Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Sandbox adventures!

I don't know about you, but at our house the sandbox was either a hit or miss activity. When it was new, the kids couldn't get enough of it and especially loved the shiny pails and shovels and various shaped toys that all the stores sold. But, they got old quick. Here are a few things we did that were definite hits! Warning: The kids were filthy from head to toe with some of these. Hose them off before they make it back into the house!

1.     Have a treasure hunt! - Grab handfuls of pennies (I usually tossed in around $1 or $2 worth) and sprinkle them over the top of the sand. Gently cover the pennies with sand using a shovel, rake, or your foot (like me). Call the kids out and tell them that you found a penny in the sand and wonder out loud if there are any more in there. Chances are, that'll be enough to get them digging. If you're a little more creative you could always collect some small rocks and spray paint them with gold paint and the children could dig for gold! Add water and a sieve and you’ll be a prospector! Wouldn't that be a great activity for a pirate or geologist themed birthday party??

2.    Take out some old pots and pans, mixing spoons and bowls…things you don’t need anymore and put them in the sand box. You’ll be surprised at how much more fun it is to use kitchen tools that look just like mom's! Kids can decorate their creations with rocks, twigs (for candles), and leaves or grass. Look out Duff!
If you are really laid back, take out your child's play kitchen for added fun. My rule for toys? Once it goes outside, it stays outside.

3.    Choose a few cars to keep outside. Use shovels and scoops to create roads and hills. There's nothing like crashing your car through a freshly made sandcastle...especially if it's your brother's castle ;)

4.    My family loves spending time at the beach. When they were little, we would help them pile up the sand in the middle of the sandbox, and then we would fill the outside edges with water. We had our own little moat to dip our feet in!