8 Sandpit play ideas for toddlers & preschoolers
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Toddlers and preschoolers LOVE to dig and play in sandpits! Have a go at some of these fun sandpit activities. Creative ways to engage your toddler and preschooler in sandpit play.
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Make your own sand foam
Have a go at making your own sand foam! It’s very easy to do and uses just 2 ingredients! The sand foam has a smooth, slimy, grainy texture and is great for sensory play.
Make your own dinosaur world
Make your own dinosaur world or mini Jurassic Park! It’s a great water play and sensory play activity that toddlers and preschoolers will love. Dinosaur worlds are easy to set up with things you have to hand and kids will have fun as they make their dinosaurs come to life through imaginative play.
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Playing in sand is an awesome sensory experience and provides a great opportunity for them to use their imagination and to enjoy some unstructured playtime.
Sandpit play comes with many benefits for toddlers and preschoolers too.
They learn about the properties of sand by feeling, digging, patting and shaping it, playing with sand helps to develop their fine motor skills and it promotes creativity and imagination, amongst many other benefits.
Have a go at some of these fun sandpit ideas from our friends at Mud Mates. Creative ways to engage your toddler and preschooler in sandpit play.
8 Sandpit play ideas for toddlers & preschoolers
1. Build a river
If your toddler or preschooler becomes frustrated when their moats and streams disappear into the sand before their eyes, have a go at building this river instead.
Dig the trench in the sandpit as normal, and then line it with tinfoil to stop the water from soaking into the sand. Instead, the water will flow down the river and provide hours of entertainment!
2. Create a small world safari park
Transform the sandpit into a small world safari park using safari toys such as tigers, lions, elephants and zebras.
Then add in some rocks, sticks, flowers and leaves to help set the scene.
It’s a great way to spark your toddler's or preschooler's imagination and to encourage independent play.
3. Make a construction zone
Bring out the trucks and tools to create your own city-scape and construction site.
Get your toddler or preschooler to pop on a hard hat and florescent vest and become the site manager!
4. Make sand mud-pies
Get your toddler or preschooler to make sand mud-pies in the sandpit.
Add some props like pebbles and dried pasta and create a sand-restaurant.
5. Make some sand foam
To make your sand foam get a bucket and mix sand and shaving foam together to create sand foam and let your toddler or preschooler enjoy the foamy experience with their hands, feet and sandpit toys.
6. Make your own sand volcanoes
Make a volcano shape with the sand then push an old plastic cup into the top.
Pop in some baking soda and food colouring then pour in vinegar and watch the explosion! Toddlers and preschoolers will love it!
7. Organise a treasure hunt
Keep your toddler or preschooler busy for hours digging for treasure.
Simply hide a few items such as small toys or ‘dinosaur bones’ and give them a treasure map plotting the general location of each treasure.
8. Sandpit engineer for the day
Toddlers and preschoolers love water and sand, so why not combine the two!
As well as water, provide a range of equipment such as pipes, pourers, bowls and turning wheels to test out and build creations with.
More kids play activities to try:
Source: This article was written by Mud Mates - Taking care of messy kids with protective over-garments, perfect for dirty, messy play, indoors and out.