Sand/Water Table

[teapot100]

Our center is moving to a new location where the children's room now will have wall to wall carpet. This is your ubiquitous commercial type of carpet found in any office space.

My problem now is what to do with the sand/water table? It is new to us and we'd really like to keep using it. I see that you can buy a floor mat for underneath, but the largest that you can get it is 72" and our table is 60" - I'm afraid that with our children in the programs that won't be big enough to contain everything.

Do you know of any other workarounds for this carpet issue? We really to want to be able to continue using the table and not just pasta or rice (though rice wouldn't be all that bad).

[Unregistered]

Buy two mats for underneath or use outside during the summer. Didn't it get slippery without a mat under it before?

[teapot100]

OK, answering my own question - should have just given it a few seconds, .

Anyway, we can do rice, shredded paper, etc in there as is. If we want to do sand or water, I think what we'll do and what we have been doing this year without realizing it is putting the water and sand in separate smaller bins (we did to encourage pouring from one bin to another, etc). This way, the water and sand are still able to be caught by the bigger sensory table tub - one extra measure of protection - instead of just being filled up with sand/water and the next depository site is the floor. We will also still buy one of those waterproof protective mats for underneath the table.

[teapot100]

Buy two mats for underneath or use outside during the summer. Didn't it get slippery without a mat under it before?

No, we had a small rug under it and towels. We live in New England and want to be able to use it year round. Good idea about using 2 mats!

[Thriftylady]

This is what I do. More of a "sensory bin" indoors. We have a sandbox outdoors and I have 18 QT dish pans outside to use for water play.

[kendallina]

Mine's on carpet and I use a lot of rice, beans, noodles, rocks. When I do use water I put a vinyl tablecloth under the table and that works well. You can also use a shower curtain and have towels on hand.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

Mine's on carpet and I use a lot of rice, beans, noodles, rocks. When I do use water I put a vinyl tablecloth under the table and that works well. You can also use a shower curtain and have towels on hand.

Great ideas! Going to try the tablecloth idea here.

[Blackcat31]

Put the sand/water table in a big blow up pool.

Easy clean up and no mess spread all around!