Early Years Outdoors Advice Sheet

Sandpits
Sandpits provide excellent spaces for creative and construction play, as well as opportunities for fine-tuning physical movements, but many settings have worries about the type of sand pit to buy and construct, and need ways of overcoming problems with vandals or animals visiting in the night. Some considerations when adding a new feature such as a large sandpit to your setting: Make sure you have permission from the owner of the setting (e.g. local authority or diocese) usually through the properties department. They will also be able to tell you if there are any building works etc. planned. Some local authorities produce guidelines on Health and Safety for settings. It can save a lot of time getting a copy of these. If you are unsure about any health and safety issues check with your local authority H&S officer remembering that every authority interprets the regulations in a different way! You will need to make sure you are aware of any underground services. Risk assessments should be done for the implementation of work as well as the use of the final feature. These should be acted upon where necessary and kept in the settings health and safety file. Sandpits should not be covered all the time and need to be able to have water flushed through them, and be rinsed with diluted sterilising agents, so ideally they should be on a semi permeable membrane (geotextile). Check that any contractors have full insurance and health and safety certification. Tailor-made sandpits Wherever possible it is best to construct your own sandpit, so that it meets the requirements of your children or practitioners, in terms of size, location, seating and security. Find out if a parent is a builder or if not is there one in the community who may be able to help. Use some of the images on this advice sheet, as well as your own ideas, to come up with a design, which you can then take to a local contractor.

Early Years Outdoors is one of the subscription services from Learning through Landscapes, the UKs national school grounds and early years outdoor play charity. For more information about subscriptions, call 01962 845811.

The Early Years Outdoors Advice Line is open Monday to Friday all year round. Contact our specialist team for advice on using, designing or managing your space: Tel: 01962 845811 Email: member@ltl.org.uk Web: www.ltl.org.uk

Wingate Nursery, Durham has a large open sandpit which they rake at the end of every day with the help of the children, leaving clear lines in the sand. When they come in the next morning it is clear to see if an animal has been into the sandpit.

LTL accepts no responsibility for the quality of goods or services provided by any companies listed. This Advice Sheet offers a selection of contacts to try always try your local Yellow Pages or Thomson Directory, and an internet search engine such as www.google.com as well.

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The sandpit at Ashfield Nursery, Newcastle

Early Years Outdoors Advice Sheet

Sandpits
Sand suppliers
Early Years Outdoors is one of the subscription services from Learning through Landscapes, the UKs national school grounds and early years outdoor play charity. Earlham Early Years Centre in Norfolk For more information about subscriptions, call 01962 845811.

Sand for childrens sandpits needs to be of play quality this ensures that it is non toxic and non-staining. AHS Direct www.ahsdirect.co.uk Hope Education www.hope-education.co.uk NES Arnold 2 Gregory Street, Hyde, Cheshire SK14 4HR Tel: 0845 120 4525 www.nesarnold.co.uk Has sand and water resource packs, sand, and learning through play books.
Mount Nod Primary School in Coventry

The Early Years Outdoors Advice Line is open Monday to Friday all year round. Contact our specialist team for advice on using, designing or managing your space: Tel: 01962 845811 Email: member@ltl.org.uk Web: www.ltl.org.uk

Tesco, Argos, DIY stores Sell sand during the summer months; DIY stores all year round. Builders merchants Probably the cheapest source BUT you must ensure you have ordered and received play sand or silver sand NOT builders sand! Further Information For Health and Safety information relating to sand play and other elements of design of Early Years outdoor spaces, have a look at the RoSPA website: www.rospa.com/playsafety For more information on sand play please refer to EYO Playnotes Play with sand and other natural materials. For information on keeping sand clear from cats and other wildlife please refer to EYO advice sheet Sonic animal and bird deterrents.

Perranporth School in Cornwall

LTL accepts no responsibility for the quality of goods or services provided by any companies listed. This Advice Sheet offers a selection of contacts to try always try your local Yellow Pages or Thomson Directory, and an internet search engine such as www.google.com as well.

Off the shelf sandpits You can buy a sandpit off-theshelf from most play equipment suppliers. However, many settings find that these are too small to cope with the demands of their children. Play equipment suppliers are listed in our Early Years Outdoors Directory of School Grounds Professionals.

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