The $5 Sandbox
I’ve wanted a sandbox for my son to play with since he was able to sit independently. I learned with my older children that sensory integration and sensory activities are a very important part of a child’s development.
The only thing that has held up the sandbox dream: sandboxes, at least the sturdy kinds with the nice lids that fit over them, are expensive. It’s important to get a box with a lid or cover the sandbox tightly when not in use because cats or other animals can use the sandbox as a litter box. The waste material can put your child at risk for developing different ailments, some of which can be serious.
When my older children were little, we had a bunch of friends with children who were slightly older than mine. We got a lot of second hand play toys and so I’ve been spoiled. Think about it though–what DO you do with all of those outdoor toys when your kids have outgrown them? For the price of sweat equity (I had to move and cart the toys off), I landed a lot of free deals, including a swing set, merry go round, and sandbox.
While driving past a church yard sale yesterday, we sighted a Tugboat sandbox. I made DH turn the van around and we went to look at it. They were asking $5 for it! I handed my $5 over and DH and I had the task of figuring out how to get it home. You know, it’s amazing what you can fit in a vehicle when you are motivated! After making another trip to buy play sand, we went home to set it up.
The steering wheel was missing and so I checked online to see if I could purchase the part. Many times, if you inherit or buy second hand toys, you can do this and make them almost as good as new. In this case, the sandbox is now retired, so I couldn’t purchase the part, but that’s ok too.
All 5 of my children and the dog spent yesterday playing in the sand and had a wonderful time. That was $5 well spent!
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