Content
- 1 What role does a plastic sandbox play in a child’s development?
- 2 Plastic sandbox-playpen for a small child
- 3 Why is plastic considered the best material for a sandbox?
- 4 Choosing the best plastic play option for your baby
- 5 Choosing quality sand
- 6 Stationary plastic play complexes
- 7 Arrangement of a playground at the dacha
- 8 Children's collapsible model Nova
- 9 DIY plastic sandbox
- 10 Results
With the onset of summer, the children went outside to play. The older kids have their own activities, but the kids run straight to the playgrounds, where one of their favorite activities is the sandbox. But then the time comes to leave for the dacha, and parents begin to puzzle over what their child will do there. Building a full-fledged playground in the yard is very expensive and difficult, but installing a plastic sandbox will be just right.
What role does a plastic sandbox play in a child’s development?
Children's plastic sandboxes will keep kids occupied for the whole day, and parents will have free time to work in the garden. Moreover, children of different ages love to play with sand. Modeling is not only entertainment. While playing with sand, children develop hand motor skills and even thinking. The child learns to design castles, labyrinths, and build simple figures.
As a rule, playing in a plastic sandbox does not happen alone. The neighbor's children will definitely come to visit. Young representatives of a small company will have common interests.The kids will learn to be friends. The first disputes over shovels or buckets will arise. The guys will solve these problems themselves. They will learn to share toys, getting rid of such a negative trait as greed. Another positive feature is that the children's sandbox is located outside. This means that kids will spend more time in the fresh air, rather than sitting in front of the TV.
Plastic sandboxes located in the courtyard among city high-rise buildings play a major role in the development of children:
- Depending on the size, the playground is equipped with one or more sandboxes. Even if, say, three of them are installed, this is still not enough for an individual game. In this case, children's sandboxes become objects of shared use. Kids from different neighborhoods meet on the playground. They develop common interests and form friendships.
- The plastic sandbox allows the use of individual toys. Children are especially interested in products in the shape of animals, fairy-tale characters or boats. In this case, the children's sandbox itself is an individual toy, but several children can play with it at the same time.
- Even if there is no playground in the yard, there will always be a private owner who will bring a machine of sand to repair the apartment. In such cases, prefabricated plastic sandboxes will help organize a place for play. You just need to take the structure out of the apartment to the entrance, quickly assemble it and ask your neighbor for a couple of buckets of sand, and the kids will immediately come running.
In the development of a child’s psychology, it is very important to play with bright toys that are comfortable and pleasant to the touch.Plastic meets all these requirements. Plastic play equipment for sand consists of shovels, molds, buckets, rakes and other items. Multi-colored toys create a good mood for children and bring a lot of positivity. Compared to old, faded designs, plastic sandboxes are more interesting for kids. They are more pleasant to touch than painted wood or metal sides.
Plastic sandbox-playpen for a small child
Many parents remember the old playpen where they sat the baby and poured toys for him. The child got tired of staying in a confined space for a long time. Nowadays, individual plastic sandboxes have appeared on sale, which can replace the playpen from an early age. Colorful small-sized designs are produced in the form of fairy-tale characters or simply in the form of a box with a lid. It is most likely that it is better to buy just such a plastic sandbox instead of a playpen. For the baby it is of greater interest.
An individual plastic sandbox can even be installed in a room by laying a film underneath it. The child will never get tired of playing in such a playpen. He will not be capricious, and will have fun playing the whole day while his mother is busy with other things.
Why is plastic considered the best material for a sandbox?
The variety of ideas for making sandboxes is great, but plastic structures are considered the safest. In addition, they are more comfortable for children. It's like comparing an old chair with a new chair. You can sit on both objects, but the chair is still more comfortable.
Let's take a look at the main advantages of a plastic sandbox:
- Its compact size allows you to move the plastic sandbox from place to place, bring it into your apartment at night, or play indoors if it rains outside.
- With the onset of cold weather, the sandbox can be brought indoors for storage. It is especially convenient to do this with collapsible plastic structures. If necessary, it can be easily assembled in the game room. It is not necessary to use sand when playing indoors. The filler can be rubber balls or other similar items.
- While playing, the baby will never get his clothes dirty on the plastic. There is no chance of getting a splinter or getting hurt by peeling paint.
- An excellent option is a plastic sandbox with a lid, which allows you not to worry about the cleanliness of the sand. This loose litter is often used by yard cats and dogs for litter. The cover will prevent the invasion of animals, in addition, it will prevent the sand from becoming clogged with leaves and other debris falling from the trees.
- There is a sandbox with a lid that can be used as a table. At the same time as playing in the sand, the child gets the opportunity to be distracted by playing board games.
- The big advantage of a plastic sandbox is that it is easy to care for. The design does not require annual painting, sanding or other repairs. Plastic can be easily washed with any disinfectant, retains its bright color, and does not disappear in dampness.
Even a large plastic sandbox is lightweight. You can easily bring it home from the store by public transport.
Choosing the best plastic play option for your baby
The modern manufacturer offers many plastic models. Sometimes it is difficult for parents to decide on the best option for their child to play.This issue must be approached slowly and wisely. Many children's sandboxes are equipped with additional plastic elements for play. And we're not just talking about small toys. The structures themselves are made in such a way that they can be transformed into a table, benches and other convenient devices.
When choosing such a toy, it is important to find out the child’s opinion. This will determine how he treats her. Let's say a kid wanted to get a comfortable play area with a table, but they bought him an ordinary plastic box. Naturally, after a couple of days, interest in such a toy will disappear, and the expensive purchase will lie around, thrown into the pantry. However, along with the child’s wishes, the parents’ opinion must also be taken into account. They are the ones who will have to take care of the plastic playground. Typically, plastic sandboxes hold about 40 kg of sand. The volume is small, however, it is better if it does not become dirty longer. Whether the child likes it or not, it is better to give preference to a product with a lid.
Choosing quality sand
So, you’ve bought a children’s plastic sandbox, now all that’s left is to fill it with sand. In rural areas this issue is easier. You can visit a quarry or scoop up river sand. Alternatively, ask your neighbor. For urban residents, the problem of obtaining free sand becomes more complicated. Unless there is a large construction site nearby. However, this is something to think about. A lot of money was paid for a plastic sandbox to ensure that the child’s hygiene was maintained.What can you expect from sand collected on the street where cats and dogs have visited it?
It is optimal to give preference to purchased sand, specifically designed for filling plastic sandboxes. When purchasing filler, it is advisable to ask the seller for a certificate of product quality. It is better to unpack the bag and inspect the contents. Purified sand comes without any admixtures of clay or river silt. Single-color grains of sand have excellent flowability and do not stick to your hand.
There is another advantage in giving preference to purchased filler. The fact is that during cleaning the sand undergoes a special treatment, after which the sharp edges of each grain of sand are smoothed out. The use of such a filler is guaranteed not to leave small scratches on the plastic surface of the product.
Stationary plastic play complexes
A small sandbox is not enough for 3–5 children. In this case, stationary gaming complexes are installed. The use of a large plastic structure is relevant in public playgrounds, for large families or friendly neighbors with children.
A children's sandbox in the form of a play complex can reach dimensions of 2x2 m. The height of the plastic side is usually limited to 40 cm. The design is most often equipped with additional elements for play. This includes benches, a table, a sun canopy and other attributes. All additional elements are removable for easy transportation.
The canopy will allow your child to play outdoors in any weather. On a sunny day, the roof will protect the baby from overheating, and on cloudy days - from rain. Benches with backs will create comfortable conditions for games at the table. It’s good if they can transform into a lid.The covered sand will remain dry and clean at any time of the day. At night, the lid will prevent stray animals from soiling the sand, and in strong winds it will prevent it from being blown out.
A rather interesting solution for organizing a playground is represented by modular plastic sandboxes. The product resembles a construction set. It comes with 4 to 8 plastic modules. To assemble the box you only need to connect the required number of elements, but not less than four. Plastic modules allow you to give the sandbox different geometric shapes, while at the same time adjusting the size of the playing area.
Modular plastic fencing does not have a bottom, roof or other devices. You will have to make the cover yourself or rainwater will simply pass through the sand and be absorbed into the soil. For the manufacture of plastic modules, high-quality polyethylene and bright non-toxic dyes are used. The product weighs about 16 kg. This allows it to be easily transported and installed by one person. The disadvantage of low weight is that the plastic fence may be moved from its permanent place or knocked over by children. To make the structure heavier, hollow modules are filled with water.
No matter how many modules a plastic sandbox is assembled from, it can easily be moved to another place. At the end of the summer season, the product is disassembled into individual elements, after which it is sent to be stored in a utility room.
Arrangement of a playground at the dacha
At the dacha, a plastic sandbox for children will help organize an excellent relaxation place with a playground. The model can be matched to the landscape design of the yard, but always with a lid. Plastic does not require any maintenance, so it will not take up parents’ precious time. In general, for country use it is optimal to buy a molded plastic bowl with a bottom. This design can be used for playing with sand, and also as a small pool. A small amount of water will quickly warm up in the sun, and the child will be able to splash around with pleasure.
Children's collapsible model Nova
Among the collapsible plastic sandboxes, the Nova model is quite popular. The product is suitable for playing indoors and outdoors. The segments are made of high quality plastic. The set includes a waterproof awning. For outdoor installation, it can be used instead of a cover.
The Nova kit consists of six modules connected to each other with plastic bolts. If necessary, they also attach the awning. The plastic sandbox is equipped with a bottom made of moisture-resistant material. The length of each module is 71 cm. When assembled, the height of the plastic sides is 24 cm, and the diameter of the structure is 1.2 m. The filler is ordinary or purchased sand, as well as special balls for pools.
The video shows different options for children's sandboxes made of plastic:
DIY plastic sandbox
It is impossible to make a plastic sandbox with your own hands due to the impossibility of organizing the entire production technology at home. Although folk craftsmen manage to find a way out of this situation. The familiar plastic bottles are used, but first the frame of the box is made from boards or timber.
Bottles are taken of the same shape and size. Each lid is screwed with self-tapping screws to a wooden base. At the same time, it is important to maintain the correct distance between them so that the screwed plastic bottles do not wrinkle and there is no space between them. When all the plugs around the perimeter of the base are screwed, bottles are screwed onto them. Next, take a soft wire and stitch all the installed plastic containers together. The seam is made double: on the top and bottom of the bottles. A photo will help you visualize how plastic bottles are stitched with wire.
Twists of wire are hidden between two adjacent bottles. A wooden frame with a plastic side made of bottles is installed in the grooves, and then compacted with soil. The bottom inside the box is covered with moisture-resistant material, and sand is poured on top. Homemade plastic sandbox is ready for use.
Results
Returning to purchased plastic models, it should be noted that you should not save on purchasing cheap sandboxes. Low-quality plastic has the ability to fade, decompose in the sun and release toxic substances.
