Please come and tell me about your sandpits........

[Flier]

DCs are 4.5 and nearly 2 and we want to get a sandpit for the garden for DD's 2nd birthday. I have no idea what size will be suitable for both. I want to get a sandpit they can both play in together, I'm currently looking at this one. www.woolworths.co.uk/web/jsp/product/index.jsp?pid=50981933, it is 2m x 2m but I'm worried it might be just too big.

I wondered what sizes other mumsnetters had in their garden.
tia

we have one of those green turtle ones which has a good lid to keep the sand clean (essential or cats will use it as a loo). My children are 9 and 6 and still spend hours in the sandpit playing. It is Jurassic Park at the moment, full of dinosaurs and trucks !

thanks FloridaKbear, is that the Little tikes one like this?

That's it. They can perch on the edge with their feet in when they are little - now I put old rugs and cushions round the outside and they kneel. The lid can't blow away in the wind either.

The downside of a big sand pit is that when it needs emptying and the sand replacing it is a much harder job. This one takes about three sacks of play sand.

We pushed the boat out (in more ways that one) and got this one. Its divine and loads of room for DD, DS and friends to play in it. Storage at front is useful and the cover helps keep sun off them. They also enjoy swinging from the roof poles (they enjoy that a lot!) . But its really pricey obviously. DC are now 5 and 3, I got it when they were 3 & 1. They still love to use it.

We have this one with the boat lid. Big enough for a couple of toddlers to play happily in. Has a couple of little ledge seats which are good.

I would say that whatever you get, a lid is absolutely essential or the first time it rains you'll end up with sandpit soup. Nice to be sure there's no cat poo or insects burrowed in overnight too. The lid to ours is a bit flawed - it keeps the sand beautifully dry, but when it rains the canals fill up with water and it's a bit of a bugger to take the lid off without soaking yourself or the patio.

Can I suggest you put the whole thing on a tarpaulin or similar?

When my kids had a sand pit they spent most of the time shovelling it over the side onto the bark or grass depending where it was positioned in the garden, and its impossible to swep up from that!

At least if its on a piece of plastic you can fold it up and shake it back into the pit.

we have this one here from argos, £20, they also sell sand as well

it is ok as they have one section for sand, one for water and there is a section for putting spades etc on

bit small now maybe but we have had it for about 2 years (girls now 5 and 3)

however I really really really hate sand, it gets everywhere

how do you deal with this or am I odd?

I hose them down in the garden - doesn't everyone?

no seriously I do!

thanks everyone.
wags yours is lovely, hadn't seen that one before, but I really need a lid.
PuhPeng I do like the idea of that one
maidamess Tarpaulin is a great idea, thanks

Our garden is all slabs which is why I want one they can sit in.

While looking for the turtle ones that FloridaKbear mentioned, I came across these which I thought looked good anyone seen them? Do they look a bit naff in IRL?

www.step2uk.com/naturally_playful_summertime_play_centre.htm

www.step2uk.com/pools_sandboxes_naturally_playful_sandbox.htm

www.step2uk.com/pools_sandboxes_frog_sandbox.htm

It comes with a thick mesh thing that you cover the sand over with (ties round the corner poles). That worked fine until some of the ties broke off. We have replaced that this winter though with a piece of wood cut to the right size just layed over the top of it resting on the ledge bit.

Good thread Flier as we are looking at the same thing! My husband thinks we would be better off with a sand 'table'(from ELC) but I think the boys would get more fun out of a sit-in sandpit - does anyone have any thoughts on this???!!! (Think he was thinking we would get less sand being trailed in the house!)

Loved the boat sandpit Wags - and good idea re using piece of wood. Now - how can I pursuade hubby to part with some cash and get one?????

Hi OllieWollieWoo, I feel that a sandpit will last longer - more "playability", whereas the table will get too small for them. There's not doubting, though, that it will be messy

We have the elc octagonal (or hexagonal - not sure !) wooden one. Its is good in terms that lots of children can get in and play but the cover is a bit useless so we're going to have to clean it out and re-sand it after teh winter.

Friends have the table one which is nice and much tidier but its a bit girly IYKWIM - I too think you should be able to get in a sandpit and play (and I have a girl !).

We have the same one as wags and it is a real hit. We got it last summer when DS1 was 2 and DS2 was 1 (gift from inlaws).

It has a mesh cover to keep the cat out (we have a cat too) and storage at the front.

It can hold at least 4 children, we became really popular.

The shade is great at keeping the sun off them. We have just moved it and have put those jigsaw tiles under and around it, which aids on tidying.

Flier - we got the Frog one on your link (from NCT sale ) and it is really good. I think that it is a bit bigger than the turtle one linked to further down - good places to sit on the edge, or plenty of room for 4 to kneel outside and play with sand. Alternatively, plenty of room for ds (now 3) to sit in and get buried in the sand!.

Lid fits nice and tightly, although it did blow off once this winter when we had the really high winds. Has kept sand fine all winter.

Thanks mistlethrush, thats good to know.
Themadhouse, it is a nice one, but pricey