Earlier this summer while off Daufuskie Island in South Carolina, we came across a treasure trove of sand dollars on a sand bar. There were literally hundreds of them bleaching in the sun after a very low tide. We carefully picked some of them up to bring home with us. And yes, we only choose sand dollars that were dead. Below is a YouTube time-elapsed video showing the way a live sand dollar moves that my kids enjoyed.
Once we got our sand dollars home we gently rinsed, cleaned any sand or mud off of them and set a few out on the deck rail to bleach a little longer in the sun. Mix 1 part bleach with 2 parts water and soak the sand dollars for no more than 20 minutes or they will become to brittle. Place them carefully on a towel to dry.
After they are completely dry, mix 1 part white glue and one part water. We then dipped each of our sand dollars in the glue solution and sponged them smooth after we took them out. Place them on a smooth surface with the back down to dry. Once they are dry, you can decide if they are hard enough for your project. If not, just repeat the process.
