6 Best Children & Toddler Sandpits For Fun Sensory Play! (2021 Review)

Knowing how a sandpit can benefit your child can help work out what type of sandpit to look for. Here are a few ways that using a sandpit can be beneficial to children’s development:

First of all, starting with the very basics: sandpits provide another fun activity that will entertain the kids. They can be played with by kids on their own, as well as when friends are round. Plus, they’re a great item to have if you run a childminding business!

Playing in a sandpit with a friend is a great way for children to develop social skills and learn how to play and share with others.

They’re also ideal for creating ‘contained mess’. The sand usually (more or less) stays within the sandpit, meaning that playing in a sandpit can require less tidying up and preparation than indoor activities. This also allows children to have the freedom to play as they wish, without the normal restrictions and confines involved with making a mess.

What’s more, sand is so versatile that it offers kids the chance to be very creative and imaginative. It’s always great to find activities that encourage children to play and be inventive.

Some of the sandpits in my reviews below are not only limited to being used as sandpits; they can be extremely versatile, multifunctional items to have in the garden. You can find sandpits that double up as picnic areas with benches and shaded canopies, as well as themed play areas and paddling pools.

These not only benefit children by providing them with lots of possibilities for activities, they can also benefit you as well. Multi-functional items can save space and money because you don’t need to purchase separate toys.

Finally, sandpits offer an opportunity for children to partake in sensory play. But what is that and why’s it beneficial?

Sensory play refers to any type of play that encourages children to use their hands and their senses – touch, smell, sight and hearing.

A lot of the time these sensory activities will encourage children to think more analytically about what they’re doing, drawing conclusions and creating hypotheses.

Playing in sand allows children to experience different textures, whilst exploring how their actions have an effect on the world around them. They also need to learn new vocabulary and communication routes in order to talk about the sand and its movements.

There are a lot of different designs available when it comes to sand pits – they’re not just square plastic containers on the floor anymore! Here are a few of the styles available:

Sand Tables

Sand tables may not be what you immediately think of when you think ‘sandpit’. But they are often extremely popular with children.

As the name suggests, these sandpits stand on table legs, positioning them at standing height for your child. They can be used both indoors and out and are easy to cover and tuck away when not in use. When covered, they usually act as a standard table, suitable for drawing on or playing other games.

Sand tables are compact, versatile, and can make playtime more dynamic compared to sitting in a sand pit. They’re generally less messy than ground-level sandpits (although children can still throw the sand over the sides!) because kids don’t sit directly in the sand.

One drawback of these tables is that the height is not generally adjustable, meaning your child may grow out of it quickly; you may not get as many years use from a table sandpit as a standard ground-level model.

Ground-Level Sandpits

A ground level sandpit is great if your child loves sitting in the sand –  they will get to enjoy the feeling of the sand between their toes! However, this does tend to mean they end up pretty messy…!

These sandpits are great to allow children to have a fully immersive sandpit experience; they’ll likely play for longer periods in a ground-level sandpit than at a sand table. However, you will need to buy more sand for a ground-level sandpit.

Ground-level sandpits are really only suitable for use outdoors, so there will be rainy days in the summer when they’re out of action. This also means that the sand can get wet with rainwater if the lid is not sufficiently waterproof.

Be warned – if ground-level sandpits are not well covered, they can be used as litter boxes by wildlife and local cats.

Themed Sandpits

Gone are the days when sandpits were purely sandpits – now they can be turtles, pirate ships, racing cars, fairy-tale castles… the list goes on.

If there’s a particular theme that you think will really inspire your child, you can likely find a sandpit to match it.

Themed sandpits tend to be a bit larger, particularly if we’re talking about castles, ships and cars, so they’re a bit more of a commitment in the garden. They’re also more of a financial commitment too.

However, these sandpits will often be extra enchanting and inspiring for children. Plus, you can often find themed options that are entertaining even when they’re not filled with sand – acting as a play fort or hangout spot.

Multi-Functional Sandpits

Some of the best sandpits are multi-functional, offering opportunities for many different kinds of play.

There are sandpits that double as forts, as mentioned above, or tables, picnic benches, crafting zones and water troughs. Larger ground-level sandpits can also be used as paddling pools.

Given that the sandpit may not always be full of sand (you will need to empty it out occasionally), it can help to have a model that has other functions too.

One of the nicest things about sandpits is that they come in a range of sizes, so you should be able to find one that fits the space you have available.

Basic ground-level sandpits generally fit into small corners of the garden, but other designs can be bigger. You should carefully measure out how much space you have available, no matter what design you’re going for. When buying online, it’s easy to get caught off guard when it comes to the size of a product. Physically marking out the space required, using the dimensions in the specification, is the best way to get an accurate idea of size.

When it comes to ground-level sandpits, a sandpit of around 100 x 100 cm should be a suitable size for two children. A sandpit of minimum 150 x 150 cm should be suitable for three children.

With table-top sandpits, you will have to assess on a case by case basis to see if they are suitable for your child. The height of the table may not be adjustable, so the specifications need to be checked carefully to see if it will be too low or too high for your child.

If you’re short on space in your garden, buying a multi-functional sandpit could be a good move. Sandpits that double as tables could be a great option, for example. This way, you can be sure to get the most use out of it even when it’s not filled with sand.

Alternatively, if you don’t have much room, it can be a good idea to buy a self-contained plastic unit (with a base) that can be packed away when not in use.

Looking After the Sand

The play sand in sandpits shouldn’t be left to stagnate. You should rake the sand regularly to allow it to aerate. This will also allow you to pick out any rubbish or debris that you see.

If the sand doesn’t get washed by the rain, rinsing it occasionally with water will help keep it clean. This is why it’s important for sand pits to have sufficient drainage. Sandpits with a solid base may not have good drainage, so you may need to replace the sand more often as you won’t be able to rinse it.

The sand should be replaced periodically, regardless. Every one to two years you should buy new sand so that you are not constantly using the same stuff.

You should pack the sandpit away when it’s not in use during the summer months – even if this means leaving the structure out but storing the sand. Leaving the sand out for too long will risk it getting damp and eventually mouldy.

That’s the best plan, but of course it’s not always practical. You should therefore still ensure that the sandpit has a good waterproof cover to protect the sand from rain in the summer. This will give you a bit of leeway as you won’t have to gather up the sand as soon as the weather turns bad.

Try to only use the cover on dry sand. If it starts to rain and you want to put the cover on to stop the sand from getting more wet, remember to take the cover off again when the rain stops so that the sand can dry.

Tackling Bug Problems

Sandpits can require a little more upkeep than you might expect. Occasionally, insects get in and, whilst they don’t tend to cause too much of a health concern (unless they bite) it can be nicer to keep them out.

Replacing the sand will get rid of any insects that are present. Before doing this, you should work on making the lid of the sandpit more secure, and sealing any gaps, so that they don’t come straight back in.

Another method that some people employ is adding a bit of cinnamon to the sand. That’s right, cinnamon. Cinnamon is a natural insect repellent and can easily be raked into the sand. Of course, you must make sure that this will not encourage your children to eat the sand.

Sandpit Maintenance

If you are leaving wood outside, you should make sure that it has been sufficiently weatherproofed. If the sandpit is made from pressure-treated wood, it will be protected from the weather and insects for a few years.

In general, you should make a habit of treating wood every few years to stop it from rotting.

If you opt for a plastic sandpit, try to find one which is protected against UV. If it’s not, the sun will cause it to fade and crack.

Staying Aware of the Sun

Sandpits can encourage children to spend a lot of hours outside, which we love. However, this does come with its own health hazards. In particular, sandpits can be very exposed to the sun which can cause sunburn.

Even on cloudy days the sun’s UV can creep through the clouds, so there are a few steps you should take to keep your child safe and happy. Here are some suggestions:

•  Place the sandpit in a shaded area, be that under a tree, or in the shadow of a fence.
• Choose a sandpit that has a built-in canopy. Some canopies have UPF ratings which mean they block out UV rays instead of just creating shade.
• Check the UV index on very sunny days and don’t allow children to play in the sandpit in the middle of the day if it is very high.

Generally speaking, sandpits are either made of wood or plastic. Plastic sandpits tend to be self contained with a built-in base. Wooden sandpits can take on many more different forms.

Wooden Sandpits

Some people find wooden sandpits to be more pleasing to the adult eye than plastic ones. Unless painted, they are often neutral colours that blend in well with the garden.

There can be more variety with wooden sandpits a they can be built in as a part of a fort or climbing frame.

Generally, wooden sandpits don’t come with a built-in base so the sand will need to be placed on a ground sheet.

In terms of putting them together, wooden sandpits require more assembly than plastic models. You may need an electric drill to make holes if they aren’t pre-drilled. Plus, wooden sandpits likely won’t be able to be taken down over winter (unless you intend to painstakingly disassemble and reassemble it every year). You’ll need to treat the wood every couple of years to stop it from rotting.

Plastic Sandpits

Plastic models are usually more colourful than wooden ones, and may be ‘friendlier’ for younger kids. They don’t tend to have any sharp edges or hard surfaces in the same way that wooden sandpits might.

They’re also extremely easy to set up, generally requiring no assembly.

Plastic sandpits are often cheaper than wooden ones and they don’t require any maintenance. The most important thing is to make sure that the plastic is UV resistant so that it doesn’t crack or fade when exposed to the sun.

Finally, of course, there is the environmental impact of buying plastic. Some plastic sandpits are made from recycled materials but may or may not be able to be recycled themselves. It’s worth checking how you can dispose of the sandpit before you buy it – you may find one that is better for the environment than another.