Children love to play - and the game is one of the methods of knowing the world and developing fantasy, creative thinking, memory, attention.
There is nothing better than fantasy outdoor play: invent a sand city, populate it with interesting creatures, create a highway for toy cars, because the child needs to unleash his creative potential.
But what can I say - the game is very important for a child and is a way of knowing the world. It is very good when a child is in nature and plays, then this is doubly beneficial, because children at this time are still close to nature and they need to keep in touch with it.
The role of the sandbox in a child's life
In order for a child to have a place to play, it is not at all necessary to build expensive ones with slides.
In order to have a children's corner in the country, it is enough to make a sandbox where the child will frolic, because there is nothing better for a child than to create, create sand castles, sculpt Easter cakes, dig secret passages, make "secrets".
Let's talk about building a sandbox for kids.
But, also, for the sandbox apply and brickwork, metal, plastic. It is very good when the space around is sown with clover or grass, which is resistant to trampling.
The dimensions of the sandbox are directly proportional to the number of children who will play in it, and also depend on the age of the kids (the older the children, the larger the dimensions). If the area on which the sandbox is placed is extensive, then you can make a green zone in the center.
List of what is needed for construction
What we need to build a sandbox:
- shovel;
- Bulgarian;
- bars;
- door handles (for cover);
- gate hinges (for a cover);
- cord;
- pegs;
- grinder and dust collector;
- antiseptic;
- varnish, paints;
- geotextile, agrofibre, paving slabs or polyethylene film.
For what purposes it is used and how it is made - details in the article of our resource.
Any summer resident who knows how to hold a drill and a hammer in his hands can make a gate from corrugated board with his own hands. .
Sandbox placement rules
You never need to hide the sandbox behind outbuildings or bushes, you need to keep the children in sight.
It is desirable that the sandbox is located near a spreading tree (you can also install a fungus or any canopy if there are no trees nearby; you do not need to put it near old trees in order to avoid that a branch may fall at any time).
It is very important that the sandbox is not located in the open sun, because this will make the play area practically hell on hot days. But also do not install the sandbox in excessive shade, because in autumn and spring it can be damp.
The ideal placement of the sandbox is when half of its area is in the shade, half on the sunny side.
Making a sandbox
Of course, you can buy a sandbox, but wooden ones have astronomical prices, and plastic ones are very short-lived, so it’s better to do everything yourself, while showing imagination.
So, we choose where our sandbox will be placed, following the recommendations that were given above.
With the help of such simple devices as pegs and cords, we mark the perimeter of our future sandbox.
Sandbox perimeter marking
Then we dig the soil inside the fence a quarter of a meter deep (we make a hole about 170x170x25 cm - standard size; a sandbox with these dimensions is very well suited for games of 2-3 children, for the smallest from one to three years old, a playground in the sand with sides of 1.5 meters is very good.). Carefully align the walls of the pit.
We make the base
Then we proceed to the base. Before laying, we pour about 5 cm of sand on the bottom and begin to level it.
To make it easier to take care of the site, you need an even and dense base like agrofiber or textile (then fastened with a furniture stapler from the bottom of the frame), so the soil does not mix with sand.
Thanks to these materials, the sandbox will pass water well, and not a single invertebrate or mole will be able to get into the sand where children play (you can use film or plywood with drainage holes made there instead of agrofibre, paving slabs are also suitable).
We cover the bottom with textiles
Creating walls
We make walls from four bars (previously treated with an antiseptic, it is good to use bitumen), having dimensions of 45x5x5 cm.
We hammer each bar to a depth of 15 cm in the corners of our future sandbox. Then, to these bars, to make the walls, we nail four boards 150x30x2.5 cm.
You can use boards of smaller width (for example, 3 boards of 10 cm each, in the photo, or one board 30 cm wide). But it is best to assemble the frame together with the bars, fixing it with self-tapping screws, corners.
Complete sandbox walls
Then you need to make sides of 4 boards, which are laid around the perimeter (then the sand does not crumble and it is comfortable for children to sit); we fix them with self-tapping screws, you can strengthen them with corners (you need to make sure that the screw heads are tightly squeezed into the tree so that children cannot get hurt).
The most optimal height sandboxes - a quarter of a meter, which equals two boards (in this case, eight boards are required in total).
The best thickness for boards is 32 mm, which reduces the chance of cracking boards. The layer of sand should be from 15 cm. After the final assembly, the sand at the walls is best carefully compacted and sprinkled with gravel.
River sand, which contains almost no impurities, is best suited for filling sandboxes. You can buy quartz sand in the store.
There is a special quartz sand for filling sandboxes, which has a high percentage of clay and contains additives to scare away cats and dogs.
You can also use quarry and sea sand (but judging by the reviews, it is best to use quartz for filling).
Any sand, before falling asleep in place, must be completely sieved in order to remove debris.
You should be aware of one caveat when buying sand: they usually bring it wet, so you must first wait until it dries, and then sift it.
Do-it-yourself children's sandboxes can be viewed in the photo selection:
play area requirements
The most important requirements for a children's play area are strength and safety, so you need to fix all the details well and smooth out all sharp corners and notches with a grinder or grinder.
Then, after assembly, it is desirable to paint the sandbox with oil paint, and it will not only be beautiful: the colorful coating protects the wood well (you can also turn the sandbox into a work of art by painting it with patterns, drawings).
This was considered the simplest version of the sandbox, which you can do yourself, other options will be given below.
Advantages of a sandbox with a lid
It is very good to cover the sandbox with a film or tarpaulin to prevent contamination of the sand with various debris (therefore, it has to be changed from time to time, which requires sufficient costs) and to protect against animals that can simply "do their job"; it is also thanks to the closed sandbox that the sand remains dry, which is important for children's health.
You can make a sandbox with a lid yourself using this drawing:
But it is best to make a special door that will cover the sandbox from above, but the best option is from two halves-shields that form a kind of door; they need to be installed on hinges and provided with handles; the best version of the transformer cover is when the doors are easily converted into benches for comfortable seating for babies.
You should always make lids that a child's hand can easily handle.
Very a good option lid, which in one motion becomes a bench: for this, loops are attached between the boards, thanks to which the lid can be folded into a kind of bench.
In the video, a sandbox with a lid:
Useful little things and sandbox ideas for imaginative parents
For parents with imagination, you can turn around in full, because square sandboxes are too common, so you can make a round sandbox from logs driven in around the perimeter or make a polygonal sandbox from boards.
In order for children to be interested, you can make a whole labyrinth in the sandbox, then the child will definitely have the opportunity to plunge into the Fairy Tale and Magic.
You can decorate the space of the sandbox with animals, windmills, houses - but this, for how long, will be enough for both strength and imagination. It is very good to bring a path to the sandbox so that it is better for the child to walk to the place of play.
It is advisable to buy the necessary inventory: buckets, shovels and others. It is good to brightly paint the walls of the sandbox so that they are the entrance to the Fairy Tale. Such a sandbox will become not just a playground for children's games, but a real decoration of the garden or suburban area and will be an example for other people.
There are very simple circuits sandboxes, even simpler than mentioned above, for example - from bottles, from tires, but still for our flowers of life everything needs to be done for glory and not spare the material.
It is very convenient when trampling resistant grows around the sandbox. thick grass: lawn or clover.
Sandbox in the form of a boat:
You can also play and ride:
Following these tips and instructions, you can now fully make the child's dream come true and take his leisure time with interesting games that are possible thanks to the sandbox; and it develops creative thinking and motility.
Children's games in the sandbox have not lost their relevance in our age of high technology and continue to delight our children. It will be great if, after reading our article, you will be inspired to build a children's sandbox in your area.
Good luck and success in creating joy for children, creating a truly happy childhood!
I decided not to shelve the sandbox story that I mentioned and talk about the construction process. In addition, we still have warm Indian summer days ahead of us and, perhaps, someone will even have time to do something similar. :)
Almost all summer my wife and daughters spent at the dacha with grandparents. For children there expanse. You can walk on the street all day long, pluck raspberries and strawberries straight from the bushes, and generally enjoy your childhood and life. :)
But, no matter how good it is, and without the main component of childhood (unless, of course, it takes place in permafrost conditions), the mood of any child will not be the most positive. I'm talking, of course, about the sandbox. So my child at some point remembered that in the city, they say, there is this same sandbox, but in the country, much to the chagrin, no.
As a result, after agreeing with my grandmother (our main dacha field marshal), at an emergency family meeting, a decision was made - there will be a sandbox! :)
After wandering through the expanses of the Internet and reviewing a bunch of sandboxes of the most different forms and sizes, I decided to stop at a fairly simple, but functional and convenient option. But since I couldn’t find any diagrams and drawings, I had to do it “just like in the picture” :) The photo below was found by me on the Internet and was taken as the basis for construction.
Having estimated the approximate dimensions of the future sandbox, I went to the construction market. I bought boards, timber, wicket hinges and paint.
After I sawed the required number of parts, it remains only to grind everything and assemble it into a single structure. My faithful assistants helped me with these tasks :)
Grinding was carried out using a grinder and a grinding wheel, which is not entirely correct, since the process produces a lot of fine dust, which literally clogs everything. IN next year I want to buy grinder with a dust collector, otherwise cleaning takes almost as much time as the construction itself.
After all the details were processed, I proceeded to the assembly.
I extended the beam, to which the boards of the side walls of the sandbox were attached, since later I planned to dig it into the ground and these “tails” were supposed to serve as supports for the entire structure so that it would not fail.
Gathering everything together, pulled this colossus into the street. It turned out impressive (the sides of the square were about one meter and twenty centimeters).
For strength and reliability, I reinforced the corners with the help of the remnants of the timber.
Went through the first coat of paint. The “legs” of the sandbox were treated with used engine oil.
Well, more precisely, I didn’t paint the legs at all ... :)
I figured in place the pre-painted boards of the future sandbox cover.
With a grinder with a rough skin, he removed the edge from the boards, giving them a prettier look.
I firmly fixed the first two boards by screwing them with self-tapping screws. Then he began to assemble the first part of the movable sandbox cover, adding two more boards and attaching the gate hinges.
Something is starting to happen... :)
Then proceeded to the second part of the cover. The fact is that this lid is not simple, but with a curious mechanism that turns it into a shop! To do this, I added two more boards and fastened them with the help of bars.
Attached two boards, fixed with bars to the previous two boards, using the same wicket hinges. As a result, I got this design:
The bars are calculated so that when the lid is opened, they rest against the wall of the sandbox and serve as a support for the back of the bench.
Thus, our cover folds up and turns into a comfortable bench.
The fifth and sixth boards are fastened with the bars that I spoke about above. In the same way, I strengthened the third and fourth boards, reinforcing them with additional small bars. Now the boards are held not only on hinges and securely fastened to each other.
In addition, these short bars protect children's priests from being scratched on the hinges, and also serve as a back stop for the back of the bench so that it does not fold and fall on the children's arms and backs. Still, don’t say anything, but safety is above all! :)
So that the bench does not sag under the weight of those sitting, I screwed a small support plate in the center onto the first two boards.
After one side of the sandbox lid was finished, I proceeded to assemble the second side.
I decided to make the second half of the lid without a back, thus modifying and improving the original design. :) The fact is that if an adult suddenly decides to play with a child, it is convenient to do this without getting entirely into the sandbox, but sitting on its edge. In the original version of the sandbox, from which I took an example, both sides of the lid were with backs, which made it difficult for adults to board.
In my version, there are no such problems. :)
I closed the corners with a wooden corner so that the ends of the boards do not absorb moisture, and in general it looks much neater.
Having fully assembled and painted the entire structure, I went to look for a shovel ... :)
Having dug a pit along the perimeter, I lowered the supporting legs of the sandbox into it so that the side walls lay on the lawn.
The sandbox brings so much joy to children! But it is very easy to build it yourself, you only need a little material, skill, imagination and skillful hands.
Theory
Sandbox placement
First you need to decide where to organize a cozy corner for the baby. When choosing a place, be guided by the following rules:
- The sandbox should be located in plain sight so that adults can to control baby activities. A playground for children's games is not a place behind a barn or high bushes.
- think about shadows. The play corner must be equipped so that one half of it remains in the sun, and the other allows you to hide from the scorching rays. It is good if a tree with a lush crown grows nearby.
- Or create a shadow themselves. There are no tall trees on the site, or are you not ready to constantly sweep fallen leaves from the sandbox? It doesn't matter: make a nice canopy in the form of an umbrella.
Size and preparation of the base of the sandbox, protection from moisture
Anyone can make a children's sandbox with their own hands! If there are a lot of kids, then, of course, it should be more spacious. However, the most common are square structures measuring 1.7x1.7 m - it will be cozy here for both two-year-old little ones and already grown up tomboys. It is not difficult to build such a structure. But first you need to mark the site and make basis. To do this, you need a cord, marking tape and pegs.
The preparation of the base is carried out in several stages:
- Fence off the desired area around the perimeter.
- Remove the top layer of soil - about 30 cm is enough.
- In the center, dig a hole with a diameter of 40-50 cm and a depth of 60-70 cm, fill it with small loose material, for example, crushed stone, and tamp it down. This is necessary so that excess moisture does not accumulate in the sandbox.
- From the sides to the center, make a slope along which rainwater will flow.
- When everything is ready, you can begin to build the base of the sandbox.
Sandbox base
This role can be played by anyone dense material: polyethylene, plywood (just do not forget to make holes in it, otherwise water will constantly accumulate in the sandbox), paving slabs. The main thing is to pour a small layer of sand before laying the material.
DIY sandbox photo step by step
The foundation performs several important functions. So, it protects the play area from mice and insects that are not averse to settling in the sand. And also a film or plywood will help keep the sandbox clean, preventing earth and stones from getting into it.
Sandbox sides
It's time for the sandbox. They help to mark the territory of the playground, do not allow the sand to crumble and are actively used by children as an "exhibition area" for Easter cakes or just for relaxation.
For the sides will come in handy:
- bars 45x5x5 cm;
- boards 150x30x2.5 cm (you can replace them with narrow blanks 10 cm wide);
- wide boards for horizontal benches.
DIY sandbox photo step by step
Since do-it-yourself wooden sandboxes are usually square, 4 pieces are required.
The material must be carefully processed, otherwise the tree will quickly deteriorate, and the children will get a few splinters. Take a grinder or an electric drill, put on a sanding attachment and walk along the boards for horizontal sides. It is not necessary to grind the remaining boards and bars, but it is necessary to cover them in several layers with drying oil or any antiseptic. Bitumen is great.
To obtain the base, the bars are dug into the corners of the future sandbox to a depth of about 15-20 cm. Boards are nailed to them. Finally, horizontal linings are fixed along the perimeter.
Lid for sandbox
An important design element is lid. In principle, you can do without it, but in this case, garbage, branches and leaves will constantly get into the sand, and animals will surely choose it as a toilet. Therefore, it is better to make a lid for the sandbox after all. This role may be played by:
Sandbox decoration
The do-it-yourself children's sandbox is ready, but will the child be interested if left without decorations? You can simply paint the design in any color or draw an ornament on it, various pictures, letters, funny faces - whatever you want!
The last "touch" is filling the sandbox. Usually, high-quality river or quartz bulk material is used for this, in which insects will be uncomfortable, and children, on the contrary, will be safe and fun!
DIY sandbox photo
Let's move on to practice
Materials and dimensions of the sandbox
DIY sandbox photo step by step
So, you have decided that your child needs a sandbox. It is not necessary to do it yourself: now in any children's goods store they already sell prefabricated structures, which remains only to install in the selected location. But this product is expensive, and it’s more pleasant to make a playground with your own hands. Moreover, it is easy to find hundreds of photos on the net that will inspire and help you easily decide on the materials and sizes of the sandbox.
Find boards before you start the right sizes and good polish them so that the children do not get splinters. The width of the blanks should not be less than 30 mm.
Now make a drawing, choosing the location of the playground and deciding on the size. Standard sandboxes are made in the form of a square with a side of 1.5-2 m. Sufficient depth is 20-30 cm.
Sandbox with your own hands. Drawing
How to make a children's sandbox?
When the materials are ready, it's time to proceed directly to creating a wooden sandbox with your own hands. It's quite easy if you follow the instructions:
Determine a place for the playground. As mentioned above, the sandbox should be installed so that children do not suffer from hot sunlight and are visible. An open area is not suitable - choose a corner under a spreading tree that gives enough shade. And do not forget: the site should be clearly visible.
If shadow is not enough, docanopy. It will perfectly protect both from the scorching rays of the sun and from the rain, if it suddenly catches the kids during the game, and, in addition, will increase the life of the sandbox.
Process woodantiseptic composition, which will not allow the material to rot and suffer from insect invasion. The sandbox is located on the street, so the protection must be of high quality, otherwise precipitation will quickly render the boards unusable.
Prepare the surface and base for the sandbox. It must be such as to prevent the entry of insects and rodents, as well as the mixing of sand with the ground. Good for this purpose, agrofibre is suitable, which is attached to the boards using a conventional furniture stapler.
DIY sandbox photo step by step
Install bumpers sandbox, connecting the boards with self-tapping screws. This is the most convenient and affordable option fasteners, which will give the structure the necessary strength. Even the constant pressure of a mass of sand cannot deform it.
Fasten wide horizontal boards around the perimeter of the playground so that children can relax while playing. You can also sit on comfortable benches with backs, which are easy to install on both sides of the structure.
To understand how to make a sandbox with your own hands and find answers to all questions that may arise in the process, it is better to watch a video explaining all the installation steps. Perhaps you will find some ideas for various sandboxes made by yourself useful.
A simple sandbox made of large logs with your own hands
The design slightly resembles a traditional log house. Whole logs were used as walls, wide boards covered with light paint and used as benches are fixed on both sides. Flooring became an excellent base, preventing soil from getting into the sand.
Sandbox-transformer with a folding lid
Perhaps the most practical and interesting option. It is done like this:
- As for a conventional sandbox, a box is mounted from prepared boards.
- Materials for the cover are being prepared: 12 narrow boards (6 on each side) and hinges - standard door hinges and with one long shelf (4 pieces each).
- On both sides, two boards are nailed to the finished box.
Short shelves of loops are attached to the received parts of the future cover, and the next pair of boards is screwed to the long ones. Keep in mind: the size of the blanks should be such that the long loop captures no less than half the width. This is necessary for structural strength.
The next board is attached using a regular loop, and so that the shelves remain on the other side. To install the second workpiece, a small bar is useful, which is stuffed on both sides, stepping back from the edge about 15 cm.
A piece of wood of suitable size is stuffed onto the first pair of boards, which will not allow the lid to bend and press on the hinges in the folded state.
It turns out an interesting sandbox with a do-it-yourself lid, which remains only to be painted. Even at the preparation stage, you can use a special impregnation, which not only protects the wood, but also gives it one shade or another. The paint can be any, the main thing is that it is intended for outdoor work and does not deteriorate under the influence of the sun and precipitation. Turn on your imagination and turn the sandbox into a little miracle for your child!
To make the playground even more practical, we recommend that you use the space under the seats to store your toys by enclosing the space like a compartment. All the same, children mostly play in the center of the structure, and it will be possible to save money on sand.
DIY sandbox boat
A wonderful option for little tomboys is a sandbox-boat. Probably every boy dreams of going sailing at least once in his life, so why not give him such an opportunity? Do-it-yourself sandbox is built like this:
An ordinary square base with low sides is constructed.
Two blanks are driven into the ground near one of the sides of the hull, to which boards for the "nose" of the future ship are attached. It is made in the form of a triangle with sides, the height of which should be noticeably higher than the main part. In the corners of the board, it is necessary to fasten it by hammering nails obliquely.
We make a ladder of 2-3 steps so that the child can easily move from the sandbox itself to the “nose” and back.
The top of the triangle is sewn up with boards.
Decor and additional devices are being built: equipment, masts, etc. The resulting boat is painted.
The structure can be added upon request. annex, which is installed on the other side of the sandbox. It is made from beams that are driven into the ground as poles, and sheets of plywood. In such a house it is convenient to store toys and start a variety of games.
DIY sandbox truck. step by step photos
The playground is a favorite place for kids to play. For adults, it will not be difficult to make it bright and cozy. For example, it is not difficult to make an interesting element with your own hands - a sandbox in the form of a truck, which will bring a lot of joy to children.
What you need
Any important business begins with planning. To create a sandbox, you need to prepare materials and design a structure.
For this you will need:
- a sheet of plywood 1.5x1.5 m 1.8 cm thick (several sheets);
- fasteners (self-tapping screws, screws, metal corners);
- jigsaw;
- slate pencil, drawing tools, drawing paper;
- primer;
- outdoor paint;
- unnecessary car parts (steering wheel, wheels, toggle switches, headlights, etc.)
Manufacturing process
The sandbox in the form of a truck consists of two large parts - the cab and the body. They can be made from 13 parts:
- Board of the body (2 pcs.)
- Hood
- front end
- body seat
- Body seat bottom
- Side with doorway (2 pcs.)
- steering wheel panel
- Roof
- Cabin seat
- Cabin seat bottom
- Back wall
DIY sandbox drawings. A photo
In order not to make mistakes with the calculations, it would be advisable to first draw sketches of the parts on paper and find their optimal location on plywood. Then transfer the image to a tree and saw it along the lines with a jigsaw.
Using fasteners, we assemble the structure, process the edges and protruding parts to avoid injury to children.
Since the truck sandbox will be used outdoors and exposed to the weather, it needs to be treated. To do this, the entire surface is first covered with a primer, the second layer is applied paint for outdoor use.
DIY sandbox truck. Step-by-step instruction with photo
It remains to add realism to the truck by installing the steering wheel, switches, you can also attach real wheels and lights.
Thus, it will take only a few hours to make a sandbox with your own hands. And how many fun minutes happy children will spend in it.
Sandboxes with a canopy. A photo
Very practical and decorative sandbox with a canopy. Many execution options:
Simple wooden structure with benches around the perimeter and a fabric canopy. For its construction, holes are made in wide horizontal boards on both sides of the sandbox, through which long thin slats pass, which serve as the basis. The roof is attached to them.
Sandbox with canopy. A photo
The sandbox is given the shape not of a square, but of a boat. To do this, on one side, two boards connected by a triangle are attached at once. The steering wheel is placed in the "bow". The fabric canopy is mounted on four supports.
Sandbox in the form of a house: wooden poles are placed at the corners of the base, mounted on them gable roof with a carved ridge and other decorations. An interesting effect is created by the sides of the structure, which are made not from boards, but from many bars set by a palisade.
Roofed sandbox. A photo
Another ship. As in the variant above, a base of the appropriate shape is made, a fabric triangular canopy is installed (two supports are driven in on the sides near the “nose”, and one more in the center of the board on the opposite side). A "captain's bridge" with a helm is being built.
A laconic do-it-yourself sandbox with four supports, on which a waterproof fabric is stretched on top so that the sides are formed along the edges. You can make a cover from the same material: you just need to stretch the fabric, tying it to the pillars in the corners. 
A playground with poles driven into the corners, on which a wooden gable roof is installed. At a small height between two pillars opposite each other, wide boards are fastened, acting as benches. 
Even the most simple sandbox becomes a source of great joy for children. Here you can build castles, bake sand pies and do a million other interesting things. So there is no doubt that the idea of making a children's sandbox with your own hands will be met with enthusiasm by your children. In theory, the idea looks remarkably simple, but a few tips will definitely not hurt here.
Of course, first of all, you need to determine the location of the future sandbox. In no case should it be placed under the open sun. If you don’t have a suitable shaded place under a tree in mind, then you immediately need to tune in to the fact that the sandbox will need a canopy.
Children's sandbox under a canopy
Also, when choosing a place for a sandbox, you need to consider the age of the children. The younger they are, the better the sandbox should be visible from different parts of the site.
Materials for building a sandbox with your own hands
The easiest option for building a children's sandbox with your own hands is already turnkey solutions sold in hardware stores. In this case, you will purchase a set of parts already cut to the required dimensions, which you only need to fasten together. But here it will be difficult to implement your own ideas: it will not work to develop a model that meets your own needs. It should also be noted that for the sandbox you will need high-quality fine sand without impurities, which, like other bulk building materials, can be ordered from specialized companies.
DIY sandbox made of wood
If you are planning to build wooden sandbox, use raw wood. Various chemicals very quickly get into the sand, which children sometimes taste. To prevent wood from rotting, use resistant species: larch, Douglas fir or Robinia. It will cost more, but the sandbox will please you longer. But spruce and fir wood is also suitable for building a sandbox with your own hands.
stone or concrete
Instead of wood, paving stones can also be used. The stone has an undeniable advantage: a stone sandbox will last you forever, and neither humidity nor temperature changes will be afraid of it. In addition, a paving stone sandbox is built quickly and easily. Do not forget to coat the joints of individual stones with concrete for greater reliability.
Corner in the garden
You can even build a whole children's castle from paving stones. Choose an unused spot in the garden and build relatively high walls of any shape. In the photo above - a huge sandbox-castle, where your child can play enough.
Concrete blocks with flowers
It is very convenient to build a sandbox from concrete blocks: you just need to set the border of the blocks. But if suddenly the resulting sandbox seems gray and boring to you, then here great idea: plant flowers in the recesses in the blocks, introducing children to social useful work. And the task of watering the flowers and caring for them will help develop a sense of responsibility in the kids.
Do-it-yourself sandbox from a tire
Here's another simple and low-cost idea: if you have an old large tire in mind, it's easy to make a sandbox out of it. For more beauty, color it with the kids in their favorite color.
Is it worth it to dig in the sandbox?
The sandbox can be built directly on the ground, or you can dig it in. Which option you choose depends on how much time you are willing to devote to building the sandbox. In any case, the dug-in sandbox has a more reliable design.
Practical DIY Sandbox Ideas
It is very convenient when it is possible to cover the sandbox when not in use. Then the wind will not bring garbage into the sand, and the animals will not be able to do their business in the sandbox. The lid can be designed in such a way that, when open, it becomes a comfortable bench on which the child can rest between games.
Here, however, such a problem arises that the lid will prevent rainwater from entering the sandbox, and it will not be possible to make cakes from dry sand. Therefore, it is necessary to provide for how it will be possible to wet the sand before the game.
A two-leaf lid for a sandbox has a great advantage: if desired, one of the wings can be left closed and used as a place to store any little things or a platform for building sandboxes.
If the sandbox does not have a lid, any rain will quickly fill it with water. Sand can dry on its own, but before building a sandbox with your own hands, you should think about drainage. To do this, you can put crushed stone on the bottom of the sandbox, covering it with a water-permeable cloth and fixing it on the frame of the sandbox. This measure will also help to avoid unexpected guests in the form of insects and worms.
Toy box
love practical solutions? Then we have this idea for you: place a place to store toys next to the sandbox. On the one hand, all the toys will always be at hand, and on the other hand, you will not need to remove the sand that has crumbled from the bucket every time.
2 in 1 storage chest and bench back
By placing a stopper, you can turn the lid from the toy chest into the back of the bench. After all, even the most active children sometimes need a minute to relax.
Sandbox on wheels
If your garden is not so big, you can save space by attaching wheels to the sandbox, then you can rearrange the garden at any time. Here, too, it is desirable to take care of drainage, especially if the sandbox will most often be in the open air. The bottom is best used wooden planks leaving spaces between them. And so that the sand does not “run away”, line the day with a waterproof cloth.
Sandbox of an unusual shape
When we talk about a sandbox, we immediately imagine a wooden square filled with sand. But this does not mean at all that we should limit our imagination to this representation. Why not make a sandbox, for example, hexagonal? A fairly simple idea, but it gives the sandbox a completely different look.
A canvas cape can be a worthy replacement for a lid
It doesn't matter what shape you choose for your sandbox. But it is still important to take care of the protection of the sand. If building a lid seems like an unnecessary extra waste of time to you, here's an easier option: an ordinary tarp that will perfectly protect the sandbox and its contents from wind, rain, and neighbor's cats.
DIY sandbox in the form of a ship
In such a sandbox, it will be possible not only to build castles, but also to play pirates. And the "sail" will additionally protect from the scorching sun. Original, isn't it?
A photo: ziegler-spielplatz.de, deavita.com
