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PSPKK1232 Comments

Beat the winter blahs – make an indoor sandbox!

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indoor sandbox - the measured mom

It’s the middle of March.  We still have a fair amount of snow, and we’re not excited about it anymore.  (Well, I never was.)   Do you know what temperature we’re expecting on the first day of spring?  19º F.  And that’s the high temperature.  We definitely need to beat the winter blahs.

Today was one of those days that makes a person impatient for bare feet on green grass.  As the rain poured down, it melted the ice under the snow.  My snow boots made a loud sploosh as they sank through the melting snow to the giant puddle beneath.

I was prying the lid off our forlorn sandbox and giving the kids their first sandbox play since last fall.

I know it’s a cliché, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

sandbox with cars, rocks, and sand toys

I dumped a fair amount of sand into a large plastic  bin, threw in some polished river rocks we bought at Michael’s (under $3 on sale) and all the toy trucks we could find.  We’re exploring the letter T around here.

children playing with sandbox

The kids (4,2,5) all dug in eagerly, but within a few minutes my Five was done.  She escaped to the couch and her books.

child patting down sand

The boys, on the other hand, had lots of ideas.  They just weren’t the same ideas.  My Four wanted to pat it down and make tire tracks.

children dumping sand

 My Two just wanted to dig, which he could not do in a tiny sandbox with a brother who wanted a smooth surface.

Conflict ensued.

tire tracks in sandbox

So my Four had his turn first… he could make tire tracks to his heart’s content.

child driving toy truck in sandbox

Soon afterward, my Two could “deliver rocks” from one end of the bin to the other.

child washing rocks

Afterward, my Four washed all the rocks and trucks for me. This was definitely his favorite part.

I cleared the sand from the table top.
And the chairs.
And the floor.

Oh, Spring!  Where are you??

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Filed Under: General Tagged With: preschool, kindergarten, sensory play, Pre-K

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Reader Interactions

2 Comments

  1. annageig

    March 24, 2013 at 5:41 am

    We need more construction toys… any that you especially love? One of my boys is turning 3 next month; I’m interested in some quality toy diggers.

    Reply to this comment
  2. Jessica @ Play Trains!

    March 24, 2013 at 4:17 am

    Fun! We did something similar a few weeks ago when I had to throw out a bunch of expired legumes I found in the back of the cupboard…they made a great construction site.

    Reply to this comment

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