Safe Outdoor Digging Materials

[taubel]

I have three boys and they all LOVE to dig, play with dirt, sand, water, etc. We do spend a lot of time digging up the backyard, which is great, but sometimes I get tired of them being so dirty all the time!

Sometimes I buy them play sand, but that makes me nervous. I don't like them breathing it when it's dry and airborne because it gets into their lungs.

I was thinking about buying some sort of gravel or small stone - or even cedar wood chips - so they'll have more playing options this summer. (Inside we play with low boxes full of dry oatmeal!)

Does anyone have any ideas for safe, natural materials? It's going to be a long summer trying to keep them occupied!

They are 8.5, 6 and almost 3, BTW.

Thanks for anyone's ideas!

[staceychev]

Safe Sand?

http://www.safesand.com/

[taubel]

Wow - I wish Safe Sand wasn't so expensive! Maybe I'll just let them play with our backyard dirt and deal with the mess.

Another example of having to be rich to keep your kids safe. Sigh.

[Peacemamalove]

What about salt,or rice,pasta??

[CarrieMF]

we buy regular sand, like landscaping/driveway sand. It's the same stuff that would be at beaches. It was approx $25 for a truckload.

You could also buy a pile of dirt.

Gravel/wood chips you won't be able to do as much with.

[eepster]

Mail ordering safe sand is expensive, but it isn't the only brand available. One of the main reasons mail order sand is so extremely expensive is b/c it weighs a ton. When we needed sand for DS's sand table, I found a local brand I could buy and pick up myself from a teacher supply store, so no bank busting shipping costs.

[mamadelbosque]

Wait... whats wrong with typical play sand??

[eepster]

Originally Posted by mamadelbosque

Wait... whats wrong with typical play sand??

Fine sharp dusty particles that can become airborne.

BTW, this is the brand we found pretty cheap at a teacher supply store; Sandtastik.

[Polliwog]

I don't usually recommend the use of food as play material but I love flax seed in a sensory bin. Not as a subsitute for sand, though.

[AAK]

For most kids, I think regular dirt/sand is fine. We actually kinda like the sandy loam stuff better because it holds its shape. IF your kids have respiratory issues, then I would worry about it. Otherwise, I think it is another example of "over parenting". At most, hose it down so the dust particles aren't so many--wet sand is more fun anyways.

Amy