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The simplest sandbox can be built on your own in a few hours. To do this, it is enough to grind four boards, and put together a box from them. But it is unlikely that such a play place will bring comfort to the baby, especially in hot weather. Playing in the sun is exhausting and sometimes even dangerous. Wouldn't it be better to spend a little more time creating a canopy over the playground? An improved sandbox with a roof can not only provide a comfortable play environment. The canopy will cover the sand from rain, falling branches and leaves from trees.
Choosing the location of the playground
The roof of the sandbox protects the playground from the sun's rays, but you still need to try to place it correctly on your site. The photo shows how to position the place for the game relative to the cardinal points. This scheme was not chosen by chance, because the intensity of sunlight, more precisely, ultraviolet rays, will depend on it. It is optimal to install the playground on an area located in the direction from north to southeast. In the early morning, ultraviolet rays are more intense, but they themselves are not as dangerous. During this time, the sandbox can be completely under the sun. Towards noon, the intensity of ultraviolet radiation decreases, but the rays become more aggressive and have a bad effect on a person. At this time, a shadow should fall on the playground.
You can hide the sandbox from the scorching sun under the trees, but there are also limitations here. The problem is falling leaves, small twigs and bird droppings. You can save yourself from all this if you make a sandbox with a roof and a lid. However, they will not save you from caterpillars, spiders and other pests falling from fruit trees.
Now back to the spiders. Most of the brightly colored venomous representatives do not like drought. This means that it is advisable to remove the place for the game at least 4 m from the irrigated area. And the last thing you need to pay attention to is the abrasive properties of the sand. Usually the sandbox is placed closer to the house so that the playground with the children is in the field of view of the parents. Grains of sand stick to the soles of shoes, are carried into the house and scratch the floor. It is undesirable to place the sandbox close to the path leading to the house. It is good if these objects are separated by 2 m of lawn. As a last resort, cleaning mats are placed near the play area.
Varieties of children's sandboxes
Children's sandboxes are different in shape and size, and it will not work to divide them into specific groups. But according to the material, three types of children's sandboxes can be distinguished: metal, wooden and plastic. As for sandboxes made of sheet steel, they can be called a rarity. Modern playgrounds are equipped with sandboxes made of wood or plastic.
Plastic
You cannot make plastic sandboxes for children on your own. The finished product is bought at a retail outlet. A high-quality sandbox for children will last for many years without losing its bright color. It does not require special care; it is enough to rinse it with water and a disinfectant only occasionally. There are no burrs or peeling old paint on the plastic.Plastic designs are bright, catch the attention of children. Most often they are made in the form of fairy-tale heroes, animals, inhabitants of the deep sea. Take the Ladybug Sandbox, for example. The wide edges are comfortable for babies to sit, and the lid is made in the shape of the body. Cats or dogs will not be able to get to the covered sand at night. In addition, the cover protects the sand from being blown out by the wind, falling leaves, rain and other unpleasant consequences.
The plastic sandbox with a lid is very lightweight. It can be moved to any place, and, if necessary, taken into the house. There are one-piece products in the form of a basin. This bowl can be used for playing with sand or instead of a pool. Quite interesting collapsible models. The complete set of such a sandbox includes up to eight modules. Using the required number of elements, assemble the frame of the desired size and shape. Collapsible models come without a bottom or are completed with a tarpaulin. More expensive items represent a whole game complex. In addition to the sand container itself, they are equipped with benches, a table, a roof and other elements. If you choose correctly, then the purchased plastic sandbox will decorate the landscape of the summer cottage.
Wooden
If you want to organize your own playground for children, then a wooden sandbox with a roof is the perfect solution to the problem. Wood is an environmentally friendly natural material. It lends itself well to processing. A sandbox made of wood will be many times cheaper for parents than buying a plastic analogue.
To knock down the sandbox, you only need four planks, and the same number of stakes. However, you can approach the design of a wooden sandbox from the other side. Firstly, it is not difficult to install a roof over the sand. She will shelter children from the rain and the scorching sun. It is not worth building complex structures. It is enough to install one, two or four racks to which the canopy will be fixed. The roof is made of different materials, the main thing is that it has a low weight. Non-soaking tarpaulins, polycarbonate or transparent slate are not bad for these purposes. As a last resort, you can pull on a regular fabric. Such a canopy will not save you from rain, but it will be an excellent protection from the sun and falling leaves.
Secondly, most often a do-it-yourself wooden sandbox with a lid is made. It can be made in the form of a simple shield or, spreading out into two benches. The second option is very popular with children. Kids, while playing in the sand, have the opportunity to relax or have fun with board games.
Choosing sand for backfill
In most cases, parents do not think about what kind of sand they need for a children's sandbox, and fall asleep with what they have. However, there are pitfalls here, with which we will now try to figure it out.
Cleaned river or quarry sand is suitable for filling children's sandboxes. In rural areas, you can often get it yourself, and for free. If possible, the sand is sieved through a fine sieve before backfilling. When large amounts of dust or clay are observed, it is advisable to wash them. The procedure for washing the sand with water is not very easy, but for the sake of the children you need to decide on this step.
There is an option for using purchased sand. It is sold packaged in sacks. Buying sand is justified for city dwellers, where there is simply no other place for mining. Although this option is suitable for consideration for all parents who decided to buy a plastic sandbox. The fact is that each grain of sand, by its natural origin, has sharp edges.When children play, sharp grains of sand scratch the plastic like sandpaper. Since parents have forked out for such an expensive gift, then you should not save on buying filler.
Store sand goes through many stages of processing before being sold. One of them is aimed at smoothing out the sharp edges of the grains of sand. It is such a filler that is ideal for a children's plastic sandbox. It will not be superfluous to ask the seller for a quality certificate, but it is better to inspect the goods. Quality sand has excellent flow properties and does not stick to dry hands.
Drawing and manufacturing of a wooden box
A children's wooden sandbox usually resembles a simple box filled with sand. To make it, you do not need complex drawings, but you can sketch a simple sketch. Since our design will have a roof and a lid, all the details must be taken into account in the diagram. The photo shows a drawing of a square-shaped children's sandbox, and we will start with its manufacture:
- The optimal size of a children's sandbox is 1.5x1.5 m. For its manufacture, an edged board 1.8 m long is taken. 15 cm on each side will go to the mortise joint of the corners. The number of boards per side of the sandbox depends on their width: 100 mm - 3 pieces, 150 mm - 2 blanks. The optimal board thickness is 20-30 mm.
- Having retreated 15 cm on each side, they make a gash on the boards. Next, a square box is assembled from the blanks by inserting the boards into the cut grooves. The assembly method is shown in the drawing.
- Four racks are made from a bar with a section of 50x50 mm. Their length corresponds to the side height, plus 20-30 cm will go into the ground. The racks are fixed at the outer corners of the box between the ends of the crossing boards. So that during the game the children are not squeezed out towards the side, they are reinforced with similar stakes in the center from the outside.
The simplest version of benches is also shown in the diagram of a children's sandbox. They are stuffed from the board onto the ends of the boards. However - this option is appropriate for a wooden sandbox with a removable lid. When making a transforming cover into benches with a back, there is no need to stuff benches onto the ends of the box.
Removable cover manufacturing
The simplest version of a removable cover is a conventional shield. It can be cut from moisture resistant plywood or other similar material. Alternatively, the shield is knocked down from a board no more than 20 mm thick. It is advisable to cover the top of the wooden lid with foil, linoleum or other non-soaking material. Be sure to provide handles on the shield.
In order not to constantly pull the shield to the side, it can be made of a folding type. The photo shows a rectangular sandbox with two types of such a cover. Moreover, the box itself can be divided by a jumper into two compartments. A hinged lid is installed over the empty children's toy compartment. A roll-up lid is attached over the sand box. You can do it the other way around. It all depends on the preferences of the owner.
Children respond very well to bright objects. You can attract their attention with multi-colored drawings applied by your own hands to the surface of the lid.
Making a transforming cover
The transforming cover for the children's sandbox is convenient not only in terms of use by parents. Two folding halves make comfortable benches with a back. During the game, they have the opportunity to relax or just come up with a new entertainment on the bench.
A folding cover for a children's sandbox is made from boards. In length, they should protrude 1-2 cm beyond the box. Each half of the lid consists of three parts connected by hinges. The first part is capitally fixed to the sides. Only the middle and the last part are connected with loops. Bars-limiters are nailed from the inside and outside. They will keep the back upright and act as handles.
Roof fabrication
Since we initially set a goal, to build a children's sandbox with a roof, it remains to consider the options for arranging the last element.
The simplest canopy over a children's playground is a fungus. It is installed on one support, most often in the center of the sandbox. Such a roof will not protect much from the sun, but there will be more bumps on the forehead. An interesting option is a roof that resembles a wigwam. For such a roof in the shape of a hut, you will have to build a box in the shape of a hexagon. A stand is installed from each corner. At the top, the supports converge at one point, forming a spire. The idea of building a children's wigwam is interesting, but in terms of protection from the sun and rain, it is ineffective, just like the fungus.
The roof of a square sandbox, installed on two racks, looks good. The supports are fixed in the center of the opposite two sides. The result is a gable roof that covers a fairly large space.
A true roofing structure is the roof of a children's sandbox installed on four pillars. Each support is attached to the corner of a wooden box. An awning is pulled from above or the frame of a full-fledged gable or hipped roof is knocked down.
For a better idea, you can see a photo of sandboxes with a roof of different configurations.
The choice of roofing material for the roof depends on the wishes of the parents. The main thing is that it is lightweight. The fungus can be installed from a large umbrella or fixed on a rack frame, then sheathe it with a soft roof. Polycarbonate or tarpaulin is not bad for any roof. In extreme cases, a canopy from the sun will be made of ordinary fabric, only when it rains, such a roof will leak quickly.
The video shows a children's sandbox with a fungus roof:
Improvement of children's sandboxes with a roof
It is not difficult to build a square sandbox with a roof with your own hands. However, it is of less interest to children than an unusual playground. Let's say the same wooden sandbox can be made with a ship. The photo shows that the same square box with a folding lid is taken as the basis for the children's design. The roof is made of two posts of different heights that replace the masts. A sail is stretched from the fabric, which, although not strong, but closes the playing place from the sun. Two triangular boxes are installed in front of the box. They form the bow of the ship and provide additional storage space for toys.
The next photo shows a drawing of a children's sandbox with a gable roof. The design is quite complex and is made for growth. Inside such a house, the kid can organize a sandbox. When the child grows up, floors are laid instead of sand. The new play area with a roof will turn into a small gazebo.
It is more difficult to build a children's sandbox with a roof on your own than to put a square box covered with sand. But when the parents plan to have a second child, the playground will be inherited and will delight the kids for many years.
