Shall I bother with a sand and water table

[Halogenaque]

I mulled over a lot whether to get one last year. My 3yo loves playing in the sand and think my baby will be quite keen as well. I want something fun for them to do in our garden but wonder whether my 3 yo will be bored by it. He likes a proper sand pit loads but maybe a table will be a bit underwhelming?

---

This thread is quite old now so some of the suggestions may be out of date, but if you’ve landed here looking for sand and water table recommendations, we’ve recently updated our best water table page with lots of great options, as tried and tested by Mumsnet users and their kids. We hope you find it useful.

MNHQ

My son got a sand/water table for his birthday. Put the sand in, half an hour later, most of it was across my garden and stuck in the grass! I didn't need to empty it to store it away!

What I do with it now is put water in and washing up liquid/bubbles and let him splash about on a hot day. You don't need to buy water, ha!

Maybe a substitute could be that Magic Sand stuff? Save real sand for when you go to the beach, that's why kids want to go.

In my experience a sandpit lasts much longer as a toy than a table. As they get bigger a table doesn't hold so much interest (can't really build castles etc in it) and the inherent muddiness if it puts parents off encouraging regular use.

If you do but one, don't spend too much. Save up and get a proper sandpit.

Our sand table remains popular with my 5 year old and 2 year old, it's bloody brilliant in the summer. Much prefer it to a sandpit where you end up with sandy nappies and trousers, and also preferable to water play where they get soaked.

I paid £15 for my DS's sand table, can be a water table as well but not them both together and also came with a whiteboard and a chalk board that go on the top to make it an easel with little water toys got it from the Argos page on eBay

I have the sand/water table but use it exclusively as a water table. DDs (3 and 5) like playing with it in their swimming costumes and the 3yo inevitable ends up IN the actual table. I filled it up with bath toys too and they all stay in there protected under the cover.

My youngest loves his outdoor one and the rest of the family join in too, even the adults!