So we have some exposed dirt in our back yard. My girls are really tearing it up and I'm letting them because we are relandscaping in a few months. But when it gets fixed up, I'll need to keep them from digging up the dirt. I was going to add a sandbox or dirt play area for them. If you have a sand box, do you find its been a problem with them brining in sand? We live in a temperate climate with no a.c., so we leave the doors open most of the year to catch the ocean breeze. So enforcing a shoes on outside policy is not possible for me with three little ones. They simply run in and out all day. Usually bare foot. Though I have tried to leave Crocs out for them, they simply disappear for days on end (the shoes). There is no point in a strict shoes off policy in the house since the dirt gets drug in from their bare feet. So dirty floors are a reality that I live with, but since we are hard surface downstairs, it all sweeps and mops up nicely. I know someone who made a dirt box for their kids rather than a sand box because sand kills turf. I'm really intrigued by this idea, but not sure which one will be worse for my floors and furniture. We live by the beach and I know how much I hate sand in the house. But it seems a bit of sand is better than the fine grime that dirt can leave as far as my furniture is concerned. Floors are one concern, furniture is another. Not sure which one I will regret more, sand or dirt. Any words of wisdom?
Sand brushes off, but dirt sticks. Why not have a couple of door mats and teach them to wipe their feet.
Well, being a former dirt digger myself, I say save a part of the back yard for them to dig in! We have red earth around here, so my mom made sure we played in play clothes only. We also ditched our shoes at the door. I have the best memories of making the most awesome tracks (with granite rock jumps!) for my hot wheels and huge tunnel cities for my troll dolls. A sand box wouldn't have cut it at all! The dirt will never make you regret the fun your kids will have!
Sand is way easier to sweep and brush off than dirt. Dirt sticks AND stains. Keep the sandbox as far away from the house as you can, that helps some, because they lose some naturally running from the sandbox to the house!
As the mom of a chronic digger, I can tell you that no matter that he has a sandbox, digging in the dirt is his favorite. The sandbox has gotten next to no use over the past two years (and he's six) but I still have to fill holes in from time to time.
I had the sandbox built for apreschool we had. If we didn't have the preschool, in retrospect, I would have just given him a corner of the yard for a 'dirt patch' and saved the money we spent on wood, bolts and sand.
Cleaningwise, though, I agree sand is easier. Just make sure to put a tarp over the boxes and weight/tie it down, or cats WILL use it as a litter box.
We bought one of those plastic container type sand boxes, about 4x5 feet big, with a lid. We put it several yards from the door of the house so the kids had to walk through grass to get to and from the sand box. We never had sand get into the house, unless they laid in the box and it got in their clothes (which was rare). My kids usually sat in the grass and leaned in to dig - on their own, we didn't tell them to play like that. It was easy to clean out and replace the sand after we got sand fleas one year. It also clearly defined their digging space since we had a fairly extensively landscaped yard. They helped with gardening too and knew the difference between garden digging while helping an adult and sand box play. They could put the lid on and off without adult help and we never had trouble with rain or neighborhood animals getting in it.
I'd go with the sand over dirt because it's cleaner. Put a fresh basin of water every day outside door and lay a towel down next to it. Before they come in, they step into the basin to wash most of sand off and then onto the towel and rub feet dry. Then into the house where you could even have a second towel or a mat just inside door for them to wipe feet on again if you wanted.
Sand is easier in my opinion. Dirt has many minerals in it and I have stains all over the floor from dirt. Sand just rolls around on top of the flooring. Much easier to sweep up and clean.
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Sand is easier in my opinion. Dirt has many minerals in it and I have stains all over the floor from dirt. Sand just rolls around on top of the flooring. Much easier to sweep up and clean.
Updated
Sand is easier in my opinion. Dirt has many minerals in it and I have stains all over the floor from dirt. Sand just rolls around on top of the flooring. Much easier to sweep up and clean.
Updated
Sand is easier in my opinion. Dirt has many minerals in it and I have stains all over the floor from dirt. Sand just rolls around on top of the flooring. Much easier to sweep up and clean.
Dirt can turn to mud. I would much rather have sand than mud!
If we had real dirt I'd go with dirt. So they get a little dirty lol.
... we have a yard.
There are landscaped areas and garden areas.
Grass areas and places with just exposed dirt.
Or sand.
My kids play in the dirt. And sand.
Its fine. Its not in a planned decorative area.
They can, play in it.
Kids are often barefoot here where I live.
My kids use slippers (flip flops) outside. Because they have gotten their feet poked by thorns or what not, when barefoot. But if they are barefoot, well they brush off their feet, BEFORE coming in the house. Easy.
I have a door mat AT the door. Exterior. And interior. RIGHT at the door.
They brush off their feet.
And its fine. They don't drag dirt in the house on the floors or carpet.
I have a very active boy and girl.
They have been doing this since they were Toddlers.
It just the way it is.
And its fine.
My floor or carpet don't get tracked with dirt or sand.
And my kids are in and out of the house all day. Even when it is raining outside.
But in Hawaii, no one wears shoes in the house.
Hence the floors/carpets are generally clean.
My 4 year old loves the sandbox. My 9 year old does not really care anymore. She loves to fill it with water form the hose, make castles, lakes, and rivers, etc. Yes, sand gets in the house! Like you I have a hard surface floor so it's easy to clean. Plus we have two huskies so they constantly bring in dirt and hair. I can't win. Anyway, I put the kiddie pool by the back door and the rule is she has to wash her feet before she comes in. That helps. I personally would not do a dirt box bc she would be tracking mud all over. But I bet as a kid it would be super fun to make mud pies win a mud box!
I had a water and sand table, like a picnic table. It's still prone to being sandy, but they are not SITTING in it. Big difference.
My kids loved it but they also loved a pile of dirt!
