How Old For Sandbox Play??

[Josiegirl]

I think I've created a sandbox monster. :: Just turned 1 yo gets bored outside. I don't have much grass. I have a toddler swing but she starts fussing after a few minutes of that. I help her on the slide but pretty much just hold her and swing her off the bottom, well that can be a back-breaker. Last week I was wondering what she'd do sitting in the sandbox. She LOVES it!! Yeh, she gets dirty. Yeh, she tries to eat sand. But she's loving her newfound outside play. Dcm doesn't seem to have any problems with it.
So my question is how old do you start the little ones playing in the sandbox? By the way, I sit right there and never walk away, even for a second.

[Jamie]

When they're old enough to sit up.
Why do you ask? I have never thought about an age limit for sandboxes, and definitely not for a 1-year-old! If she has fun, and you're keeping her safe, this is a non-issue.

[storybookending]

I just have a small sandbox, probably 5x5 under one of the play structures. It's closed off on 3 side and you can enter on the 4th side. As soon as they discover it they are free to play in it. My 14 month old loves it. The 10 month old is mobile but just crawling and he hasn't found the opening. He pulls himself up around the other 3 edges but hasn't found the enterance.

As far as lifting for the slides I don't do that. If you want to go down you figure out how to get yourself up. Also if you get yourself up you can get yourself down. I started a new 2 year old that had refused to climb up the ladder and kept asking me to put her up there. No way honey you figure it out on your own. I know she knows how because I've seen her do it at the park. Yesterday was the first day she did it here. Climbed to the stop then claimed she couldn't get down.. I left her up there pouting and told her to figure it out. Funny how she magically knew how to go down the slide when I started pushing the other girls on a swing and she wanted to be pushed too. Only problem I have with my big slide is my 14 month old knows how to climb the ladder but I won't let him get up there just yet and always move him to the smaller little tykes slide. It's just too high for him yet. Next year buddy!!

[Ariana]

As soon as they can sit up! Never thought to limit any kind of play for a kid. I also don't care what moms think . Thats what changes of clothes are for.

I had one DCB who would eat sand hand over fist. He came to me malnourished (in my opinion) so I think he just craved it. I figured after a few handfuls he would get the hint that it is mot tasty and stop but nope! I then had to start watching him and stopping him as much as I could. I just let mom know that he may have sandy poops for a while :: she told me she never allowed DCG to play in the sand at all. Luckily she came to me at 18 months!

[Jupadia]

Don't have an age where allow kids to go in but I don't use it much. Mostly I allow the kids to dig in the mulch and there is no age restrictions for that. I have a mulched area that surrounds the sandbox and playset so there's more room there then in the sandbox which can fit 2 to 3 kids max and none of the large trucks.
The slide I also like Ariana will not lift on to slide the kids must learn to climb up first. I will also only push kids who don't know how to pump there own swing. Also will not assist on the monkey bars (came with set). My own kids know I will do some of these things with them but won't assist during daycare hours.

[storybookending]

Don't have an age where allow kids to go in but I don't use it much. Mostly I allow the kids to dig in the mulch and there is no age restrictions for that. I have a mulched area that surrounds the sandbox and playset so there's more room there then in the sandbox which can fit 2 to 3 kids max and none of the large trucks.
The slide I also like Ariana will not lift on to slide the kids must learn to climb up first. I will also only push kids who don't know how to pump there own swing. Also will not assist on the monkey bars (came with set). My own kids know I will do some of these things with them but won't assist during daycare hours.

My playset came with the house when I bought it and also has monkey bars. It is the dumbest set up I have ever seen. The monkey bars lead to no where and also the swings hang from them? We just don't use monkey bars at daycare. None of them can reach on their own and I am not lifting/holding them.. your parents can do that with you at the park.

[daycarediva]

I don't have a sandbox. I have sand and water tables. The kids play in there the day they start (right around 18 months)

[LK5kids]

I don't have a sandbox either. I have a sand and water table too. They start using those as soon as they can reach.

[Jamie]

I don't lift onto slides either. I actually lift as little as possible.You want to go up? Well, figure it out! I also hardly ever limit. Yes, I was the one with the 10-month-old on the big slide He figured out how to get up, and I wasn't gonna stop him ::

[Josiegirl]

I just figured with always trying to keep things OUT of toddlers' mouths, this was like an open invitation of 'here, taste this' Guess I'm late to the game, as always.

[daycarediva]

I don't lift onto slides either. I actually lift as little as possible.You want to go up? Well, figure it out! I also hardly ever limit. Yes, I was the one with the 10-month-old on the big slide He figured out how to get up, and I wasn't gonna stop him ::

YES! Kids are actually more prone to injuries on playgrounds when they receive adult help. Simply because now they are doing something that their bodies are not developmentally ready for. I also limit my lifting as much as possible. My back thanks me!

[Ariana]

YES! Kids are actually more prone to injuries on playgrounds when they receive adult help. Simply because now they are doing something that their bodies are not developmentally ready for. I also limit my lifting as much as possible. My back thanks me!

Exactly! I do not help kids at all for this reason. If you got up, you can get down. I will place a hand and my body in such a way that if a child were to fall I am right there to catch them but I do not interfere with learning to do it all by themselves. They are so proud when they do it and I always say "wow you did it all by yourself, you should be so proud"!! They love it

[CalCare]

Same for me, with no lifting. I don't do baby swings for that reason. I just let kids who are big enough to use the swing, use the swing. I don't lift kids into swing, or push swings or lift onto slide or lift into sandbox (mine has side walls they have to climb over). We were always taught to not put children anywhere they couldn't get themselves. Obviously excludes a pack n play, cause then I need to keep them in but along these lines, I use no high chairs, no baby swings, exersaucers, bouncy chairs etc. It really helps them to develop their physical abilities, body awareness, and confidence. Only problem was in time we had a really tiny 5 year old, where I worked and she couldn't reach the Zipline (while all the 4 year olds and 5 year olds could reach, 3 year olds and some 4's couldn't). She was there for two years and she would never have gotten to use it if we hadn't went ahead and lifted her during her last year So then we said, "we only lift 5 year olds who can't reach"