Looking for some new fun? Try a Dirt Box (instead of sand)
We’ve gone ultra classy with our sand table and have made it a dirt box.
Yup, you read that right. I’m letting my toddler play in dirt. Willingly. And he’s loving it.
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What is a dirt box, you ask?
A dirt box is the most awesome alternative to a sand table and it has been so fun for us. Fun enough that I wrote a whole blog post on it. (wink)
It’s just regular old dirt from my back yard. Nothing fancy. Dirt instead of sand.
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Seriously, that’s it. Just dirt.
After months of sandy fun, my toddler (25 months old) had gotten it every where. All over the deck. In his eyes. His mouth. It was everywhere.
I decided I had had enough.
I dumped out the sand and instead, started digging up my back yard.
I ditched sand and made a dirt box.
I ditched sand and grabbed a shovel.
My son loves digging in the dirt anyways so why not turn it into a contained, premeditated, and awesome kids activity?
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The dirt table is awesome.
I can’t begin to tell you how much better this was for my toddler than sand.
It doesn’t get in his eyes the way the sand did and he doesn’t dump it over his head like he always did with the sand. Oh and none of the dirt has been tasted (he was a convicted sand taster). Or rather, the dirt isn’t tasted with the frequency that the sand was tasted…. (You’ll make the right choice for your child)
Inside the bin, I add construction trucks making it his own personal construction site.
Making it a construction site has been amazing
All the construction equipment has ended up in the table and it’s been a hit with all the neighbor kids, ages 2 – 8, so I’d say we’ve got some serious longevity on this project.
We’ve been rocking the same dirt for 2 months now so that’s a pretty solid return of investment right there.
If you don’t have a sandbox, an under the bed tub full of dirt would be the same effect and just as awesome (outdoor supplies don’t need to be fancy).
Plus, those things have a lid too so you can keep it safe from the rain and outside animal friends. We love animals, just not in our sand box or dirt box.
I don’t see us switching back to sand anytime soon.
Halie says
What type of diet do you use? And does worms get in it after it rains or over time at all?
Susie says
We used dirt native to where we live. I shoveled it in from elsewhere in our yard. Worms might get in if I scoop them up on accident, which my kids love.