Most playgrounds have a sandbox. So, what is it?
It is an area full of soft and fine sand that kids go to play in. For most children, all they need to feel perfectly happy is just a shovel and a sandbox.
In North America, it’s known as a sandbox while in some places like the U.K it’s referred to as a sandpit. It is not unusual to find people who have a sandbox at home, especially the ones that have kids and have yards for that too.
It is also common to find a sandbox in a school playground and in a public park. When kids are playing in sandboxes, they will tend to dig holes, mix sand with water, fill sand in the sandbox toys for kids and sometimes throw the sand at each other.
Considerations When Choosing a Kids Sandbox
Choosing the best sandbox for your child might seem like an easy task, but there are many factors to take into consideration before choosing one. It’s important to consider factors like:
- The pricing of the sandbox
- If the box has limited mobility or any physical limitations
- Its durability
- The amount of safety it guarantees
- The age recommendations of the sandbox
- The equipment and your personal preferences
- How much space the portable sandbox for your child will require
- And most importantly, fun.
The factors must be put into consideration every single time you are buying a sandbox to make sure you buy the best one that will serve your kids well.
Best Sandbox for Kids in 2024
1. American Plastic Sand Table
This American sand table is designed in the aim of providing long hours of fun for every kid who is playing outdoors. It was created to help kids become creative and make molds, sand castles, and designs without having to travel to the beach.
This table is built from long-lasting plastic capable of holding up to 50 pounds of sand for your child’s sandbox. Each purchase you make of this sand table comes with a waterproof tarp that helps in ensuring that sand for kids’ sandbox stays clean and dry when it’s not being used.
You will like this sand table as its size is just great as one size can work for different toddlers who are not of the same age and still find the size comfortable to stand and play at.
2. Back Bay Wooden Sandbox with Bench
This large sandbox for sale has the following features:
- It has a one-year warranty
- Your child will absolutely love this sandbox because it will allow your kids to dig moats and build castles which makes it a great tool to improve their creativity and imagination. It is just the perfect sandbox toy for your child to use at home, in the daycare or in school.
- Has a cover that can convert into benches – It has spacious benches which gives children the freedom to sit where they want, really. This sandbox for children also allows several kids to play together during parties and play dates. You can do this by just folding the benches of the sandbox to form a shielding lid that keeps out unwanted debris and animals too. Amazing, right?
- It has a protective vinyl liner- Unlike other models, this sandbox for children is lined with black vinyl that keeps moisture and bugs from entering and the sand for your child’s sandbox from getting out. It also helps you save time because you won’t have to waste much of your time refilling more sand for your child’s sandbox.
- Looks great in your yard- You can opt to choose the attractive cedar stained portable sandbox over the models made of plastic so you can protect your kids from having eyesores. Since the clean-up of the sandbox is easy, it helps you ensure that the play area of your child remains tidy at all times.
- This sandbox has been certified safe- The reinforced benches can hold up to 110 pounds per bench. This covered sandbox for kids protects the sand pit from unwanted debris, hence keeping your child safe.
3. Little Tikes Sandbox
This large sandbox for sale has colorful lids that protect the sand for kids sandbox from pets and weather. Its overall weight is 16lbs and its 8.5″ D x 29.25″ W x 45″ L. The design and modern styling of this great sandbox blends in with the traditional landscapes in residential outdoor living areas.
This turtle sandbox for kids has seats on either of its sides, which gives kids somewhere really comfortable to sit when they are playing.
Something else that is cool about this sandbox is that it has a solid bottom that can hold water. It’s just a brilliant portable sandbox that your child will without a doubt love.
4. Step2 Crab Sand Table
Step2 Crabbie Sand Table is a sandbox toy for children that has the following features:
- It has a removable shell lid that enables you to keep the sand for kids sandbox dry and clean.
- The sand tables of this sandbox for your child features the beautiful iconic Step2 “Crabbie” styling which is just fascinating.
- This sandbox for older kids, over three years old, comes with a 4-piece accessory set for sand play.
- This sandbox with cover for kids can hold up to 25 lbs of sand.
This covered sandbox for children is great to use as a sand and water table. The legs are extremely easy to attach and there aren’t any holes on this portable sandbox for kids which helps it to hold sand and water too efficiently. Kids will love the fun sandbox toys which are included when you buy the box.
5. Step2 Sand and Water Table
This covered sandbox has a lid that can fit on either side and separate the water from the sand for kids’ sandbox. It also has an amazing feature that enables your child to combine the mountain cover and the water tower and create a waterfall. Cool, right?
This fascinating sandbox for children is usable separately or together for added play. It comes with a seven-piece accessory set that includes a removable cup, a water tower, spinner, slide cup, shark scoop, and a shovel. With all these sandbox toys for your child, he/she can have the best fun.
It’s also easy to drain and clean since it comes with an integrated drain plug. This sandbox for your child also allows you to remove the legs and keep them for storage when the need arises. When it comes, put it together by pulling the legs backward, taking them off, then putting them in the box.
6. Plum Sand Box
This is a great sandbox with cover for children and has the following features:
- It is a fun sandbox that has corner seating.
- This sandbox also includes a protective cover and fabric internal ground cover.
- It’s made from premium FSC® certified timber, which makes it very strong.
- The measurements of this covered sandbox for kids is 3’ x 3’ and can hold up to 330 lbs of sand.
- Older kids should use it because it supports up to 110 lbs.
It is incredibly easy to set up this portable sandbox, since it’s packaged efficiently, ensuring minimal waste. Roughly 3.5’ square, it is big enough for two children.
7. Cover for Sandbox
It is wide enough you can use it to cover your sandbox, and it is even big enough you can use it as a swimming pool cover. This cover is portable and really easy to fold when you are not using it, which enables you to carry it around in case you decide to travel with it.
This cover is dustproof and waterproof, which ensures maximum protection for the sand and your child’s toys, which helps to ensure that there is no contamination. It also has a drawstring designed to firmly cover the sandbox.
8. Little Tikes Digger Sandbox
This sandbox for kids has these features:
- It’s meant for kids aged 3 years old and above.
- It has an excavator that works just fine and can your kid can use it to pick sand and load on trucks and also has small roads around the areas covered in sand. The lid acts like a truck lamp for this sandbox for your child.
- This large sandbox can hold a lot of sand, up to 100 pounds of it.
- Comes with these accessories: a dump truck, 1 shovel, 1 rake, 1 sand filter, two characters, and one sand cup.
- This portable sandbox is 28.5 inches long and 51 inches high and has a weight of 15 pounds.
9. Simplay3 Sand and Water Activity Table
It is a perfect sandbox for water and sand play, building blocks and picnics, art and crafts and also includes 4 cup holders to sort you and your kid out when it comes to snack time. It’s well configured in that it can create four different playing patterns. Your kid can cover, store, play, or slide together.
This sandbox for children has a recessed table top that is ideal for sensory playing and also has 2 bins you can use to store the sandbox toys for kids in. This sandbox for kids is durable and has a double wall plastic construction that’s made in the USA.
This large sandbox has won different awards including the Parents’ Choice Award, the Parent and Teaching Choice Award, and the 2017 National Parenting Product Award. This sandbox for kids is amazing.
10. Sandbox with Canopy
This sandbox for children with cover has these unique features:
- The sandbox comprises composite boards made from 38% HDPE plastic and 62% certified Sourced Fibers.
- Unlike Cedar, this large sandbox for sale will not rate, fade or warp. Interesting, right?
- The canopy that comes with this sandbox used for sandbox games for kids, is easy to assemble and you can attach them in 5 minutes or fewer.
- The manufacturer makes the cover of this sandbox from a polyester fabric that is waterproof, which will not fade and promises protection up to UV 50+.
Overall Best Buy
Among all these sandboxes for kids, the best one would be the Simplay3 Sand and Water Activity Table. It is the best sandbox for kids because of the following reasons:
- It ensures perfect playing when it comes to playing with sand and also water.
- It also gives your child the option of playing more sandbox games for kids because your kid can build blocks and picnics and arts and crafts.
- It comes with 4 cup holders so you don’t have to worry about where you will put your cups when you want to have snacks later with your kid after playing.
- This sandbox also ensures variety in the playing as it can create different playing patterns.
Why is Playing with Sand Good For Kids?
Playing with Sand Helps in The Physical Development of Children
There are many ways in which children can engage in sand play. When your kid uses scoops and buckets, the effort he uses to pour the sand from one bucket to the other and lifting the sand into the sandbox toys for kids helps in developing his gross motor skills.
By doing this, your kid also strengthens the muscles. The effort used to grasp and hold the sandbox toys also boosts the fine motor skills of your kid. Sand play helps in hand-eye coordination.
Expands Information
Building sand castles on the beach is not an easy task, and it’s a significant way of building the imagination of your child. It’s a good way of challenging your kids’ creativity.
Sandbox toys for kids can encourage your kids’ creativity genius. There are many hours of learning and fun that a kid should explore by using sand because it encourages and promotes an imaginative and creative play.
Helps to Express Emotions
According to Balasundaram Pramila, the founder-director of Samadhan, a Non-governmental organization which works with the children who are intellectually different, sand play is a great form of psycho-analytic therapy since it allows kids to express emotions and trauma without having to speak out their thoughts.
She adds that playing with sand is a tool crucial for emotional and personal development. Sand playing has no restrictions so the kids can do what they want, which helps them to communicate non-verbally.
Sand play helps a kid to relax and calm down, especially if the kid is hungry, traumatized, or feeling disturbed.
It Promotes Social Interactions
Because sand play mostly happens outside where your kid may play with other kids or alone, your kid gets a good chance to develop social skills.
Sandboxes in playgrounds have swings and slides where many kids go to play. Social interaction is unavoidable here. Your kid will learn how to wait until it’s his/her turn and will also make conversations and maybe even get to share toys with other kids.
Visiting the beach helps your kid to interact comfortably and positively both with other kids and with other adults present on the beach.
How Do I Keep the Sandbox Clean?
Here are a few ways on how you can ensure that your kids’ sandbox is clean:
- Ensuring that the sandbox for kids is properly drained to ensure that it stays dry.
- Cover the portable sandbox of your child when he/she is not using it to ensure that cats don’t use it as a toilet.
- Take the sandbox toys for your child out of the sandbox every day.
- Rake the sandbox regularly to stir up the sand so it can get fresh air.
- Remove any dirt you can see.
- Wash sand with water
- Disinfect the sandbox only when it is dirty.
- Wash the sand with tap water if not regularly washed by the rain.
It is important to note that keeping the sandbox dry and clean is more important than disinfecting.
What Activities Can my Child Do in the Sand?
Your kid can play these sensational games in the sand:
Sand Drawings
Drawing using sand is fun. Your kid can use clear squeeze bottles and different colored sand and draw whatever he/she feels like.
Sand Dough Plays
By the use of three simple ingredients, Little Bins for Little Hands can show you how your kid can create very sensory sand dough to explore when at home. It feels very soft to touch and does not leave heavy residues on the hands.
Making A Fairyland
This is a setup of a magical fairy. We all love the miniature fairy gardens that your kid can create outdoors, and this is a great idea if your kid can create it and bring the magic indoors.