Which sand for the sandpit - an important question!
Good play sand must have some important properties:
- dimensionally stable
- no sharp, pointed grains of sand
- free of pollutants and impurities
- free of dust and clay
- permeable to water
also read
- How much sand do I need for the planned sandpit?
- Which wood is suitable for a sandpit?
- Design the sandpit creatively
Most sand offers are provided with various seals of approval. This is to ensure that the play sand meets all requirements. Parents shouldn't just rely on the seals, they should always check the sand themselves.
Why is dimensional stability so important?
Small children want to build castles in the sandpit, bake sand cakes and experiment with shapes. Very loose, loose sand does not retain its shape. This leads to the fact that the little ones quickly lose the desire to play in the sandpit.
So that the sand remains dimensionally stable, the grains must have a size of 0.06 to 0.20 mm.
For older children who want to build real sandcastles, the grain size should be larger and the individual grains of sand not too rounded. Castles made of such sand last for many days.
Do not use sharp-edged sand
Young children's skin is very delicate. Very sharp-grained sand is therefore not suitable for them as they can injure themselves. Sandboxes for small children should therefore be filled with play sand, which is rather round-grained.
It goes without saying that the sand for the sandpit has to be clean and free of all kinds of chemicals. After all, the child's health should not suffer if they play in the sand and sometimes put it in their mouths.
It is also important that the sand is not dusty. If the child inhales sand dust for a long time, it can damage the airways. Play sand is therefore washed well beforehand in order to remove not only dust but also clay. Loamy sand sticks to clothing and is difficult to shake off. It also leaves stains.
Construction sand from the hardware store
Many parents clap their hands over their heads when normal construction sand from the hardware store is recommended for the sandpit. Construction sand offers the same requirements as play sand and is also cheaper.
The only requirement for building sand to be used is that it must be washed so that it does not contain any toxic or harmful ingredients.
Another advantage of building sand is that most hardware stores deliver it at a reasonable price, while expensive play sand often incurs immense transport costs.
Tips
How much sand you need for the sandpit is not that easy for laypeople to calculate. Help is provided by online calculators, in which you enter the size of the sandpit and the desired fill level. The fill level should be between 50 and 70 percent of the sandpit height.
