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Building a DIY sandbox doesn’t have to be complicated to be pleasing to the eye. With a few tools and some patience, you can make a simple wood-sided sandbox in a weekend or a stone-sided sandbox in an afternoon.  First you need to decide on the dimensions you want your finished box to be for this wood-sided sandbox, we will be using 4X8. Prepare the build site. Make sure your land is level and free of debris.  Tools required: Tape Measure Drill Hammer Help – it is much easier to do this build with a little help from a friend....

Most kids like to dig in the sand, building crazy castles or desert landscapes or grand construction sites. The classic green turtles have dotted the back yards of many suburban neighborhoods since their introduction in 1979. Sandboxes are ubiquitous but that doesn’t mean they can’t be interesting or unique. They come in every shape, size and theme you can imagine. From dollhouse miniatures to elaborate pirate ships, if you can dream it up, you can probably purchase one, repurpose one, or build one yourself. You can get the classic green turtle or red crab at any number of big box...

Deep in the Rocky Mountains of the Western US, ancient rocks that some geologists estimate to be more than a billion years old, were exposed to extremely high temperatures and pressures while buried deep inside the Earth’s crust. Geological forces changed these rocks into valuable gemstones and minerals like gold, and they were eventually forced to the surface millions of years ago.   This geologist – now known as The Jurassic Sandman – was invited in about 1988 to lecture at Montana Tech’s School of Mines & Engineering. There I met an old professor that related stories to me of...

Summer is right around the corner, which is great news for kids but leaves the problem of keeping them entertained. The Green Turtle Sandbox has been a staple of childhood fun and memories for generations. The Green Turtle Sandbox is a blast for children of all ages and parents will even find themselves back in the sandbox. Here at Jurassic PlaySand we have seen about every type of sandbox and here are three reasons we love the Little Tikes Green Turtle Sandbox. 1. An Investment That Will Last For Years We know how frustrating it can be to buy a...

There are so many benefits to sand play, from developing arm and hand motor skills, to feeling different textures. It also is a great way to encourage social skills such as sharing. 'How early is too early' is a question I've been asked countless times over my 25 years of selling play sands, as well as being a geologist for 42 years (read about my credentials) and a Dad. So I agree with the recommendation that children can begin to play in the sandbox at 12 months old and base this on two primary sources: the US Consumer Product Safety Commission publication Age Determination Guidelines: Relating Children's...