Silly sandbox post

[american_mama]

So, I bought a Step 2 frog shaped sandbox because my daughter loves the huge sandpile at her preschool. I set it up yesterday and am having all this angst! The nice quality playsand from a landscaping store came out of the bag fairly wet. Is that normal? Did I get ripped off? Will it ever dry? The sandbox has a lid and I positioned it in a fairly shady area. (Angest 2: will bugs get in it? We live in a mosquito-y area.) It's a nice moistness for holding shapes, holding footprints, making pattycakes, but not good for pouring and doesn't brush off her feet too easily. Problem 2 or 3: sand in the house. That one I can figure out, just want to gripe about it.

Problem 4: husband claims that rinsing off sandy feet in our bathroom sink or tub will end up clogging our pipes. True or just him being a worrywart?

Problem 5: DD spilled so much sand outside the box. Is this sandbox really too small? It holds 200 pounds of sand, probably 250 if I add another bag. Yes, DD threw some, but even when she was just playing normally, sand was everywhere. Our today's plastic sandboxes just too small?

As you can tell, I have so many questions about using this supposedly simple toy. I must have dragged it around the yard to three or four different spots and I am already worrying about how to get rid of all the sand when I decide it's time for it to go.

[DebbieJ]

One trick: baby powder!

Sprinkle it on the feet, it will dry up the sand and you can brush it all off.

We don't have a sandbox so I can't answer anything else.

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03
2 year check up: 25 lbs with clothes on and 35 inches!
BFARed for 20 months and 6 days
(Breastfeeding After Reduction is possible! www.bfar.org)

http://www.bfar.org/members/fora/style_avatars/Ribbons/18months-bfar.jpg

[JacksMommy]

1: wet sand. Having never bought play sand (our box is so big we had to buy it by the yard :O) but I'd guess the sand will almost definitely dry, particularly if you leave the cover off during the day. I have a mesh cover on mine and so the sand gets wet from rain, but it always dries out.

2: sand in the house. It's a drag! Drives my DH crazy (he's the neatnik). Likely to happen no matter how careful you are cause kids like to run in and out of the house and I can't always be running after them. Having a hose outside definitely helps to wash if you're concerned about doing it in the sink (although play sand is so fine, I'd be surprised if it clogs). That's all I can say about #4

5: our sandbox is 6 ft square and there is still sandbox spilled all around the ground. So I doubt this means yours is too small.

This has been one of the most popular and enduring investments we've made. Have fun!

Laurel
WOHM to Jack, 6/4/02
Baby Madeline 12/14/04

[new_mommy25]

The sand shouldn't clog your drains.

[KBecks]

We set up a sandbox last night too. Our play sand came dry, but I figure if you leave the cover off for a few hours, it will dry out.

Sand shouldn't clog your pipes - the grains are small.

As far as bugs, I'm worrying more about ants than mosquitoes. We'll have to wait and see how that goes.

Anyway, I'm planning on bringing water INTO our sandbox to make it mold-able for certain play times.


ETA: My biggest problem will be how to keep DS from eating handfuls of sand. Last night he ate 3! On vacation, I changed a lot of sandy-poo diapers..... yikes.

[elliput]

I only way I could even see the sand possibly clogging your pipes is if you dumped a bucketful down at one time. Call me crazy, but since sand is a natural abrasive shouldn't it actually help to clean the pipes?

[bchafin]

You need this t-shirt.

http://www.ellabeebaby.com/Detail.bok?no=209
http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/33079.jpg

[dules]

I think you've got great replies so far. Just wanted to add a tip from our beach house, which is right on the water and sand is always on the deck - we keep a small plastic dishbasin by the door, and put some water in it each morning. Everyone dips their feet before stepping onto the mat indoors. Keeps the sand outside pretty well. Just remember to dump it out at night!

Enjoy the sandbox!

Best,
Mary

[dhano923]

We got a sandbox for DS last summer and he loves it. It's at my parent's house and it's the first thing he wants to play with when we go there.

The sand can sometimes be wet when it comes from the store. The clerk at the store said it's better that way so that when you pour it out, you don't get enveloped on a big dust cloud like you would from dry sand. It'll dry out in a couple of days. Don't leave the lid completely off (especially if you have cats in your neighborhood!) but just leave the lid pushed off to one side to allow air to circulate.

Your DH is being a worrywart. ;) Sand will not clog your pipes unless, as a PP said, you pour it down your drain by the bucket. We normally have DS rinse his hands, legs and feet outside with the hose, then dry him off with a towel and the bring him in. Cuts down on the sand in the house. He's also not allowed to bring the sandbox toys inside the house.

It's normal for kids to throw sand I think. My son does it all the time. We just use a dustpan and broom to sweep it up off the patio and toss it back into the sandbox.

[amp]

>The nice quality playsand from a landscaping store came out of the >bag fairly wet. Is that normal? Did I get ripped off? Will it ever
>dry? The sandbox has a lid and I positioned it in a fairly
>shady area.

Yes, sometimes sand gets wet. Those bags are not airtight. And yes, it will dry. Sometimes if it's cool or in shade, it can take a few days. Don't worry about it.

>(Angest 2: will bugs get in it? We live in a
>mosquito-y area.)

We have had very few bugs in our lidded sandbox. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Unless you leave it open a lot when unattended and leave opportunity for larvae to to laid and hatch or something.

>Problem 2 or 3: sand in the house.
>Problem 4: husband claims that rinsing off sandy feet in our
>bathroom sink or tub will end up clogging our pipes. True or
>just him being a worrywart?

Sand dries pretty quickly and can be brushed off at that point. And I don't think it will clog your pipes. Also, it seems powder (mentioned earlier) works, but we've never needed to try it.

>Problem 5: DD spilled so much sand outside the box. Is this
>sandbox really too small? It holds 200 pounds of sand,
>probably 250 if I add another bag. Yes, DD threw some, but
>even when she was just playing normally, sand was everywhere.
>Our today's plastic sandboxes just too small?

I think sand gets outside the box no matter what. Get a bigger box and I would bet it will still happen. We try to encourage sand to stay in the box, but it escapes.

>As you can tell, I have so many questions about using this
>supposedly simple toy. I must have dragged it around the yard
>to three or four different spots and I am already worrying
>about how to get rid of all the sand when I decide it's time
>for it to go.

We just moved and had to empty our sandbox. Sand, flung far and wide w/ a bucket, into a grassy yard, will not leave much trace of evidence. You don't really need to worry about disposing of it. And the stuff that escapes before then, scoop what you can back in with a shovel and sweep the rest into the grass.
>
>
>
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[Joolsplus2]

I've been in plenty of ancient beach houses in hawaii where sandy bathers have used showers, and nope, no clogging even there.

Hope you had a fun weekend with it and your angst is all for naught :)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx