We recently purchased a sandbox and my children have had hours of fun building and playing in the sand. But did you realize that playing in the sand actually develops your child’s brain and is a great academic activity.
Researchers have found that physical activity is linked to brain development. Children who engage in different types of physical activity on a regular basis are exposing their brain to new things and increasing brain development. When the brain processes a new physical activity it makes it easier for the brain to process an academic activity at a later date, because the brain processes are very similar. So by playing in the sand you are introducing your child to a new physical activity and encouraging brain growth.
Playing in the sand can also help your child develop geometry skills. Have a variety of sand toys, buckets, and empty containers that your child can fill. Collect empty bottles and containers from your home. Letting your child experiment with how much sand fills up different bottles is a great math skill. It helps them learn that something that is tall and skinny can hold the same amount of sand as something short and fat.
You can purchase a sandbox and then buy sand from a building supply store or you can make your own sandbox. You can find ideas and instructions for making different types of sandboxes in the Frugal Living Blog and Home Blog at Families.com.
If you don’t have a sandbox and don’t plan on purchasing one take your children to the sand. Many lakes, reservoirs, and riverbanks have sandy areas perfect for digging in. If you live close to the ocean take advantage of it. You can dig in the sand even when it is too cold for swimming. For my son’s third birthday he wanted to go to a lake and play. When the wind picked up it was too cold for swimming but he had a great time playing in the sand.
So get down in the dirt and play with your kids.