This is a great idea for a big and cheap sandbox if you DO NOT live where it rains all the time or if you HAVE a covered porch! (We have neither so this ended up failing miserably but still, I thought I should share this idea and how we ended up doing a sandbox!
Step 1: Buy a big (or small if you want) plastic pool from the Family Dollar or Walmart at the end of summer when they go on sale *wink*
Step 2: Go to Lowes or Home Depot and pick up stakes that will go level with the ground, small bungies (4), "play sand" and a tarp that will be bigger than your pool size. We got a large pool so put in 10 bags of the play sand. (we could have done a few less if we wanted to save a few bucks)
Step 3: Drill holes into the bottom of your pool. We did 5 holes but you could probably do more. (This is for water to drain out should you wish to make sand castles or forget to put the tarp back on when there is a storm).
Step 4: Choose your sand box spot! And choose wisely! Once the sand is in, definitely too heavy to move again! Consider your bug population, where you have a covered, shady place, and can you see your kiddo from the window if you are inside?
For example: our big mistake was placing the sand box by heavy foliage (which made it a shady place), but thats where all the mosquitos hung out during the summer so PK couldn't even use it because he would come back inside with so many bites.
Step 5: Pour your sand.
Step 6: Place your tarp over the sandbox so that it is equally spaced around the edge. Drive the stakes into the ground about half a foot to a foot from the corner of the tarp so that when you attach the bungies it pulls the tarp tight over the "box". This will keep out small amounts of rain and kitty poop. :)
As you can see, the first day was a success! And so were a few other times...
Total Cost $64
Way cheaper than the bigger wooden ones you can buy online for hundreds of dollars and definitely comparable to what you would end up spending on the lobster/turtle shaped sandboxes that come with a top and are very small.
but then...
rain, ants, and mosquito infested area-this is how that sandbox looks now:
we had given up until... a craigslist find!
It was big enough for Peter but had a top to go with it.
We also put it on the porch instead, closer to me when I'm in the kitchen and away from the grass/foliage where lots of the bugs live in our yard.
Needless to say any sandbox will be a fun sandbox! I hope this was a little helpful/inspirational for those of you with kiddos/grand-kiddos!
Love,
The House on Hampshire
