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When a small child grows up in the family, parents try to equip him with a children’s corner. The best outdoor entertainment is the playground with swings, slides and a sandpit. In cities, such places are equipped with relevant services, but in the summer cottage, parents have to create a children’s corner on their own. Now we will talk about how to make a children’s sandbox with our own hands, and consider several interesting projects.
Where is the best place to set up a sandbox for a child
Even if a sandbox for a child is installed in the yard, it should not be hidden behind high plantings or buildings. A play area with children should always be visible to parents. It is optimal to place the sandbox near a large tree so that on a hot summer day its crown protects the playing child from the sun. However, it is not worth it to shade the playing place too much. On cool days, the sand will not warm up, and the baby may catch a cold.
It is optimal when the built sandbox is partially shaded. Such a place can be found in the garden among the trees, but it is usually located out of sight of the parents and not in every dacha. In this case, there are few ideas with placement. It remains just to equip a playing place in the sunny part of the yard, and to shade it, make a small canopy in the shape of a fungus.
What materials are best to build a sandbox
Shop sandboxes for children are made of plastic. This is the best material in this case. Plastic has no burrs and is resistant to the aggressive effects of the natural environment. But since it was decided to make a children’s sandbox with your own hands, then it is better to choose wood as a building material. The material is easy to process. From the board you can cut out the most beautiful figures of fairy tale characters or animals. The only requirement is good woodworking. All elements of the sandbox are made with rounded corners and well polished from burrs so that the child does not get injured during the game.
Tires are an alternative to wood. From tires, there are many ideas for sandboxes, and successful ones. Craftsmen carve birds and animals from tires, and the sandbox itself is decorated in the form of a flower or a geometric figure.
Among the many ideas worth considering is the use of stone. A sandbox made of cobblestone or decorative brick is beautiful. If desired, you can lay out an entire playground with a castle, sandbox, labyrinths, etc. However, in terms of safety, stone is not the best material due to the possibility of injury to a child. Parents make such structures at their own peril and risk.
Making a wooden sandbox with a lid
Now we will consider a common option, how to make a do-it-yourself sandbox out of wood with a lid. From the very beginning, we will discuss all the issues regarding the design scheme, the choice of optimal sizes, materials and other nuances.
A wooden sandbox is a rectangular box, and to make it you do not need to develop a complex project or draw drawings. The optimal dimensions of the structure are 1,5×1,5 m. That is, it turns out a square box. The sandbox is not too spacious, but it has enough space for three kids to play. If necessary, the compact dimensions of the structure allow you to transfer it to another place in the suburban area.
From the very beginning, you should think about the design of the sandbox. So that the child can relax during the game, it is necessary to build small benches. Since we are making the sandbox closed, in order to save material, the lid should consist of two parts, and be transformed into comfortable benches.
The height of the sides of the box should allow it to contain such an amount of sand that the child does not grab the ground with a shovel. But a very high fence cannot be built. It will be difficult for the baby to climb through it. Determining the optimal dimensions of the board, you can take blanks 12 cm wide. They are knocked down in two rows, getting boards 24 cm high. For a child under the age of five, this will be enough. Sand is poured into the box with a thickness of 15 cm, so between it and the bench there is an optimal space for comfortable sitting. It is better to take a board thickness within 3 cm. Thinner wood will crack, and thick blanks will make a heavy structure.
In the photo, a do-it-yourself children’s sandbox is shown in finished form. The lid of the two halves is laid out on comfortable benches with a back. It is this design that we will consider how to create in stages.
Before proceeding to the manufacture of the box, it is necessary to consider the design of the lid and its purpose. Someone will say that a sandbox can be made without benches, so as not to mess with the lid, but it’s not just about them. You still have to cover the sand. The lid will prevent the ingress of leaves, branches and other debris, protect against the encroachment of cats. Covered sand will always remain dry after morning dew or rain.
Converting the lid into benches is a good idea to add extra amenities to the playground. In addition, you don’t have to constantly take it to the side, and think about where to remove it from under your feet. The design should open easily and not move out of its place. To do this, the lid is made of a thin board 2 cm thick, and hinged to the box.
So, we figured out all the nuances. Next, a step-by-step instruction for making a sandbox with a lid is offered:
- At the installation site of the sandbox, the sod layer of the earth is removed along with the grass. The resulting recess is covered with sand, rammed and covered with geotextiles. You can use black agrofiber or film, but the latter will have to be perforated in places for drainage. Covering material will prevent the germination of weeds in the sandbox, and will not allow the child to dig to the ground.
- At the corners of the future fence, racks made of timber 5 cm thick are driven into the ground. Since we decided that the height of the sides will be 24 cm, we take blanks for racks 45 cm long. Then 21 cm will be hammered into the ground, and part of the rack will remain on the surface on one level with the sides.
- The boards are cut to a length of 1,5 m, after which they are carefully polished so that not a single burr remains. This is not an easy task, so if possible, it is better to use a grinder. Finished boards in two rows are screwed to the installed racks with self-tapping screws.
- Now let’s figure out how to build a cover with benches. In our sandbox, its device is simple, you just need to prepare 12 boards 1,6 m long. Why was such a length taken? Yes, because the width of the box is 1,5 m, and the lid should go a little beyond its borders. The width of the boards is calculated so that all 12 pieces fit on the box. If the boards are wide, you can take 6 of them. The main thing is that in each half of the hinged cover there are three separate segments.
- So, the first segment of the folding half is screwed with screws to the edge of the box. This element is stationary and will not open. The second segment is connected to the first with loops from above. The third segment is connected to the second with loops from below. From above, I fasten two bars perpendicularly to the third segment. Their length captures the width of the second segment, but the blanks are not attached to it. The bars in the unfolded bench will play the role of a back limiter on the back side. From the bottom of the second segment along its width, two more bars must be fixed, which will be the limiters of the backrest in front so that it does not fall.
- Exactly the same procedure is performed with the second half of the lid. In the photo you can clearly see the design of the cover with the folded and unfolded half.
When the sandbox is completely completed, you can fill in the sand. We have already talked about the thickness of the layer – 15 cm. Purchased sand is sold clean, but river or quarry sand will have to be sifted and dried on its own. If the sandbox is installed permanently and there are no plans to move it, the approach to the playing place can be laid out with paving slabs. The soil around the sandbox is sown with lawn grass. You can plant low-growing small flowers.
Ideas for improving children’s sandboxes
Further, we offer you photos and ideas of do-it-yourself children’s sandboxes, according to which you can equip a playground at home. We have already considered the benches made from the lid, and we will not repeat ourselves. By the way, this option can be taken as a standard for arranging any rectangular sandbox.
You can make an excellent fungus over the playing place using a large umbrella. They are often used when relaxing on the beach. The umbrella is set so that it obscures the sandbox, but does not interfere with the child’s play. The only drawback of such a canopy is instability during the wind. For the reliability of the structure, a collapsible collar is provided on one of the sides, which fixes the umbrella bar while the child is playing.
Returning again to the hinged lid, it should be noted that a bench can be made from only one half. The second part of the shield is also made folding, but one-piece without segments. The lid is hinged directly to the box. The box itself is divided by a jumper into two compartments. Under a solid cover, a niche is organized for storing toys or other things. The second compartment with a bench is filled with sand for the game.
If there is a place under the steps of the house, it will be possible to organize a good playground here. Difficulties can arise with installing the lid, so the bottom of the sandbox is arranged in a different way. With a strong wind with rain, drops of water will fly onto the sand. So that there is no dampness on the site under the house, the bottom of the sandbox is covered with rubble, then geotextiles are laid, and sand is poured on top. The drainage layer will remove excess moisture, and after rain the playground will dry out quickly.
Sandbox covers do not have to be transformable into benches. The box can be divided into two compartments: in one – to make a niche for toys with a hinged lid, and in the other – to organize a sandbox with a roll-up lid.
If high racks are installed at the corners of a square sandbox, a canopy can be pulled from above from a tarpaulin. Boards are nailed flat along the edges of the boards. They will make benches without a back. Behind the fence made of boards, a chest is knocked down into one or two compartments. The box is suitable for storing toys. On the lid of the chest, it is possible to provide limiters that will become an emphasis on it in the open state. Then a comfortable back will appear on one of the benches.
Have you dreamed of a mobile sandbox? It can be done on wheels. Mom will be able to roll such a playground on a hard surface to any place in the yard. Furniture wheels are attached to the corners of the box. Sand and children have an impressive weight, so the bottom of the box is made of a board 25-30 mm thick, and small gaps are left between them. They are needed to remove moisture after rain. So that the sand does not wake up in these cracks, the bottom is covered with geotextiles.
The sandbox does not have to be square or rectangular. By installing additional racks around the perimeter of the structure, you get a hexagonal fence. With a little thought, the box can be made triangular or in the form of another geometric figure.
Replace the wooden lid on the sandbox with a tarpaulin cape. It is especially relevant on structures of complex shape, where it is difficult to make a wooden shield.
A sandbox can be more than just a place to play with cars or make Easter cakes. A simulated ship design will send young travelers on a circumnavigation of the world. From colored material, a sail is fixed to the opposite sides of the box. From above it is held by a crossbar between two racks. In addition, the sail will provide shade for the playing area.
We have already talked about a mobile sandbox on wheels. Its disadvantage is the lack of a canopy. Why not build one? It is only necessary to fix the racks from the timber at the corners of the box, and pull the colored fabric or tarpaulin on top. Colored flags can be fixed on the sides between the racks. On such a ship, children can be a little ride around the yard.
An alternative to the traditional wooden box is a large tractor tire sandbox. A side shelf is cut out in the tire, leaving a small edge near the tread. The edges of the rubber are not sharp, but it is better to close them with a hose cut along. The tire itself is painted with multi-colored paints.
Small tires give vent to fantasy. They are sawn into two or three equal segments, painted in different colors, after which sandboxes of unusual shapes are created. Connect each segment of the tire with wire or hardware. There are many options for making sandboxes. The most common form is the flower. It is laid out from five or more tire halves. More pieces of tires are sheathed with a complex-shaped sandbox frame made of flexible material.
The video shows a version of the children’s sandbox:
Conclusion
So, we examined in detail how to make a children’s sandbox and options for ideas for improving it. The design assembled by you with love will bring joy to the child, and peace to parents.