Unlike teenagers, kids do not demand very costly, techy stuff from their parents. All they need is a few toys to play with, so they can tap their creative minds. Among all the toys to play with, a sandbox is one of the kids’ favorite! A sand box with sand toys in it along with a pit of sand is what would make their day. It would keep them busy for many hours, with the parents getting time to relax.
Since you know how important a sand box can be to your kids, you need to know that keeping it in good condition is equally important. For this purpose, the first thing you need to take care of is the place where you let your kids play with the sand toys. It must be safe for the kids, as well as for the toys.
The following are a few sandbox maintenance tips that can make it pretty easy for you to maintain it and keep your kid occupied for long.
1. Keep your sandbox clean and free from debris.
If the box is left open, the play sand will also attract a lot of debris in it, and no sooner, the sand will be full of tiny sticks, leaves and rocks. To avoid that, make sure to clean the sand, on weekly basis, or more frequently if the kid uses it a lot.
2. Cover your sandbox after use.
Using sandbox covers is very essential to prevent the insects and debris getting into it. Also, covers are important to keep pets away otherwise you will simply get tired of cleaning your sandbox every day. There are cloth covers as well as plastic or wooden lids. Lids are better since they cover the sandbox completely and a pet would not be able to sneak into it.
3. Keep an eye out for broken toys.
As a part of the sandbox maintenance, you also need to keep a check on how your kid uses the sand toys. The sand toys include beach sets, vehicles, molding sets and much more. If your child puts a lot of pressure when shoveling the sand out, and putting it in with the toys, the toys may break. If you find any of the toys broken, you should remove them immediately, since any sharp edged thing can be a source of injury for the kid.
4. Replace the sand as necessary.
Changing the sand is an essential aspect of cleaning and maintaining the sand box. With time, the sand gets dirty, and you need to make sure to replace it after regular intervals. Replacing the sand after a year is fine, but if you do it more frequently, that would be better. The type of sand used also matters. When you replace the sand, make sure to go for the play sand, rather than the building sand. This sand is the ideal one for sand boxes, and is free of materials that could stain the clothes.
Although sandbox seems to be a very inexpensive thing and that any parent can afford to get it for the kids, but it needs proper care and maintenance for it to last long and be safe for the kids to use. The above mentioned sandbox maintenance tips can be helpful if followed regularly.