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Sandpit with toy tools used by children to play in sand

A sandpit (most Commonwealth countries) or sandbox (US and Canada) is a low, wide container or shallow depression filled with soft (beach) sand in which children can play. Sharp sand (as used in the building industry) is not suitable for such use. Many homeowners with children build sandpits in their backyards because, unlike most playground equipment, they can be easily and cheaply constructed.

History

German sand gardens were the first organization of children's play in public spaces.^[1]^[2] The German "sand gardens" were an 1850 offshoot of Friedrich Fröbel's work on kindergartens.^[3] Sand gardens were introduced to America by Marie Elizabeth Zakrzewska, starting in her home city of Boston.^[4]^[5]^[2]^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10] Inspired by the German sand gardens she observed while visiting Berlin in the summer of 1885.^[11]^[12] Joseph Lee is considered the "founder of the playground movement."^[5]^[13]

Physical description

The "pit", or "box" itself is simply a container for storing the sand so that it does not spread outward across lawns or other surrounding surfaces. Boxes of various shapes are often constructed from planks, logs, or other large wooden frames that allow children easy access to the sand and also provide a convenient place to sit. Small sandpits are also available commercially. These are usually made from plastic or wood and are often shaped like an animal or other objects familiar to children.

They sometimes also have lids to cover the sand when not in use, so that passing animals cannot contaminate the sand by urinating or defecating in it. Having lids also prevents the sand in outdoor sandpits from getting wet when it rains, although some dampness is often desirable as it helps the sand hold together. Prefabricated sandpits may also be used indoors, especially in day care facilities. Materials other than sand are also often used, such as oatmeal, which are necessarily non-toxic and light enough to easily vacuum up.

Sandpits can have a solid bottom or they can be built directly onto the soil. The latter allows free drainage (which is useful if the top is open) but can lead to contamination of the sand with soil if the children dig down to the ground.

The sand gets dirty over time and is eventually replaced. Many schools and playgrounds in North America have replaced sand around play structures with a wood chip mixture, as it is cheaper. It also prevents health risks, such as ringworm, that would potentially come from traditional sandboxes, due to other animals, such as raccoons, being able to use the sandpits, and spreading parasites.^[14]

References

^ "How We Came to Play: The History of Playgrounds – National Trust for Historic Preservation".
^ ^a ^b "The Garden and the Playground – Playscapes". 29 August 2012. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
^ Lange, Alexandra (18 June 2018). "An Intellectual History of the Sandbox". Slate. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
^ "What is a Sandpit? The History of Sandpits". www.biggamehunters.co.uk. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
^ ^a ^b "How the American playground was born in Boston – The Boston Globe". The Boston Globe.
^ "blank". www.prm.nau.edu. Archived from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
^ "The History of Playing Outdoors – Nature Explore Program". 22 May 2014.
^ "The Story of the Sand Pile (1886) – Nature Explore Program". 24 April 2014.
^ "A Brief History of the Sandbox – Playscapes". 29 November 2009. Archived from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
^ "U.S. Playground movement : Architektur für Kinder". www.architekturfuerkinder.ch. Archived from the original on 3 May 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
^ Rainwater, Clarence Elmer (22 August 2018). "The Play Movement in the United States: A Study of Community Recreation". University of Chicago Press.
^ "Sand Gardens". www.pgpedia.com.
^ "Boston sand garden" (PDF). hnr.k-state.edu. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
^ "Health hazards lurking in the sandbox". www.cbsnews.com. 27 April 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2021.

External links

Media related to Sandboxes at Wikimedia Commons
Example of Wooden Sand Pit / Sand Box

[1] "How We Came to Play: The History of Playgrounds – National Trust for Historic Preservation".

[play-scapes.com-2] "The Garden and the Playground – Playscapes". 29 August 2012. Archived from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2018.

[lange-3] Lange, Alexandra (18 June 2018). "An Intellectual History of the Sandbox". Slate. Retrieved 18 June 2018.

[4] "What is a Sandpit? The History of Sandpits". www.biggamehunters.co.uk. Retrieved 12 September 2018.

[bostonglobe.com-5] "How the American playground was born in Boston – The Boston Globe". The Boston Globe.

[6] "blank". www.prm.nau.edu. Archived from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2018.

[7] "The History of Playing Outdoors – Nature Explore Program". 22 May 2014.

[8] "The Story of the Sand Pile (1886) – Nature Explore Program". 24 April 2014.

[9] "A Brief History of the Sandbox – Playscapes". 29 November 2009. Archived from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2018.

[10] "U.S. Playground movement : Architektur für Kinder". www.architekturfuerkinder.ch. Archived from the original on 3 May 2019. Retrieved 5 June 2018.

[11] Rainwater, Clarence Elmer (22 August 2018). "The Play Movement in the United States: A Study of Community Recreation". University of Chicago Press.

[12] "Sand Gardens". www.pgpedia.com.

[13] "Boston sand garden" (PDF). hnr.k-state.edu. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2018.

[14] "Health hazards lurking in the sandbox". www.cbsnews.com. 27 April 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2021.

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+{{Short description|Playing area for children}}
-<!--*        *** Attention NEW USERS: ***             *-->
+{{About|the children's play area|an open-pit sand mine|Sand mining||Sandpit (disambiguation)|Sandbox (disambiguation)}}
-<!--*     This is not the Wikipedia sandbox.          *-->
+{{pp-semi-indef}}
-<!--*         This is an article about sandboxes.     *-->
+{{Use American English|date=January 2021}}
-<!--*     ** DO NOT practice here. **                 *-->
+{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
-<!--*       If you want to practice, enter            *-->
-<!--* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Sandbox  *-->
-<!--*    into the address bar of your browser, or     *-->
-<!--*       search for Wikipedia:Sandbox              *-->
-<!--***************************************************-->
-<!--                                                   -->
-[[Image:Sandbox25703 5762.jpg|thumb|right|A large, loosely contained sandbox]]
-:''This article is about the playground equipment.  For other meanings of the word, see [[sandbox (disambiguation)]].
-{{sr|For the [[Wikipedia]] sandbox for editing experiments see [[Wikipedia:Sandbox]].}}
-<!-- please do not delete this bit, it is important.-->
+[[File:Sandbox Lawn Jam Our Community Place Harrisonburg VA June 2008.jpg|thumb|250px|Children [[Play (activity)|play]] in a communal sandbox]]
-A '''sandbox''' ([[American English|US]]) or '''sandpit''' ([[British English|UK]]/[[Australian English|AUS]]) is a low, wide container or shallow depression filled with [[sand]] in which [[children]] can play.  Sandboxes are often found on [[playground]]s but &mdash;&nbsp;unlike most playground equipment&nbsp;&mdash; are easy enough to construct that they often occur in back yards of homes, as well.  Sandboxes encourage children's [[imagination]]s as they build small cities or [[sand art and play|sandcastle]]s; use [[toy]] [[truck]]s, [[shovel]]s, and [[bucket]]s to move the sand around; dig holes and bury things; in other words, the sand provides a medium in which children can pretend to explore, construct, and destruct the world in three dimensions.  This is central to metaphorical uses of the word (see [[sandbox (disambiguation)]]).
+[[File:Sandpit.jpg|thumb|250px|Sandpit with toy tools used by [[child]]ren to play in [[sand]]]]
-The "box" is simply a method of storing the sand so that it doesn't spread outward across [[lawn]]s, [[sidewalk]]s, or other surrounding surfaces.
+A '''sandpit''' (most Commonwealth countries) or '''sandbox''' (US and Canada) is a low, wide container or shallow depression filled with soft (beach) [[sand]] in which [[children]] can play. Sharp sand (as used in the building industry) is not suitable for such use. Many homeowners with children build sandpits in their [[Garden|backyards]] because, unlike most [[playground equipment]], they can be easily and cheaply constructed.
+==History==
-Boxes of various shapes are often constructed from [[plank]]s, logs, or other large [[wood|wooden]] frames that allow children easy access to the sand and also provide a convenient place to sit.  Nevertheless, small sandboxes are also available for purchase. These are usually made from [[plastic]] and are often shaped like an [[animal]] or other familiar object. They also sometimes have lids, to cover the sand when children aren't using it, thereby preventing passing [[cat]]s from using the play area as a [[litterbox]]. Having lids also prevents the sand in outdoor sandboxes from getting wet when it rains, although some dampness is often desirable as it helps the sand hold together.  Prefabricated sandboxes may also be used indoors, especially in [[day care]]s.  Rather than sand, other materials are often used such as [[oatmeal]] which is guaranteed to be non-toxic for very young children and light enough to easily vacuum.
+German sand gardens were the first organization of children's play in public spaces.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://savingplaces.org/stories/how-we-came-to-play-the-history-of-playgrounds/|title=How We Came to Play: The History of Playgrounds – National Trust for Historic Preservation}}</ref><ref name="play-scapes.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.play-scapes.com/play-design/natural-playgrounds/the-garden-and-the-playground/|title=The Garden and the Playground – Playscapes|date=29 August 2012|access-date=5 June 2018|archive-date=24 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024130059/http://www.play-scapes.com/play-design/natural-playgrounds/the-garden-and-the-playground/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The German "sand gardens" were an 1850 offshoot of [[Friedrich Fröbel]]'s work on kindergartens.<ref name="lange">{{cite news |last1=Lange |first1=Alexandra |title=An Intellectual History of the Sandbox |url=https://slate.com/human-interest/2018/06/history-of-the-sandbox-the-origins-of-a-playground-for-kids-and-ideas.html |access-date=18 June 2018 |work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] |date=18 June 2018}}</ref> Sand gardens were introduced to America by [[Marie Elizabeth Zakrzewska]], starting in her home city of Boston.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.biggamehunters.co.uk/acatalog/History-of-Sandpits.html|title=What is a Sandpit? The History of Sandpits|website=www.biggamehunters.co.uk|access-date=12 September 2018}}</ref><ref name="bostonglobe.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2014/03/28/how-american-playground-was-born-boston/5i2XrMCjCkuu5521uxleEL/story.html|title=How the American playground was born in Boston – The Boston Globe|website=[[The Boston Globe]]}}</ref><ref name="play-scapes.com"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prm.nau.edu/prm346-old/sand_garden.htm|title=blank|website=www.prm.nau.edu|access-date=5 June 2018|archive-date=23 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123073305/http://www.prm.nau.edu/prm346-old/sand_garden.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://natureexplore.org/the-history-of-playing-outdoors/|title=The History of Playing Outdoors – Nature Explore Program|date=22 May 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://natureexplore.org/the-story-of-the-sand-pile-1886/|title=The Story of the Sand Pile (1886) – Nature Explore Program|date=24 April 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.play-scapes.com/play-history/pre-1900/a-brief-history-of-the-sandbox/|title=A Brief History of the Sandbox – Playscapes|date=29 November 2009|access-date=5 June 2018|archive-date=26 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026152902/http://www.play-scapes.com/play-history/pre-1900/a-brief-history-of-the-sandbox/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.architekturfuerkinder.ch/index.php/geschichte/ueberblick-usa/|title=U.S. Playground movement : Architektur für Kinder|website=www.architekturfuerkinder.ch|access-date=5 June 2018|archive-date=3 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503215147/http://architekturfuerkinder.ch/index.php/geschichte/ueberblick-usa/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Inspired by the German sand gardens she observed while visiting Berlin in the summer of 1885.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P4YYAAAAYAAJ&q=sand+1885&pg=PA22|title=The Play Movement in the United States: A Study of Community Recreation|first=Clarence Elmer|last=Rainwater|date=22 August 2018|publisher=University of Chicago Press}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pgpedia.com/s/sand-gardens|title=Sand Gardens|website=www.pgpedia.com}}</ref> [[Joseph Lee (recreation advocate)|Joseph Lee]] is considered the "founder of the playground movement."<ref name="bostonglobe.com"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://hnr.k-state.edu/doc/rres-210/boston-sand-gardens.pdf |title=Boston sand garden |website=hnr.k-state.edu |access-date=5 June 2018 |archive-date=29 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029163151/https://hnr.k-state.edu/doc/rres-210/boston-sand-gardens.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
+==Physical description==
-Sandpits can have a solid bottom or they can be built directly onto the soil. The latter allows free draining (which is useful if the top is open) but can lead to some contamination of the sand with soil if the children dig down to it.
+{{unreferenced section|date=October 2021}}
+The "pit", or "box" itself is simply a container for storing the sand so that it does not spread outward across [[lawn]]s or other surrounding surfaces. Boxes of various shapes are often constructed from [[Plank (wood)|plank]]s, [[Trunk (botany)|logs]], or other large [[wood]]en frames that allow children easy access to the sand and also provide a convenient place to sit. Small sandpits are also available commercially. These are usually made from [[plastic]] or [[wood]] and are often shaped like an [[animal]] or other objects familiar to children.
+They sometimes also have lids to cover the sand when not in use, so that passing animals cannot contaminate the sand by urinating or defecating in it. Having lids also prevents the sand in outdoor sandpits from getting wet when it rains, although some dampness is often desirable as it helps the sand hold together. Prefabricated sandpits may also be used indoors, especially in [[day care]] facilities. Materials other than sand are also often used, such as [[oatmeal]], which are necessarily non-toxic and light enough to easily vacuum up.
-The sand gets dirty over time and is generally eventually replaced. The old sand can be discarded or it can be used for other things (for example, mixed into concrete). Some parents use ordinary building sand to fill sandboxes, while others use special sandbox sand. Building sand is far cheaper but often contains materials such as [[clay]] that can stain clothes, since it is not washed.  It will also contain a mixture of grain sizes and colors, and hence be less appealing to the eye.
+Sandpits can have a solid bottom or they can be built directly onto the soil. The latter allows free drainage (which is useful if the top is open) but can lead to contamination of the sand with soil if the children dig down to the ground.
-You can also sieve ordinary building sand to remove coarse particles and then wash it to clean off the clay.
+The sand gets dirty over time and is eventually replaced. Many schools and playgrounds in North America have replaced sand around play structures with a [[Woodchips|wood chip]] mixture, as it is cheaper. It also prevents health risks, such as [[Dermatophytosis|ringworm]], that would potentially come from traditional sandboxes, due to other animals, such as [[Raccoon|raccoons]], being able to use the sandpits, and spreading parasites.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Health hazards lurking in the sandbox|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/health-hazards-lurking-in-the-sandbox/|access-date=2021-10-27|website=www.cbsnews.com|date=27 April 2016 |language=en-US}}</ref>
 ==See also==
-*[[Zen garden]]
+*[[Borrow pit]]
+*[[Japanese rock garden]]
-*[[Wikipedia:Sandbox]] (Test editing skills there)
+*[[Outdoor playset]]
+*[[Sand art and play]]
+==References==
+{{Reflist}}
+== External links ==
-[[Category:Play]]
+{{Wiktionary|sandpit}}
+* {{Commons category-inline|Sandboxes}}
+* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110610200102/http://www.breswaoutdoorfurniture.co.nz/kumeushow.htm Example of Wooden Sand Pit / Sand Box]
+{{Authority control}}
-[[cs:Pískovišt&#283;]]
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