Sandbox

Why play with sand?

Playing with sand provides a sensory experience that is very instructive to children and supports exploration. It naturally encourages children to use the scientific processes while they play, create, and explore. Spending time encouraging and strengthening children's senses naturally helps them to develop thinking and language skills, socially and emotionally (friends and community), as well as physically and creatively.

Piles of sand for children to play in were first introduced during the 1880’s in Germany. Later in the same decade, they began appearing in America. At the time, sand play was celebrated for its versatile and hygienic properties that helped to support the development of important skills in children. 

Sand Play Suggestions:

Container Play: Pouring and shaping sand with containers instructs children about volume, weight, and shape. While playing with containers children might make pretend food like a cake or pie, build a road or nest, or add natural objects to create a village - the possibilities are endless.  For an expanded experience, rotate the types of containers used for sand play.

Burying Self in Sand: By burying themselves in sand children feel their body position within the sand and are engaging their proprioceptive sense, or the sense of their body relative to space. This sense is an important factor for physical as well as social development. They might come out a little dirty but they will be better informed on how they fit into the world.

Burying and digging for treasure promotes dexterity and also imaginative play. Imaginative play is crucial for emotional and social growth. Play can be expanded by making digging in sand into an official treasure hunt or be a space for children to independently explore safely.