5 Best Sand for Sandboxes
Updated 12 August 2020
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Author
Daniel is our primary content producer here at TheToyZone. He is a big kid at heart and a self confessed geek. His mission is to find toys that kids will treasure, researching and writing about toys he wants to play with himself.
If you’re staring at a new sandbox chosen from our previous list thinking “Have I forgotten something?” Yes, you may have: sand! When filling up a sandbox, you can’t just use any old sand as it may be harmful to children. Others are just not nice to play with. We’ve compiled a list of the five best sand for sandboxes to help you out.
By taking recommendations from real people and filtering out any products that have manipulated reviews, our list gives different options to match your needs and budget. With vibrant colors, varying textures, and vast quantities, kids can get straight into the action developing all-important building and motor skills.
1CoolSand Pink 5 Pound Refill Pack - Including: 5 Pounds Moldable Indoor Play Sand, Storage Container and Inflatable Sandbox
The CoolSand Pink is moldable and features a "wet" feeling when squeezed to stimulate kids' creativity and senses. Children can mix it up, mold it, and even cut it to build whatever they'd like. It also features 98% natural sand and 2% polymer wax so that it's non-toxic and safe to use.
What we love
- The texture makes it simple to mold into various shapes
- Doesn't stick to hands, so cleanup is easier
What We Don't Like That Much
- May have to wet it a bit before use
2NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Play Sand Combo Pack - 2 LBS each of Blue, Purple and Natural Sand with Castle Molds - A Kinetic Sensory Activity
This product made by National Geographic acts as sensory sand thanks to its kinetic design. This helps it stick better to itself so kids can mold, squeeze, and play with it as they like. It comes in various colors with a variety of molds so children can create things other than standard sandcastles like pyramids.
What we love
- The soft texture provides good sensory stimulation
- Comes with molds of different shapes
What We Don't Like That Much
- Can get messy so it takes some time to clean up
3Kinetic Sand, Castle Containers 10-Color Pack
Kinetic Sand is made in multiple vibrant colors. It's among the five best sand for sandboxes and it comes in easy-to-clean sandcastle containers that double as molds. The sand itself is easy to shape and holds well so children can push their imaginations to come up with incredible designs.
What we love
- The sand is easy for kids to handle and shape
- Usually doesn't make a big mess
What We Don't Like That Much
- Kids may need help getting the sand out of the storage molds
4Earthborn Elements Play Sand, 1 Gallon Bucket,, Building & Molding, Sandbox & Play Areas, Indoor/Outdoor, Resealable Bucket
Made for indoor and outdoor sandbox areas, the Earthborn Elements Play Sand is made versatile so kids can learn and explore various textures and shapes. It's the best sand for sandboxes and it has been refined, grated, and washed so it can be used wet or dry.
What we love
- Kids can play with the sand dry or wet without worrying about ruining it
- The sand is soft and clean
What We Don't Like That Much
- There might be some difficulties removing the lid at first
5Quikrete Play Sand 50 lb, Limited edition (Quikrete-50A)
The Quikrete Play Sand is simple sand to use in the sandbox. It's made soft so that it's gentle on kids and easy for them to use to create numerous shapes. Such ease of use also allows this sand to be used in crafting projects so children can get more out of it than just playing in the sandbox.
What we love
- Sand features a soft, fine texture
- It holds up well when wet
What We Don't Like That Much
- The sand seems a bit dusty when pouring
