1. Most sand and water tables include protective lids or storage shelves, which are helpful because cats love sand and water too.
2. These tables are raised to bring the fun up to your kids. Children don't have to climb in the box to play, which keeps sand out of shoes, pockets, and your washing machine.
3. Sand play is art, architecture, engineering, and physics. And fun.
4. Because sand tables require much less sand than regular sand boxes, you can splurge on the more colorful, sculptural art sands, such as Moon Sand.
5. Elevated sand and water tables encourage kids to stand while they create, making room for more kids, more face-to-face, more chatting and sharing.
6. Warn children that throwing sand will not be tolerated, for the sake of their eyeballs and your carpet. If a child gets sand in his eyes, rinse them in warm water for two minutes. Although no one ever died from eating sand, it should still be forbidden, because, well, because we said so.
7. Sand play is magic. Although sand doesn't really do anything, it's irresistible. Kids can't stay out of it, and it's a blooming garden of creativity, imagination, and sharing of ideas.
8. Sand tables are surprisingly physical fun. Large muscle groups are developed by digging, carrying and molding. Hand-eye coordination and finer muscle control benefit from sculpting with tools and decorating sand castles.
9. Sand and water tables are social. Building roads and cities, "cooking," digging tunnels or making a zoo for toy animals all involve teamwork. Kids talk, plan, share and cooperate effortlessly, a natural byproduct of the creative process.
10. Light and portable, sand and water tables can be used indoors or out. For comfortable outdoor play, keep them away from direct sun, but not under trees that drop fruit, blossoms or bird presents.
