Best Sand for Sandbox – Sandbox Alternative for Sand

ByLisa Taylor

Not all of us have enjoyed the safe haven of going to the beaches and building such amazing sandcastles. Sand is a staple feature of every childhood. It consists of our little stories, imagination, and a bucket of tall structures.

Sandboxes are one of the most fun activities we can have in our childhood. Unfortunately, the sand we bring from offshores isn’t as reliable as it may seem. It may consist of elements that are not safe for your children. Our sand for sandbox guide is designed to enlist the best products in the market that are safe, reliable, and clean for your children.

Isn’t all the sand in the world same?

In short, absolutely not.

The sand you see in the Sahara is different – The sand we see on the offshore is different – The sand we see at the bottom of the river or canal is different. So how can one tell the difference? How can one justify which one is the best? As for laymen, you can’t spot the difference. To justify them, we’ll divide them into 2 basic categories; Building sand and playing with sand

Building Sand

As the name suggests, these are used in the construction sector. The sand commonly used in such industry includes sharp sand and general builder’s sand. These sands consist of special minerals including clay or iron that helps in the concrete work.

They are quite rough in general and may cause allergies to sensitive skin. They don’t go through any refinement process, and so could be full of bacteria and germs.

Play Sand

Well, play sand is for playing purposes. For sand to be marked as Safe, it should pass the ‘play sand’ test. The initial cleaning process includes the removal of any debris, bacteria, and germs. Once done, it is subjected to pressurized water to make the grain smaller and safer to play. All the hard materials and rounded grains are removed in such a procedure.

Benefits of Sandbox Play sand

Sandbox play sand is a healthy activity for both kids and adults. Numerous studies have shown that sand is extremely beneficial for children at an early age. Some of the benefits include:

  • Your children will have hours of fun learning activities
  • You can educate them by using different molds of shapes, names, and letters
  • It builds the children motor skills
  • They will have a great scene of build and conqueror
  • It enhances their social, communication, and language abilities

Some Sandbox Tips Before We Get Started

We’re assuming you have a sandbox and you’re looking for play sand. First and foremost, you must keep the surface clean, especially when it is in use.

  • Keep the sandbox covered all the time
  • Rake the sand before each playtime
  • Ensure that the wet sand is dried
  • Ensure the sunlight falls into the sand when not in use

As for the material, we recommend you opt for plastic or wood. Both look good and suitable in your garden. As for plastic, they tend to offer the most life span and come in a variety of different shapes and design.

Ultimate Pick – Best Sand for Sand box you can buy

Let’s take a look at some of the best options as sand box sand.

Sandtastik White Play Sand

This sand will ultimately catch the attention of your kids as it comes in a variety of different colors. Sandtastik white Play Sand is suitable for both indoor and outdoor activities. It is manufactured from 100% natural elements and contains no Silica and Quartz.

Suitable for ages 2 and above, it features an environmental protection protocol that is perfect for your kid’s development skills. Available in 25 lb packaging, the sandtastik play sand is a good value for your money.

This product is already very famous in schools, hospitals, and other playing areas around the world. The rigorous safety certification makes it suitable to allow in many organizations. The sand is soft, clean, and feels safe in hand. It will surely last for years to come.

Pros

  • Best value for money
  • Safe and non-toxic
  • Perfect for 2 years or above kids
  • Beautiful bright color

Cons

  • Flea reported by some customers

CoolSand Deluxe Bucket Play Sand

CoolSand isn’t your ordinary sandbox sand, it is a 100% moldable sand that you can twist, stretch and structure as per your like. The pack comes with a lot of interesting molds that children can use to make interesting structures.

Additionally, it has an inflatable sandbox, and storage box to pack it all back. The sand never dries or leaves on your hands. It creates a great bonding effect for both children and adults alike. Though fun to play, it isn’t actual sand that you can put on your sandbox. But it does check the building activities in a lot of improved way.

Pros

  • A great alternative to normal sand
  • Comes with a molded shape
  • Best for sensory play
  • Storage box included

Cons

  • Limited amount

The Safe Sand Company

The Safe Sand Co. is a perfect alternative for natural sand. This play sand is fine for your babies as it doesn’t contain any carcinogenic dust or sharp rocks. It is tested by higher authorities and is declared safe before reaching your home. It comes in white color that usually attracts children.

The sand also gets molded when wet and can be shaped to anything that comes into your children’s mind. They can create stunning castles without leaving a chalk-like residue on their hands. As for the packaging, you have different options ranging from 25-pound box to half-ton bulk pack.

Pros

  • Safe and healthy for kids
  • Available in different quantity
  • Sparkles in sunlight
  • Free from crystalline silica dust
  • Affordable

Cons

  • Thin sand material

Quikrete Play Sand

The Quikrete Play sand is a premium designed, specially graded sand for children’s sandbox usage. The sand is excellent value of money as it is available in 50 pounds of packaging.

Much like the natural sand, it features an average tan color. It’s ideal for molding, building and most importantly providing hours of fun time for your children.  Because this is a 100% natural washed and dried sand, some users have reported of rock particles. Because of this, the company now follows a new cleaning process that filtered out any chunks of rock materials that may harm your children’s body. So apart from the reviews, you’re good to go.

Pros

  • Huge Bag
  • Moldable for building
  • Smooth and fine to touch
  • Good value of money

Cons

  • Some customers reported small stones

Be Good Co. Natural Play Sand

This ultra-thin grain sand is specially designed for your little hands to play with. The recommended age for this sand is as low as 2 years, and surprisingly it holds the target. There are no reports of small stones or rocks in the packaging and it is completely safe for your toddlers.

It is suitable for both indoor and outdoor sandboxes, offering a specific branded playset. The only downside to Natural Sand is that it is only 1.5 pounds of packaging. You might have to invest in some quantity if you want to fill up your sandbox. Setting this aside, it is great quality sand that you buy at this price.

Pros

  • Good Quality natural play sand
  • Great for crafting
  • Available in different colors
  • Safe for toddlers and children

Cons

  • A small amount of sand

Sandbox Sand Alternatives

If you don’t want a mess of real sand in your home, there are some great alternatives that you can try. Mostly, sandbox alternatives are indoor because there’s a conflict of cleaning the mess. If you’re interested in educating your children, try these sandbox alternatives for sand.

  • Dry Rice – Almost as safe as sand
  • Pebbles – Gives the chance to dig and excavate
  • Round Gravel – Pea gravel with rounded rocks is softer than sand
  • Dry Food – It can be walnut shells, dried beans, etc.

Why Sandbox Play is important for your children?

Kids are naturally attracted to places that provide them with challenges. Not to mention they love to get messy and figure out the best fun activities in such conditions. There are tons of reasons why you should invest in a sandbox in your house. Some of them include:

Careful hand coordination

Your children will be more careful about the things they will carry out. One wrong move and all their efforts will be down in no time. Applying this to actual life, they will be more careful in their decisions.

Reach for the Stars

Provide your children with a bucket and they will present you with the best castle you’ve seen in your life. From boats to animals to names and more, the options are limitless. It increases the creativity of your child to a whole new level.

Ability, Passion, Motivation

Building a castle requires a lot of shapes, decision making, and coordination. The process of cultivating all of these things, in a limited amount of set time, provides them with the ability to improve their motor skills. They will learn new skills every day.  

Which is the Best Sandbox sand?

All of these sand for sandboxes offer distinctive features that are unique in some way or another. As for an ultimate recommendation, go for Sandtastik White Play Sand. It is manufactured from natural elements that offer a smooth and soft touch. The good play sand is the one that is free from chemicals especially free from crystalline silica. The sand is good value for money and is very high in terms of quality. 1 pack can easily fill medium size sandbox.

Just add a little bit of water and witness the creativity level of your children. We’re sure that you have a great time reading this article. Share this with your friends and let them know which sand is the best for the sandbox.