Have you noticed how fascinated most of the children are with sand and mud? Has it ever crossed your mind how magical the sand play can be for a child? Even adults enjoy sand play and there is a whole science of creating sand images. It’s one of the most adorable sights – to see a child exploring the texture of the sand with his/her little hands and feet.

A couple years ago I came across a method in psychology called “sandplay”. This method is used to correspond with a person’s inner state of mind by allowing him/her to draw and build images out of sand. A friend of mine took her boys to this therapy for a few years and she said it helped them really improve in many ways, and especially to formulate unresolved emotions children often have due to not being able to express what they feel.

My older daughter LOVES playing with sand. She is a very spirited child and once she masters the game more or less, she seeks for more challenging things to occupy her. Sometimes she easily gets bored so she jumps from an activity to activity. But playing with sand can last a while. We don’t have sand boxes where we live but we have a lovely beach nearby where the local authorities created a special area for children to play, under the trees, protected from the sun by their shade.

I notice that she feels more relaxed after playing with the sand and less agitated. I can either sit right next to her and play with her together or let her play on her own (under my supervision).

Few things however you should remember when allowing your child playing with the sand:

1. Some children like to taste everything. If you have a tasty-tasterson, choose the sand that is clean.

2. Playing at the beach or in the park with sand, make a “sweep” of the area for trash, pieces of glass and plastic. It could be a fun activity with an older child.

3. Don’t hesitate to let your child barefoot in the sand – it is extremely healthy and it helps especially those children and adults who have a flat foot syndrome.

4. While playing in the sand with bare hands is fun, spend a few bucks on buckets and shovels. At home you can collect all sorts of plastic containers and bottles (cut the top) to use in your sand play.

5. Enjoy it. And let your child enjoy!

Happy sand play and thank you for reading my blog!