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Sandboxes

  • 1.  Sandboxes

    Posted 10-13-2018 02:19 PM
    Hello, I am looking for some suggestions for what to put inside a sandbox other than sand.  We are setting up four new 4x4 sandboxes on our playgrounds. There are small in size for easy maintenance.   One of the boxes will go in our 2-year-old playground, and the other three will go on our 3 and 4-year-old playground.  Thank you!

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    Krista Call
    Preschool Director
    Zion Lutheran School
    O Fallon IL
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  • 2.  RE: Sandboxes

    Posted 10-14-2018 03:12 AM
    Hi Krista,
    I  will suggest you put many magnetic  alphabet sounds  (lowercase) as well as many  objects whose names begins with each sound in the sandbox for your age 3 and 4 playground respectively. But, the sandbox for the age 4 should also contain the lowercase letters.
    I hope this ideas helps.
    Good luck.





  • 3.  RE: Sandboxes

    Posted 10-15-2018 03:51 PM
    Whatever you decide to use... Try to steer away from substances that contain silica.

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    Julie Ehle
    ECE Coordinator
    Mid Michigan Community College
    Harrison MI
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  • 4.  RE: Sandboxes

    Posted 10-14-2018 05:18 AM
    Love the sandbox!
    Suggestions:
    Add animals..don't forget the "creepy-crawlies" plastic worms, spiders etc LOL
    Add plastic food
    Anything from nature (pine cones, sea shells, etc)
    "seasonally" themed items
    things you might add to your sensory tub

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    Karin King
    Education Consultant
    Trumbull CT
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  • 5.  RE: Sandboxes

    Posted 10-14-2018 08:00 AM
    Are you having difficulty finding good sand? I am curious why you are search for something other than sand? Sand is what children seek. It is the most versatile and satisfying sensory substance for outdoor play. Dirt/soil is good but much more difficult for clean up. I have ordered pallets of play sand from hardware stores (which can be expensive) but also have found local sand and gravel yards that have washed and filtered sand by the bulk (which is more economical). We cover our sand at the end of the day with a mesh tarp that allows air and water to pass through and drain which keeps it fresh and keeps animals out. We replenish sand regularly each year and budget for it since it is such an important part of outdoor play.  I vote for sand - but I am curious what sensory materials others might use in its place for outdoor experiences.  Pea gravel is also available at the sand and gravel yard and it is satisfying for digging and scooping sensory fun, but not good for toddlers and quite a bit more expensive.

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    Carol Murray
    Bard Nursery School
    Annandale on Hudson NY
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  • 6.  RE: Sandboxes

    Posted 10-14-2018 12:48 PM
    Maybe instead of something completely different, what about trying for different kinds of sand? Having a different variety -- fineness/color/feel/etc could provide for a good contrast. 

    And of course, consider things you could add (keeping in mind items that could be a choking hazard, or go home in a child's pocket) and switch out...

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    Louisa Cheslock
    Teacher Assistant
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  • 7.  RE: Sandboxes

    Posted 10-14-2018 03:33 PM
    If they will be covered during rain, dried corn is a fun sensory material that pours and is fun to sit in. Garden soil is also great to play in - my preschoolers prefer it over sand. Just a couple ideas I hope help you.

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    Sandra Ryan
    Bay Village OH
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  • 8.  RE: Sandboxes

    Posted 10-14-2018 04:31 PM
    Soil or  'dirt' so they can add water and make mud and the other could be natural items like tree cookies, rocks, etc


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    Lynn Shoberg
    teacher
    Ashton IA
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  • 9.  RE: Sandboxes

    Posted 10-16-2018 12:39 AM
    "Dirt" in most urban area is likely contaminated by lead and other toxins, so if soil is to be used, it should be purchased.  I would use caution if trying anything with largely organic matter like a rich potting soil: they are prone to mold which can cause allergic reactions for many children who would get a lot of it on skin and under fingernails etc.  I still vote for sanitized sand.

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    Mars April Caulton
    Teacher & Teaching Artist
    Chicago IL
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  • 10.  RE: Sandboxes

    Posted 10-17-2018 05:46 AM
    If the sandbox is going outside, I would only put clean (sanitized) sand that you get from a construction company, which is what we did when I was a director of a coop nursery school. The sand is delivered and dumped into the sandbox. The children have a great time helping to spread it out in the sandbox. In an outdoor sandbox, you can put a lot of items that lead to pretend play - trucks of all kinds, measuring cups, shovels, rakes, etc. You can also put natural items such as some sturdy small twigs, stones, etc. I would also think about putting a large sandbox outside, which can easily be put together with two by fours. If you by a tarp and some bricks to anchor the tarp, you can cover the sandbox to ensure that it does not become a place where cats will urinate.

    For an indoor sandbox, you still need to use sanitized sand but you can also fill a sandbox with other items such as packaging material, rice, macaroni, etc. Some folks have a problem with using food items in sandboxes but they provide a lot of different sensory experiences for the children with the possibility of developing children's vocabulary related both to the sensorial experiences as well as a realization of the weight differences of these products. Here, again, you can put measuring cups, scoopers, etc. as well as setting up the sandbox (especially if filled with sand) as an archeology dig as mentioned by others.

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    Nora Krieger
    Associate Professor Emerita/ Chair NJEEPRE
    Bloomfield College/ New Jersey Educators Exploring the Practices of Reggio Emilia
    Highland Park NJ
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  • 11.  RE: Sandboxes

    Posted 10-17-2018 08:58 AM
    ​Great question!

    We have a resource which discusses lead in soil: https://cehn.org/our-work/eco-healthy-child-care/ehcc-faqs/lead-in-paint-dust-soil/

    The FAQ provides tips for reducing exposures. You might also be interested in our FAQ on playground surfaces it includes information on sand and what folks should look out for in terms of potential hazards: https://cehn.org/our-work/eco-healthy-child-care/ehcc-faqs/playground-surfaces/

    Hope this helps!

    Kathy

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    Kathy Attar
    Engagement Manager
    Children's Environmental Health Network, Eco-Healthy Child Care® Program
    Washington, D.C.
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  • 12.  RE: Sandboxes

    Posted 11-01-2018 11:26 AM
    Hello, thank you all for your feedback on sandboxes, I read all of your responses and appreciate your advice.  Here is what I came up with for the preschool playground.  (all children have photo approval) 

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    Krista Call
    Preschool Director
    Zion Lutheran School
    O Fallon IL
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  • 13.  RE: Sandboxes

    Posted 11-10-2018 06:34 PM
    We have sensory tables in all of our classrooms and when we are done with the sand we use different sensory items.  One thing we do is colored rice, we buy large bags of white rice and color it different colors with the children in the classroom then we put it all in the sensory table.  The children love it.  We have also used flax seed in our tables which is a really interesting feeling for children.  I have also seen a variety of other seeds and corn mixed together in tables. One time while I was visiting a classroom they had gravel in one of their sensory tables.

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    Ashley Byers
    MCC
    Flint MI
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