fantastic gallery that you can submit your final creation to. Clearly, the process lends itself to creating amazing landscapes like the one above. It is hypnotic and mesmerising and I can imagine teachers find one hundred and one ways to use this in class.

So, in your next spare five minutes, go and run some digital sand through the pixels on your screen.