Pros and Cons of Having A Sandbox

My son received a birthday gift from my parents that I was not too thrilled with - a sandbox. Well, it's the container for a sandbox that has to be filled still with actual sand. And even though the summer is far behind us, I couldn't help but consider whether I should keep it or not.

My husband had mentioned getting a sandbox for our son to play in but I was not a fan of the idea. I was paranoid that he would eat the sand or get it in his eyes, and that animals and insects could get into it. But my husband and nephews have talked me into keeping this gift and the more I looked into it, the more I saw that they are right.

Firstly, by next summer the baby will be old enough to play in a sandbox, which will provide a new activity to do during the long summer days in the backyard. It will allow him to pass the time and be imaginative. It can also help him develop problem solving skills such as measurement, etc.

It will also help to build his immune system. If I keep him isolated and prevent him from doing the things that little boys like to do-get messy and play with dirt-he may be timid and unadventurous in the future. Children should be exposed to the outdoors as much as possible, and a sandbox will ensure this. As long as I am sure to maintain the sand, and keep it covered and clean there is no danger. And when the little one does get dirty, he can wash off in his kiddy pool.

Lastly, the sandbox that we got isn't too large and can be stored and cleaned easily.

So, I have lost this latest battle but at least there is still many months until it is warm enough to play in the backyard again!

The sandbox we got looks like the one shown below:


photo source: http://community.babycenter.com/post/a49728739/small_pool_for_kids