The question of which sand is ideal for the sandbox has already sparked many an argument. Hardware stores offer simple play sand. However, there are many other types of sand that are suitable for a sandbox. However, you often have to dig deep into your pockets.
Which sand should you use for a sandbox?
The ideal sand for the sandpit should be dimensionally stable, round-grained, free of pollutants and impurities, free of dust and clay and permeable to water. Washed building sand from the hardware store can be a cheaper alternative to play sand.
Which sand for the sandbox – an important question
Good play sand must have a few important properties:
- stable
- no sharp, pointed grains of sand
- free from pollutants and impurities
- dust and clay free
- water permeable
Most sand offerings come with various test seals. This is to ensure that the play sand meets all requirements. Parents should not just rely on the seals, but should always check the sand themselves.
Why is dimensional stability so important?
Little children want to build castles in the sandbox, bake sand cakes and experiment with shapes. Very loose, loose sand does not retain its shape. This means that the little ones quickly lose interest in playing in the sandpit.
So that the sand remains dimensionally stable, the grains must have a size of 0.06 to 0.20 mm.
For older children who want to build real sand castles, the grain size should be larger and the individual sand grains should not be too rounded. Castles made of such sand last for many days.
Do not use sharp-edged sand
The skin of young children is very sensitive. Very sharp-grained sand is therefore not suitable for them as they can injure themselves. Sandboxes for small children should therefore be filled with play sand that is rather round-grained.
It goes without saying that the sand for the sandbox must be clean and free of all kinds of chemicals. After all, the child's he alth should not suffer when it plays in the sand and sometimes puts it in its mouth.
It is also important that the sand does not collect dust. If the child breathes in sand dust for a long time, it can damage the respiratory tract. Play sand is therefore washed well beforehand to remove not only dust but also clay. Clay sand gets stuck in clothing and is difficult to shake off. It also leaves stains.
Building sand from the hardware store
Many parents throw up their hands when normal building sand from the hardware store is recommended for the sandbox. Building sand offers the same requirements as play sand and is also cheaper.
The only requirement for using construction sand is that it must be washed so that it does not contain toxic or harmful components.
The advantage of building sand is that most hardware stores deliver it quite cheaply, whereas expensive play sand often incurs immense transport costs.
Tip
How much sand you need for the sandbox is not so easy for laypeople to calculate. Online calculators offer help in which you enter the size of the sandbox and the desired filling height. The filling height should be between 50 and 70 percent of the sandbox height.
