subject: Sandbox For Children [print this page] Having a sandbox for children in your backyard provides them with quite a bit more than just a fun way to spend the day. Kids are able to learn and develop in a number of ways with sand play. It is true that some nice childhood memories can be created while playing in the sand with friends, but it can also benefit them in other ways.
Muscle development is heavily promoted while children play in the sand. The large muscle groups are strengthened as the kids fill buckets of sand using shovels and then carry the pails to other locations within the sandbox. Sand play can also help small muscle groups as well as eye-hand coordination. This can be supported when children attempt to pour sand from one container to the other.
There is a host of ways that creativity can be boosted in a sandbox for children. One way that children can play with sand is to pretend they are on vacation at the beach. If the weather is warm enough, you can help them play the part by allowing them to dress in their swimsuits as they play.
Another creative method for sand play is by providing children with a number of toys to use in their sandbox. Cars and trucks can be used to create cities within the sand. Roads can be made as the wheels cut into the sand. Special pails can be used to create a sandcastle, which opens children up to realm of imaginative play. Something as simple as a stick can provide children with entertainment, as they will have a method for "writing in the sand."
Giving children water to use for their sand play also offers a opportunity for learning. Children will quickly realize that the texture of sand is completely different when it is wet from when it is dry. They will also realize that the sand sticks together when wet, yet it easily falls through their fingers when dry. Wet sand has the ability to be molded into shapes whereas dry sand does not.
Educational molds are good for playing with wet sand. In a sandbox for children, kids can use alphabet molds to create letters and spell out words. Mathematical concepts can also be learned as children compare the weight of different sized containers being filled with sand.
As you can see, a sandbox for children provides a great deal of learning and development opportunities. Creativity, muscle development, eye-hand coordination, spelling, and mathematical concepts can all be offered with sand play. A final note on how beneficial playing in the sand can be is that it helps to get your child up and moving rather than sitting on the couch in front of the TV or video gaming system.
by: Jacque Crook
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