Mum's genius TikTok hack for creating edible 'sand' for toddler to play with

baby eating cheerios sand
Toddler can't stop putting sand in their mouths? No problem. Photo credit: TikTok.

Social media app TikTok is continually offering amazing life hacks and parenting tips and this one might just take the cake - or cereal bowl.

One US mum is going viral with a clever way to keep her toddler safe while she plays in the 'sand'. 

TikTok user Elle Anna Christine shared a video showing how she blends up Cheerios cereal in a Nutribullet. Once blended, the beige cereal loops look exactly like sand. 

While that alone could be described as genius, the mother also showed how she put the "sand" in a container, added in some beach toys and voila: the baby has a safe (and edible) sandpit to play with.

The video has racked up over 2.5 million views from excited parents wanting to try the same trick. 

"Well if this isn't the most genius thing I've ever seen!" one parent wrote.

"Yes! So if she accidentally eats the sand it's OK, because it's freaking Cheerios," wrote another. 

"Where was this idea when my kids were babies? I failed," joked another. 

But some parents offered concerned comments that it might mean the child becomes conditioned to eat real sand on the beach. 

Elle replied that as they live in Illinois, there were no real beaches around to go to anyway. And as another parent chipped in: "they already do that anyway".