socks in sandpits

[LadyBee]

I took DS (2.5) to the playground in St James Park this afternoon after quite a long session in the buggy while I shopped. It was quite crowded, obviously, but he had a great time in the sandpit. I'd taken his shoes and socks off completely, but I noticed as I was sitting watching what was going on that lots of the children were wearing their socks. Is this normal? new? usual? paranoid? I don't think I've ever seen it before - although maybe it's a good idea (for vaguely felt safety reasons??). Am interested to know whether its common practice that I should really be following

wearing socks in a sandpit? very strange

Urgh.Sandy socks!

God, I don't know. It sounds wrong to me on first reading; but hang on, I recall DS playing in a large outdoor sandpit at a park a couple of months back and he just went in with his shoes and socks on, and so did all the rest I believe. The sandpit was one of a very large array of activities at this park for which shoes would remain on in most cases, and the kids were all moving between different things, so would have been PITA to keep taking off and putting on again. Also, there was cat shit in the sandpit

Nary a sock to be seen in the Princess Di Memorial Playground today. Must be a Westminster thing.

Also maybe depends on weather? I think if it had been really sunny and warm I'd have probably thought "oh hang on, let's take off shoes and socks" but it wasn't, so I didn't think about it.

It was a bit rainy and grey yesterday, but also, there were lots of children with name tags on so I thought probably some holiday care/nursery/childminder group outing - maybe they have a policy about public sandpits.

I've always wondered about the cat shit question, the big sand pits in the parks (mainly go to Greenwich or in to Corams fields) don't seem to suffer from it (that I've noticed, not that I spend a long time examining them), but our garden does and it's one of the reasons I've resisted getting a sandpit at home. Do the cats not know about the enorm-toilets in the parks. Or are they too exposed?

I've just thought of another reason for the socks, the sand was quite sticky on his feet (a little damp), maybe they were just being canny and preferred to strip off the dirty/sandy socks before bunging back in buggies for the ride home rather than faff about trying to rub the sand off before re-shoeing?