sand pit v sand table?

[sweets]

a few months ago i was given a turtle sandpit by a friend but i hate it! the sand seems to spread everywhere, if its not a brill day then the kids get damp clothes from sitting on the floor round it. Was just wondering wether or not to sell it and buy a stand up sand table instead. Are they less messy and better for the children to play at?
The children really like sand so i need to have one or the other!
Whats best?

[sarah707]

Tables are messy to but I do find it more manageable and I can just sweep underneath.

Also mine is in a cat litter tray in a table so there's not as much to spread about but still enough for 2 to play :D

[PixiePetal]

I have a little tikes sand and water table but don't put both in at the same time or we get sludge. Usually fill with water on both sides. it's not that big.

Not had sand for ages, but like it at this level. Nice to go out after a bit of dodgy weather and not get wet bums on floor.
If it's nice and we go to farm park, they have indoor and outdoor big floor sandpits which they love too :thumbsup:

[her8y]

I have a play table type sandpit and a huge wooden one on the floor. I dont put too much sand in either of them and they are both manageable and not too messy. I find it only becomes messy when they are filled more than half way (or until my 10 year old and his friends decide its time to be silly!!!):rolleyes:

[her8y]

forgot to say that I put a picnic blanket down first to save on wet bottoms/feet....:D

[sophiestars]

I would say definitely get a table sand pit. I had a floor one similar size to your turtle one, but it's not really big enough to sit in especially if you have more than one child/mindee and awkward to play in if they are not sitting in it. I think it's only worth having a floor level sand pit if you have the room (and money) to get one of those really big wooden ones. I bought the ELC table sand pit and that works really well. I have stopped putting water in one side as it all just ends up being sludge, and just put sand in both sides. At the moment it is being used by a range of children from my 9 month old mindee who can pull himself up to stand at it up to my 5 1/2 year old son who still loves it.

Any sand pit is inevitably going to have some spillage but it's pretty manageable, I just sweep it up at the end of the day.

[sweets]

Think i will invest in a table, i suppose i could use it for messy play things too then:)
thanks everyone

[OrlandoBelle]

I've just made this decision myself this morning. I've never had a sand pit, but decided that with the number of cats in the area (including my own), I couldn't take the risk of them using a sandpit as a toilet. Plus one of my mindees always comes to me with shoes full of sand from when he uses the one at school. So I decided a sand and water table was the way to go. I ordered this one this morning which was a little on the expensive side, but looks fantastic! I can't wait for it to arrive! :D

http://www.tts-group.co.uk/Product.aspx?cref=TTSPR1195392

[sweets]

That looks nice but a bit big for my teeny garden:)

[PixiePetal]

I've just made this decision myself this morning. I've never had a sand pit, but decided that with the number of cats in the area (including my own), I couldn't take the risk of them using a sandpit as a toilet. Plus one of my mindees always comes to me with shoes full of sand from when he uses the one at school. So I decided a sand and water table was the way to go. I ordered this one this morning which was a little on the expensive side, but looks fantastic! I can't wait for it to arrive! :D

http://www.tts-group.co.uk/Product.aspx?cref=TTSPR1195392

Similar to my Tikes one except mine is in 2 halves so you can put one bit on top of the other as a lid.

[beckyteddy]

I've got both types and I find that they both make a fair mess! My mindees seem to prefer the turtle/floor one because they like to take their shoes and socks off and get in it as if they are at the beach!

[The Juggler]

tables still allow children to carry sand everywhere but at least it doesn't get intheir pants like the sit in ones.

[helenlc]

tables still allow children to carry sand everywhere but at least it doesn't get intheir pants like the sit in ones.

This is exactly my theory behind having the table one!!!

[sweets]

tables still allow children to carry sand everywhere but at least it doesn't get intheir pants like the sit in ones.

ooh how uncomfortable! lol

[balloon]

I have a table type one from mothercare (type 2 make). It's fantastic!

It was expensive but I wanted something that was suitable for children with mobility problems to be able to play with as well as able bodied children.