Building Clara a sandbox has been a project that was nearly a year in the making. Just check out this post about her first birthday party from last May (yes, our girl is a month away from being TWO). So much for “any day now.”
My excuse, well, our excuse is that we couldn’t figure out where we wanted it. We debated building one on wheels that could sit in the middle of the patio when in use (and be pulled out of the way and stored at all other times), but with so much land around us it felt like we should just find a permanent spot for one instead of making an eternally-rolling-around sandbox. I guess we just couldn’t commit to a spot, so Project Sandbox went on an 11 month hiatus. Although the play sand that we had already started stocking did come in handy when sandbagging our basement when Hurricane Irene swept through in August. Though it mostly just sat in a sad pile in the backyard… a symbol of a broken promise. Picture a single tear sliding down my cheek as I say that.
But our recent outdoor projects have given us renewed energy to actually get this baby done. More specifically, while tidying up the patio we uncovered the perfect sandbox spot. It had been hiding behind the now-deceased-and-therefore-removed rhododendron which made way for what is now a nice big open area that’s partially shaded by a pretty dogwood tree and adjacent to the patio. We instantly thought “hey, we could add a few stepping stones to lead Clara right to it from the patio, and it’ll be nice to have it placed within our small fenced-in side yard.” So we mulled it over for a little while longer and then decided that we weren’t getting any younger (nor was Clara) and this was THE place. Sold.
It might look like a small cramped corner of the side garden, but it’s actually a nice level 7 x 7′ area – perfect for housing something functional and fun for the bean.
Now we just had to figure out how we wanted to create this thing. I turned to Pinterest (yes, even I go to Pinterest sometimes even though I don’t have an account myself) for inspiration. There were lots of cute, ingenious, and creative incarnations of sandboxes – some very intricate, some pretty straightforward, all proof that there’s more than one way to skin this kitty. Here are some of our favorites: Dana Made It, Small & Friendly, Modern Parents Messy Kids, and Dover Projects.
I knew I wanted something pretty uncomplicated. I’m great at making things harder on myself than necessary, so I was determined not to make a simple sandbox more intricate (or stressful) than it needed to be. But, you’ll see as I continue this post that I was only moderately successful at this. Anyways, the first step was clearing the area of – surprise! – liriope. Fortunately it wasn’t too thick here so it was a pretty quick task.
Based on the available space, we decided we wanted a roughly 5′ x 5′ sandbox. Not huge, but large enough that Clara and a friend/cousin or two could play without knocking heads. So I measured it out and used some orange flags that the previous owner left in the basement (they marked off our property line during closing) to mark my corners.
I then dug out the area about 6″ so that the sandbox could actually be sunk in the ground. I figured this would achieve a couple of things. For one, it would help keep the box in one place (and keep its shape). But more importantly, it would allow us to make a deep enough box to allow for some good sand-digging (Clara exhibits signs of becoming a future archeologist thanks to her extreme love of digging). Sure we could’ve just made a taller box – but we wanted the sides to be low enough that Clara could get in and out without any trouble.
The hole wasn’t perfectly level throughout, but I did want to make sure all four sides were level so that my boards would sit square and even. Speaking of the boards, these are 2 x 10″ pieces of framing lumber (the same stuff we used for our office desktop). We didn’t get pressure treated wood since we learned that a lot of it is treated with chemicals that aren’t meant for children to be in regular contact with (more on that here). So we decided regular framing lumber that we could seal for outside use would do the trick.
I bought two 10 ft pieces and had them cut into 5 ft lengths in the store (for about $17 total). We chose it because it’s thicker than your average board so I thought it’d be nice and sturdy – and maybe wide enough for a toddler’s bottom to sit on (we have both since perched our own bottoms on it and it’s not too bad, although we prefer to sit in a nearby patio chair that we just turn to face the box). We decided not to do any actual seats or overhangs for one singular reason. KILLER SPIDERS. I had distinct memories of those being incessantly creepy and spider-webby in the sandbox that I had growing up (picture thick webs with sinister eight-legged things lurking under every overhang). Plus we always just sat right inside of it and played, so they never got used.
To seal and extend the life of our framing lumber we used some waterproof deck stain on it. We picked up some basic Behr stuff at Home Depot (for about $25). We chose the “Natural” stain after opting not to paint or otherwise add color to the sandbox. We were tempted to give it a cool pattern or color (we loved the striped example from Pinterest), but we figured that effort would be lost after the general wear and tear of being outside would make it dull and dirty (we intentionally buy wood, ORB, or black outdoor furniture/planters most of the time since after a rain the dirt speckles that pop up and are visible on painted items bum us out). Plus over time this finish will match the fence we added around the patio – so it’ll hopefully just be a neutral color that repeats itself around the garden so it fits right in.
Here are the four sides all stained and drying (they’re a little orange here, but look more natural outside – especially after we spreaded some rich dark mulch around them a bit later). The four pieces in the back were some scrap framing lumber that I had from another project (our desk perhaps?) that I cut into short corner posts on my table saw.
I did two coats of the stain on all sides of them as recommended on the can and let them dry over night. Then it was time to start assembling things so it no longer looked like I was digging a grave for a very skinny and very box-y creature.
Before installing the boards, I put down some Weed Block as a base. This would help block weeds (duh) while also creating a barrier between the sand and the dirt. Although we made a sandbox cover, we wanted to be sure to use something that allowed air and especially moisture/water to pass through so that our sandbox didn’t get all clammy. In most cases, breathable = infinitely less nasty.
I had lots of leftover Weed Block from an old mailbox project so I laid two layers (going opposite directions) to help minimize sand-to-dirt contact. I held it down in the corners with some garden staples.
As far as construction, I ended up mimicking the design of Modern Kids Messy Parents‘ sandbox the most – thought instead of building my box and laying it into the hole, I built mine in place (I worried about being able to maneuver the already-constructed box as easily).
The basic system here is that I dug a stake into each corner. They were only 4 or 5″ inches into the ground, so ultimately they didn’t provide that much stability (that instead came from the boards themselves). So mainly the stakes were just helpful in providing a common place for each board to be attached.
After digging each stake in (and packing some dirt around it before recovering the area with Weed Block) I used a square ruler to make sure my corners were 90-degrees.
Then I drilled in some 2.5″ exterior decking screws – one from the outside and one from the inside – to attach the board to the stake.
It wasn’t the fastest system in the world, I’ll admit (since there was lots of triple checking level and square corners) but I slowly started to get what looked like a sand box. Minus the sand.
Here’s the completed box. I was DYING to just dump sand into it and invite Clara out to play, but there was still more to do to make sure it was toddler-ready. Sigh.
First I had to backfill the sides with dirt so that there wasn’t a moat around the edge. You’ll also note in this picture that I placed the board on top of the Weed Block fabric (see it peeking out there). That was to help it stay in place even better.
Here it is with dirt all filled in around it. Of course now it looks like it’s begging for sand inside and mulch outside. That would still have to wait because there’s still one more critical element to this sand box…
…A COVER! You know to keep neighborhood cats from thinking it’s a giant litter box. And to keep birds from dropping some presents if they’re flying by. But not just any cover. One with hardware that hinges open and can be secured so we don’t worry about Clara pulling it closed on herself. Yup, Sherry and I did some brainstorming, and we had some fun coming up with a cover that adds safety and function to the whole shebang. And since this post is already too long, I’m gonna put the details about making the cover in a second post for you this afternoon. Hence the title of The Sandbox Chronicles. It’s not quite Narnia, but it’s a heartwarming story of a girl and her toy trucks.
You’re probably already getting a sense that I made it more complicated than it needed to be (you’d be right), but ultimately we’re really happy with how it all turned out. And since I feel bad about writing a whole post with no shots of the sandbox actually in use, how’s this for a sneak preview?
PS: Want an quick sandbox alternative? Check out this tutorial for easy DIY Moon Sand, which is basically an fun indoor version that is great for rainy days or for folks who don’t have room for an outdoor sandbox.
Psst- We had fun weighing in on some open shelving pro/con chatter over here.
Pssssst- To read The Sandbox Chronicles in their entirety, here’s Part 2 (about building the lid which secures to the fence for safety reasons) and Part 3 (about swapping what we found out was “bad sand” for pea gravel).
Centsational Girl says
“single tear” LOL!
Can’t wait for the reveal!
xo
Kate
JR says
Totally random and completely unrelated comment: Has anyone ever told John that he looks like Ken Cosgrove (played by Aaron Staton) from Mad Men?
http://www.bourbonblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Aaron_Staton_Ken_Cosgrove_Mad_Men-e1332720180375.jpg
I was watching Mad Men on Sunday and it suddenly hit me that Ken is John’s Doppelganger. What do you think?
JR
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah – totally see it! Sherry’s response was “Similar, but different lips.” She’s weird.
-John
Tracie says
We just got around to building a sand box for our kids easter weekend. After talking about it for over a year. We had one of the green turtles, but after a few instances of opening it to find dead flies (and then later dead maggots) we got rid of it and vowed to come up with a new plan for sand play. I used to teach preschool and daycare before kids and I wanted something like a sand table, but for outside use and not a million dollars. So we bought one of those plastic christmas tree rubbermaid bins and my husband built a frame for it to rest inside. All 3 kids (plus more, if we have visitors) can easily play in it and it is deep enough to hold all the toys. The bin came with a snug cover, so we are hoping no more flies and since it is smaller than a sand box it fits in our smaller yard nicely (plus much less sand in the house/pant cuffs/toes/pockets/etc). Love it! Someday when we have some acres, I’d love to build a big sandbox like the one you guys made. Looks great! And we totally over-complicate things always, one of the perks of making your own stuff ;)
Sherry from BC says
Clara will get hours of fun out of playing there, plus it is fenced in and you can sit & have a coffee and blog on your patio while she plays…..perfect. One tip from this granny is that I go to a dollar store every spring to pick up kitchen stuff cheaply for sand play. A set of plastic measuring cups, wooden spoons and a kitchen pot or two and they can play kitchen for hours. Making all sorts of weird food. Somehow my kids and now my grandchildren, prefer real kitchen stuff to the usual plastic buckets and shovels though I always have those too. I also move the little tykes plastic kitchen out there so they can cook their concoctions on and in it. Not sure if you want to do that with your lovely kitchen though. Happy times…..
YoungHouseLove says
Good idea!
-John
Kacie says
I’m SO glad you are doing this! I pinned it. I cannot wait to make one for our daughter. Seriously! I’m so excited.
Kacie
http://www.acollectionofpassions.com/
Gwen says
Another jersey girl growing up without a sandbox! :) We kid my Dad that my husband is “the Daddy” since it only took him a year to build the sandbox and my dad still had the lumber in his basement for mine. (I’m 33)
Jessika says
my only memory of a sandbox is that my dad never got around to building it for us…tear. Good for you for making it happen, even if its 11 months later! we are planning a sandbox in our backyard as well, any tips on getting sand?
YoungHouseLove says
We just got ours at the home improvement store (more on that in the next post) but I’m thinking if I did it again I might go through a garden center or landscaping place (like where we got the materials for our patio) because I think they’d have better options.
-John
Kim W Rily says
John, what a tease! I want to see the whole thing! My neighbors actually have purple sandbox sand. Kind of fun.
Kim says
When our kids were little, one of their friends parents built a very smart cover for their sandbox-pvc frame with mesh sewn around it (to make a square cover) Rain could go through, nasty stuff was kept out, and it could be lifted easily by adults and later by the kids themselves and wasn’t too heavy that it would fall on a kid and hurt them.
Christina says
My dad built me a sandbox for my second birthday. I don’t remember it as we moved to another house when I was four and the sandbox did not go with us. But family legend has it that my three-year-old cousin came to visit, saw the sandbox, and burst into tears. She started sobbing about how “Christina got a sandbox and her dad isn’t even a builder”. For Christmas that year her dad built her a swing set.
Sayward says
Hmm, I grew up on Ocean City, NJ which practically has a playground on every block. I don’t remember sandboxes at any of them, and none of my friends had sandboxes – probably because the beach was a 3 minute walk from anywhere you were. However, over here in Pennsylvania, sandboxes are a playground staple, and all of my aunts and uncles had them for their kids. I guess beach babies don’t need sandboxes since we have the real deal!
My siblings and I used to play ‘treasure hunt’ on the beach by burying a toy and then spinning someone around with their eyes closed and then telling them to dig and find it. Obviously we never found any of our toys. You can imagine the tears and hysterics. My mom shut Treasure Hunt down reeaaallly quickly.
Suzanne says
My dad built us a sandbox when I was a kid. It had a tarp-over-wood-frame cover on a pulley/counterweight system that raised up to provide shade. He was definitely not into making things easy on himself, but it was an AWESOME sandbox.
For my kids, I just filled an old plastic kiddie pool with sand.
Claire says
Maybe it is regional…? I had one when I lived in Charlottesville but we didn’t have one when we moved to Woodbridge.
Alison says
I’m so excited for Clara!!! As soon as we buy a house, a sandbox will be a definite must for my kids. I remember when we were kids we would fill our corner sandbox up with water and play in the muddy mess for hours until it all leaked out the broken wood sides. Best memories.
Amanda says
As a kid my siblings and I used to take the hose over to our sandbox and fill it up with water. Then we played in the mud in our swimsuits! Best times!
YoungHouseLove says
So cute!
xo
s
Carla says
So exciting!!! Thank you so much for sharing a link to our sandbox! I can’t wait to see how yours turns out. I hope Clara enjoys it as much as our son has. We are on year two of almost daily use!
Lacey Vander Plaats says
My dad made our “sandbox” out of an old tractor wheel – rim removed of course. Not only would my sisters and I play in the sand, we would fill it up with water and pretend we had a pool, until the water was all absorbed… The water never lasted very long! haha Speaking of spiders, ours had spiders too. There were no webs, they would just come up from the sand. My sisters and I would scream but then we would just dump some sand on them and continue playing…until the spider founds it’s way out again… Eep!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, so funny!
xo,
s
Martha says
The sandbox I grew up playing in was sand dumped in a giant tractor tire–can you tell I grew up in the country? It did need a cover though, there was occasionally yuckiness in there. Our two year old really needs a sandbox, I hope we can settle somewhere for long enough to set one up for him! You made a really good point about overhangs and spiders, that’s something to keep in mind.
Pam C says
I built one for my two children. When they were too old to play in it anymore, we added some topsoil and planted tulip bulbs. They loved that tulip bed!
tammylee says
my husband promised to build this “awesome” tree house for our daughter but alas, ten years later it never happened. do you think that 17 going on 18 is too old for one?
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, never! I want one!
xo,
s
Kelly says
Growing up in Pittsburgh, I would spend hours in my sandbox. We did have a cover for it, but not with hinges. My parents just lifted it off and laid it next to it while it was in use. It was painted chocolate brown and similar in size/shape to the one you built for Clara, but it sat up off the ground a bit. It had a wide ledge all the way around and that’s what we sat on as we played. I’ll have to ask my dad if he made it, I can’t recall. It was the best thing ever, next to the bucket of water my sister used to sit in because we didn’t have a pool.
Kristi says
A few weeks ago we built our 19-month-old daughter a sandbox (she calls it “san-bah”) and she loves it! I really like the idea of a hinged cover – right now we just use a tarp and it’s a pain to a) remember to lay it out before bed, and b) to anchor it so the wind doesn’t blow it off. I think that may be our next project, thanks for the idea!
YoungHouseLove says
So cute to call it a San-bah! Hope the cover works out well!
xo,
s
Mary Tyler S. says
You may want to make a cover for it or else the neighborhood cats will use it for their, um, litter box. Yuck!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes, check out the bottom of the post- this is just chapter one! The afternoon’s post is about the cover!
xo,
s
Katrina says
The sandbox looks darling, we are thinking our building one next year right before our baby turns two :) Can’t wait to see your after and gather ideas! :)
kaylan says
clara’s sand box is already a thousand times more awesome than mine. especially since mine was just a pile-o-sand next to my swing set. no box, no cover, no weed protection, but i assure you that it was loved and appreciated just the same!
CampDallas says
I never had a sandbox, due to my mom being a (very sweet) clean freak. Luckily, our sitter had one, so I wasn’t totally deprived. Now, the big debate…do I carry on the Mean Mom tradition, or break the mold and build one? I vote for the latter. Childhood entertainment is worth the potential sandy shoes that come into the house.
Michele says
well done guys! we can’t wait to have a yard, and reading about how you made this makes me feel like we could actually accomplish it ourselves (we are not handy… not at all.) of course, the post about the cover might scare me. :)
we are currently city dwellers (big deck, no yard) and so our sandbox is.. in the kitchen. no joke. seattle weather isn’t consistant or warm this time of year, so:
http://ladymgray.blogspot.com/2012/03/boys.html
we’re moving to the ‘burbs in the fall and are excited to get our Toddler Yard Toys on. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, it’s sweet in the kitchen! I love it.
xo,
s
Teresa says
We just did this little sandbox project. Our little guy loves it and it is great if you aren’t or haven’t decided on a big one yet!
http://teresadboyd.blogspot.com/2012/04/easy-sandbox.html
YoungHouseLove says
Fun!
xo,
s
Zoë says
We built a sandbox for our son’s 4th birthday, and filled it with gravel because he was obsessed with trucks. You can see it here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rascoe_photos/2939598945/in/photostream. But after a couple of years, he outgrew trucks, and became obsesed with superheroes, and his younger sisters aren’t truck girls either. Now it is a wasteland where broken backyard toys go to die. So for the past two years, we have vowed to replace the gravel with sand (and use the gravel to fill the patches in our driveway. Woot for a free fix). And this year, we will do it!! So we got you beat. 24 mths vs 11 mths. Procastinators unite!!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- good luck Zoe!
xo,
s
Julie says
Ohhh, I loved my sandbox as a kid!! I grew up in Los Angeles and my dad, who is from the midwest, made it for me. It had a mixture of coarse sand and that fine, silvery play sand, and it was a treat to find a pocket of the silvery stuff – especially when I was playing with water and it would make a solid silvery vein :) I am totally going to make a sandbox for my future kids!! thanks for the reminder!
Laura Brand Sias says
This is totally off topic, but this is sooo cute. I am sure you ahve already seen it!
http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/home-office/22203798.jsp
YoungHouseLove says
So cute! I love him.
xo,
s
Meredith @ La Buena Vida says
I didn’t have a sandbox either (and I don’t think anyone I knew did either)–so all I could think about was how I’d probably leave the lid open and our cat would poop all over!
But, assuming you’re responsible enough to close the lid on the regular, I think it could be a really fun idea!
Meredith @ La Buena Vida says
That last sentence came off kind of snarky–it was totally meant to be a dig at me (’cause I am NOT responsible enough to remember to close a sandbox lid, ha!), just for the record!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- no it didn’t! I totally knew what you meant Meredith!
xo,
s
Alicia says
Hooray for finally getting “on that” sandbox! I’ll bet Clara is one happy girl. My siblings and I LOVED our sandbox growing up. Our dad made it for us and it was almost exactly like the first inspiration pic (sans the pretty paint colors). I’ll give a little plug to the triangle seats in the corner as a great place for parents and babysitters to sit. You can always go back and add them! The other recommendation I’d make (though I’m not sure you can go back now) is to have a plywood base for the box. This makes it so you can relocate the box if ever necessary (we wound up moving our sandbox across town when we moved) and gives a strong, flat base (that can’t rip) for when you dig all the way to the bottom with your shovels, etc. (which Clara probably wouldn’t do now, but will become a thing to do as she get older).
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for all the tips Alicia!
xo,
s
Skooks says
We had a sandbox built in to our backyard (kind of like yours here, but we had the seats on the corners which may have had spiders – don’t remember – but we definitely sat on the seats as kids and not inside the box as much). I don’t remember how big it was exactly, but 4 kids could comfortably play in it at once and we LOVED that thing. No cover for it though, so if it had rained we wouldn’t use it for awhile til things dried out. If we ever do this for our kids, I’m definitely going to go with a cover though! Looking forward to seeing how the whole thing worked out for you.
angel p says
I didn’t have a sandbox growing up in Texas but we had one for our kids. The one thing I learned was do NOT use blue sand in your sandbox. It would stain their hands terribly everytime they played. Also, for years afterward you would still see the blue sand in the yard from where it got dumped out. As cute as it may look in the store stay far, far away from it.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- good tip!
xo,
s
karla says
I agree, dyed sand is not a good idea!
Vonda says
I was just about to offer up free sand when I saw the title. But you’re way ahead of me. Oh well, if you need more sand let me know! We have a sandbox at our new house and I’ve converted 1/2 of it into a raised bed. Just need to be rid of the pile of sand to finish the other 1/2 of it. Luckily, I’ve seen no indication of neighborhood cats as I’ve moved sand around. GROSS.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks for the thought Vonda- you’re so sweet.
xo,
s
Annie says
I remember LOVING my sandbox as a kid! It’s so exciting that Clara gets one too.
Also, I recently went through the whole ahhh-pressure-treated chemicals thing when building raised planter beds for our garden. I checked out your article, and wanted to let you know for any future outdoor kid projects that there are some facts off. The article you linked to is from 2009, and they do a good job of explaining the concerns about CCA pt lumber. However, CCA treated lumber hasn’t been sold since 2003. Your article says “if it’s been bought within less than six months, there’s a good chance that it is CCA treated”. However, I think they meant “MORE than six months”. Here is the article I used, for reference: http://www.gardeningblog.net/2009/04/12/using-pressure-treated-lumber-in-raised-garden-beds/
I know it’s not exactly the same, but you’re probably ok using copper azole treated lumber for any future playforts or anything like that. That’s what Home Depot stocks (in Atlanta, anyway). You can always check the sticker on the wood, which tells you exactly how the wood was treated. I would actually be more worried about the play sand than the lumber… http://www2.timesdispatch.com/lifestyles/2009/jul/31/h-sand31_20090730-185807-ar-35547/
Hope that helps! Ultimately, better safe than sorry.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tips and info Annie! We’ve been learning lots about the sand thing and will be sharing more on that tomorrow!
xo,
s
Sara says
LOVED the sandbox as a kid and MY kids loved it too! An observation from an old mom-not to be indelicate, but there is a correlation between little girls and bladder infections, especially when out of diapers (HA! Never thought there would be an advantage to the kid being in diapers, didja!) There’s nothing more fun than trying to get your 3 year old to pee in a cup!! Ah- the joys of parenthood!!!
Sara says
DUH–Should have said little girls, SANDBOXES and bladder infections-I’ll have to fire my proofreader.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, so funny.
xo,
s
Laura says
I loved my sandbox growing up (which my father built for me & my brothers!) However I was traumatized one day when I was stung by a mean old bee that was hanging out in the sand. (I’m not sure why). I’m sure Clara will love hers- just watch out for bees! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Will do!
xo,
s
Lori says
I was hoping maybe you hadn’t filled your box with sand yet, and that I might suggest filling it with pea gravel instead, but I see it’s already filled and being loved.
As a mom of 2 young boys, we’ve had lots of luck with pea gravel. The boys play for hours with diggers, buckets, trucks, etc. and I never say “No” in order to avoid the mess on that particular day.
I know your sandbox will be wonderful (and it looks great!), I just thought I would offer the suggestion as it’s been such a success for us (maybe next time!). :)
YoungHouseLove says
Maybe next time, indeed!
xo,
s
ARON says
I had a GIANT sandbox (California) growing up. It spanned the length of one side of our large yard. Adults used it to play horseshoes at backyard parties and kids used it for play. Clara will love it!
ARON says
And just an idea but a friend of mine hides pennies in the sand in her daughters sandbox and she LOVES sifting through the sand to find “pirates gold” :)
YoungHouseLove says
That’s so cute!
xo,
s
Jess @ Crunchy Hot Mama says
SO LOVE THIS!! What great inspiration to make our baby girl one, too. I never grew up having one since we have a big problem with fire ants here in TX, but that doesn’t mean Emma needs to suffer. Maybe the hubster will get on board with building her one along with supposed play kitchen before Em turns two in a few months…I won’t hold my breath!
Shweta says
You guys are AMAZING! Every time I comment on your blog, it turns up looking just like this one!
Laura says
The outside of our sandbox growing up was an enormous tractor tire. It was fitting, since I grew up on a farm. We loved it! I do have a love/hate relationship with sandboxes though, because the kids love them, but I hate the sand that they track into the house.
Kelly says
How fun! In Iowa, my parents got an old (giant) tractor tire from a friend, tossed it in the backyard and filled ‘er up. Fun times were had by all! :)
Audrey says
I really don’t remember having a sandbox… but we went to the beach A LOT when I was young. I remember us putting up a tent and camping on the beach. You can’t do that anymore….
JennieM says
We built a sandbox when our oldest was about 1 1/2, it had corner triangle shaped seats. No killer spiders here, but corner seats were a prime space for bee/wasp nests. We just took out the sandbox last year and replaced it with a bunch of blueberry bushes!
lyn says
We loved our sandbox until it became a hassle to dust the kids off with wet or dry sand before coming in the house. So we decided to make a rock box instead. So now the kids can load little bits of rock into their dump trucks and haul it to another area in the box.