PDA

View Full Version : Sand safety...what do i need to know?



mumofone
25-04-2015, 06:57 PM
I'm thinking of building a sand and water table but what do I need to know about buying and using sand with kids? Is there a special type I have to buy? How do you clean it? Do I need to? What risks does it carry? Any advice welcomed! :-)

moggy
25-04-2015, 07:01 PM
Argos, big toy shops and garden centres sell 'play sand' in sacks. Just make sure it is covered when not in use to stop cats using it. Watch for little ones eating it and older ones throwing it! Otherwise, can't go far wrong- hours of fun!

FloraDora
26-04-2015, 06:03 AM
Info about cleaning sand:

Detail - RoSPA (http://www.rospa.com/faqs/detail/?id=386)

i use the play sand from B&Q as its one of the cheapest locally. It comes damp though so I dry it out on a tray in my airing cupboard or green house depending on season. I like to have both dry and wet sand as they bring different learning areas to the sand play.

Earlychildhood NEWS - Article Reading Center (http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=62) - some researched info around sand play benefits.
Because of the safety aspect of sand in your eye, I RA and set rules about playing in sand - definately no throwing.
Check up on your first aid training around dry sand in children's eyes. If they do get it in, several blinks to brush and flush it out naturally usually does the trick. I always inform parents if this has happened too in case children complain later of something in their eye.

If I have lots of sniffles and runny noses I don't offer sand, I once watched a LO wipe their nose and then that hand ran through brand new sand and onto all the sand equipment, this was repeated lots of times. Normally I can wash the equipment, but I felt I had to throw away this sand which was quite expensive.

I often offer a small zen fine sand tray with little brushes and shovels and tiny containers on a pale base. It's really theraputic, I love preparing it for them in the morning, they can sweep and collect and make patterns, because it is small, only one child can use it at a time ..they love to make patterns and marks. The tools are playmobil and some zen tools someone gave me years ago. I have used coloured salt like this too, but only for the older LO's.
I don't have any bought sand equipment- we use scoops from washing powder or measuring scoops, spoons etc..and pots and bowls and tubs from recycling. I do have an e bay mistake bought miniature set of pans ( bought as a bargain but when they turned up they were really tiny) which they love to fill and play with, it has a couple of holey ladles that is good fun to watch the sand go through. Plus the inside basket of a tub of feta cheese and herbs pot is a winner too.

I find the bigger the containers they play with the more spread the sand becomes, which sometimes is a great part of the play out doors. When it's time to change the sand I let them use bigger sieves and pots to spread it around the garden. Making sand trails on the lawn is always a good activity, running with a sieve of sand creates lots of giggles here.

Sand is a great activity for emotional days - it always calms and brings friends back together. I have a sand toy basket of people and animals too which gets a lot of play, but often they bring their own ideas and the tray is full of stones or shells that they have buried or indoors, 'treasure' is often buried for people to find ( the lid off the tea pot, pencils, a small car etc...)

hectors house
28-04-2015, 04:22 PM
I just use washed builders sand in my sand pit - it's not as fine as play sand which is great as it doesn't blow in their eyes when it's windy and it makes really great sand castles and because it's so cheap I don't care if the children transport it round the garden in the back of a tractor or pour it down the cracks in the patio.

Simona
28-04-2015, 08:32 PM
I'm thinking of building a sand and water table but what do I need to know about buying and using sand with kids? Is there a special type I have to buy? How do you clean it? Do I need to? What risks does it carry? Any advice welcomed! :-)

One huge risk if you do not cover it is that all the cats in the neighbourhood will use it as a very convenient loo! :thumbsup:

mumofone
28-04-2015, 08:34 PM
One huge risk if you do not cover it is that all the cats in the neighbourhood will use it as a very convenient loo! :thumbsup:

Thanks Simona, good advice, lol :-) I planed to make a water and sand table and for each section to have a lid so hopefully won't have any "visitors" providing I remember to put the kids on!!! :-)

Simona
28-04-2015, 08:35 PM
Thanks Simona, good advice, lol :-) I planed to make a water and sand table and for each section to have a lid so hopefully won't have any "visitors" providing I remember to put the kids on!!! :-)

Nah...I would not recommend you put the 'kids' on...just the lid will do! ;)

Maza
28-04-2015, 08:40 PM
Probably obvious but if your little ones have a bad cut on their hand you wouldn't want to offer them sand. Also if ringworm (or similar) is in your setting the sand should be out of bounds.

mumofone
28-04-2015, 08:49 PM
Nah...I would not recommend you put the 'kids' on...just the lid will do! ;)

Lol oops!! :-)

mumofone
29-04-2015, 10:09 PM
Info about cleaning sand: Detail - RoSPA (http://www.rospa.com/faqs/detail/?id=386) i use the play sand from B&Q as its one of the cheapest locally. It comes damp though so I dry it out on a tray in my airing cupboard or green house depending on season. I like to have both dry and wet sand as they bring different learning areas to the sand play. Earlychildhood NEWS - Article Reading Center (http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=62) - some researched info around sand play benefits. Because of the safety aspect of sand in your eye, I RA and set rules about playing in sand - definately no throwing. Check up on your first aid training around dry sand in children's eyes. If they do get it in, several blinks to brush and flush it out naturally usually does the trick. I always inform parents if this has happened too in case children complain later of something in their eye. If I have lots of sniffles and runny noses I don't offer sand, I once watched a LO wipe their nose and then that hand ran through brand new sand and onto all the sand equipment, this was repeated lots of times. Normally I can wash the equipment, but I felt I had to throw away this sand which was quite expensive. I often offer a small zen fine sand tray with little brushes and shovels and tiny containers on a pale base. It's really theraputic, I love preparing it for them in the morning, they can sweep and collect and make patterns, because it is small, only one child can use it at a time ..they love to make patterns and marks. The tools are playmobil and some zen tools someone gave me years ago. I have used coloured salt like this too, but only for the older LO's. I don't have any bought sand equipment- we use scoops from washing powder or measuring scoops, spoons etc..and pots and bowls and tubs from recycling. I do have an e bay mistake bought miniature set of pans ( bought as a bargain but when they turned up they were really tiny) which they love to fill and play with, it has a couple of holey ladles that is good fun to watch the sand go through. Plus the inside basket of a tub of feta cheese and herbs pot is a winner too. I find the bigger the containers they play with the more spread the sand becomes, which sometimes is a great part of the play out doors. When it's time to change the sand I let them use bigger sieves and pots to spread it around the garden. Making sand trails on the lawn is always a good activity, running with a sieve of sand creates lots of giggles here. Sand is a great activity for emotional days - it always calms and brings friends back together. I have a sand toy basket of people and animals too which gets a lot of play, but often they bring their own ideas and the tray is full of stones or shells that they have buried or indoors, 'treasure' is often buried for people to find ( the lid off the tea pot, pencils, a small car etc...)

Thanks so much flora, I can't wait to get going with it :-)

mumofone
30-04-2015, 07:18 PM
Probably obvious but if your little ones have a bad cut on their hand you wouldn't want to offer them sand. Also if ringworm (or similar) is in your setting the sand should be out of bounds.

Thanks everyone! :-)