Five areas of sand activity in the dhow. Requirements for sand for a playground
Children love to play with sand. Therefore, sand and a sandbox are an indispensable attribute of playgrounds in courtyards, in preschool institutions, in garden plots and even in modern apartments.
At the household level, we all know very well what this material is. But when the question arises of buying sand for a children's sandbox, we turn to the Internet and, sometimes, we cannot find what we need. Because the proposed sand is mainly for construction purposes.
So what is SAND? By definition, sand is a loose, sedimentary rock or artificial material consisting of rock grains up to 5 mm in size. Sand can be: river, lake, sea, quarry, washed, seeded, quartz, molding, glass, artificial, construction. In these definitions, everything that can be mixed is mixed - the origin, the mineral composition, the purpose, and the method of processing. But you will never find the definition of "childish". Meanwhile, for children's sand or, in other words, sand for children's sandboxes, in many respects other characteristics matter than for sands for construction or special purposes.
First of all, this environmental cleanliness and hygienic safety confirmed by a quality certificate. Many firms selling building sand claim to have such a certificate. In fact, this is just a conclusion on radioactive safety, giving the right to use such sand in construction. At the same time, according to our legislation, and specifically, according to GOST 25779-90, any product intended for children must have a mandatory certificate, which explicitly states: it is allowed to be used as a children's play material. Therefore, simple and accordingly cheap natural sand, often delivered in bulk, without special preparation and packaging, cannot be considered suitable for children's games.
by others, important properties of baby sand, let's call them "playing" are: absence of foreign objects(chips, glass, lumps of clay, large stones, etc.), flowability and dustlessness.
With regard to flowability and formability, these properties are inherent in any sand by definition, and we will not dwell on them in detail. Let us dwell on the concept of "dustlessness" in more detail. The dust component of sand is very small (less than 0.1 mm) particles of the sand itself or clay, often present in the sand in greater or lesser quantities. It is clear that when pouring dry sand, dust easily passes into the air and can enter the lungs of a child.
Removal of dust from sand is possible in several ways: washing in water and subsequent drying, sifting through a fine sieve, and finally, the most time-consuming method is to cover the grains of sand with polymer compositions. At the same time, the dust particles present in the sand simply stick to the larger ones, and the sand no longer produces dust. This method, along with a thorough elimination of dusting, allows you to additionally obtain colored sand, which is undoubtedly more attractive to the child.
When buying sand, you need to pay attention to its moisture content. If the sand is wet, which is typical for sand supplied by construction companies, then it is practically impossible to assess its quality - fineness, flowability, the presence of dust and clay particles. The seller's assurances that the sand will still dry and be suitable for playing should be questioned. The sand, of course, will dry out over time, but with a large amount of clay it can turn into a monolithic cake. Therefore, you should buy only dry sand packed in bags.
The amount of sand needed to fill the sandbox depends on its size. Typically, children's sandboxes have sizes ranging from 0.7x0.7 m to 1.5x1.5 m. A sufficient thickness of the sand layer is from 10 to 15 cm. Thus, the volume of sand will be from 49 to 338 liters. Multiplying the resulting volume by the average bulk density of sand (approximately 1.4 kg / l.) We obtain the required amount of sand in kilograms: from 69 to 473 kg.
The Sagittarius-EK company produces various types of sand, including colored sand for children's sandboxes, which fully meets the above requirements. Our sand is certified! Bright and colorful colored sand will delight not only children, but also adults. And it will give a special flavor to the playground!
Sand is a unique natural material. If the grains of sand are viewed under a microscope, a handful of gems can be seen. Indeed, in practical work, sand is the best material. When a child touches the sand, on the beach or in a special sandbox, a strange spectacle of inner life begins to unfold outside. And when the child finishes playing with the sand, he changes, renews himself internally.
Sand playas the process of self-awareness of the child and his spontaneous "self-therapy" has long been known. Indeed, getting to the beach, the child begins to build bizarre palaces, connecting them into real fortified cities. The child creates a palace out of sand, admires it, and then the wave or he himself destroys the work. One plot of life ends, giving way to another. And so on ad infinitum.
Sand is of great preventive importance for the improvement of children.
For a variety of activities, we use colored sand. The sand is painted the day before with gouache paint of different colors, dried and scattered in bottles.
First, children are invited to draw a picture in the sandbox with their finger, and then with the help of “colored sand”, which is placed in plastic bottles, “revive” it, that is, color it.
Educational math games in the sandbox
"Pattern from dictation"
(orientation in space). gives instructions in which corner, in which place of the sandbox to put this or that object. You can use natural material.
"What's on the right, left, top, bottom?"
(Orientation in space). The child determines and names the location of an object in the sandbox.
"Numbers and Figures"
The guys dig up objects hidden in the sand, natural material, classify them, compare the quantity, designate each group with the corresponding number.
"Shortest way"
Children determine routes in the sandbox using a conditional measure and a centimeter ruler.
What number is hidden?
The plastic figures are not completely buried in the sand. Children must recognize and name them in fragments.
"Labyrinths"
Some arrange sand labyrinths, others look for ways out of them.
"Geometric Mosaic"
Creation in the sandbox of patterns from geometric shapes according to the model, from memory, according to verbal instructions.
"Math Exercises"
The teacher offers the child to lay out as many shells as he has, or one more or less, etc.
Sand literacy games
"Who Hid"
Find figures in the sand and select those of them whose name begins with a given sound. Make up sentences with these words.
"Writing letters, words in the sand"
(Finger, stick, "snakes" - simple ropes with a knot at the end).
"Happy Transformations"
We turn one letter into another, drawing them in the sand, etc.
"Add a letter, a word"
The teacher writes a letter or word, fills it with sand, invites the child to restore what was written.
"Find and Name"
Children look for plastic letters in the sand, name them, divide them into vowels and consonants, and put words out of them.
"What's hiding in the sand?"
Children find tablets with words in the sand, read, classify.
"Who is faster?"
The game-competition is held with children in pairs, triplets in two sandboxes. The winner is the one who quickly digs out the letters and lays out the words according to the model.
Artistic and speech activity
"Who will find it faster"
Find an object in the sand and make sentences about it (description, purpose, etc.).
"What do you feel?"
Children describe their feelings when interacting with sand.
"Sand Fantasy"
We randomly pour colored sand on paper plates, sheets of paper. The teacher offers to tell what the children saw.
"Storytellers of the Sandland"
Modeling fairy tales from sand using small figures, compiling and telling fairy tales, stories about them.
Games for the development of tactile-kinesthetic sensitivity and fine motor skills
"Cars, sleds, skates are coming"
Sliding palms on the surface of the sand in zigzag circular motions, as well as movements in different directions.
"Nimble snakes", "Paving the railroad"
Performing movements with the edge of the palm, following the tracks laid earlier, parallel to them.
"Magic Patterns"
Creation of patterns, various images using handprints, cams, fingers.
"Do as I do"
Paired with a caregiver or another child. Repetition of hand movements, fingers on the sand.
"There are unexplored paths..."
Passing on the surface of the sand with fingers grouped in two, three, four, five. The teacher offers to imagine whose traces these could be.
"Ocean is shaking"
Moving your hands in the sand, watching how the sandy terrain changes.
"Mina", "Sapper"
Careful digging out of a comrade's hand, trying not to touch it.
"Surprises for Friends"
Making caches in the sandbox, burying small toys, colored stones, shells, etc. in them.
Rhymes for sand exercises for the development of fine motor skills
Examples.
The venerable elephant walks through the jungle
And he leads his elephants.
He raises his trunk higher -
Calls the family for dinner.
A caravan is moving through the desert.
There, behind the dune, there is again a dune.
Camels wander day and night
I'll carry luggage on humps.
It is difficult to imagine a city yard without a playground with a sandbox. Moving to a private house, many immediately begin to build it on their site. But it turns out that the requirements for this structure are not at all childish.
Who among us did not like sandboxes as a child?
What should be the sandbox
Psychologists consider the sandbox to be a useful playground that promotes the development of imagination, creative thinking and fine motor skills. Special sand therapy programs have been developed for sick children.
Builders are interested in completely different issues. In the first place when creating a sandbox go:
- safety,
- environmental friendliness,
- aesthetics.
All these aspects are described in detail in SNiP.
Restrictions in building codes
One of these documents is SNiP III-10-75 "Landscaping". It was on the basis of this document that the yards were ennobled next to all the standard Soviet high-rise buildings.
In the section concerning the organization of sports facilities, it is indicated that the sand for the sandbox should not contain impurities from gravel, clay and dirt. The same applies to stones and shells, no matter what size they are. It is recommended to fall asleep only river sifted sand, it is forbidden to use mountain sand.
These restrictions did not appear out of nowhere. They were introduced to eliminate the slightest threat to health. So, rocks, from which sand is also formed, are distinguished by a rather high natural level of radiation. This is not at all what you need in the yard where children play.
Sanitary and epidemiological requirements and norms
Issues related to the sanitary and epidemiological situation in the yard and directly in the sandbox are highlighted separately. SanPiN 2.1.7.1287-03 "Sanitary and epidemiological requirements for soil quality" is dedicated to them.
Only material that meets these standards is considered clean and allowed to be used in sandboxes.
What else to pay attention to
Some points in the official documents are still missing. For example, regular treatment with special disinfectants will not interfere with the sandbox.
For young children, sand of the smallest fractions is poured into the mold: it is softer and looser, so it is safe for children's skin, and it is easier to sculpt "pasochki". For older children, it is better to take coarse sand - it does not get into the eyes and softens the fall.
Naturally, you need to make sure the sand is safe. Therefore, only material that has passed inspections and received the appropriate certificates can be poured into sandboxes.
Perhaps, in the childhood of every modern person there were entertainments associated with sand. These are the sea coasts, where the snow-white sand crunches under your feet, and the yard sandbox, where you can build your own personal castle or provide those around you with Easter cakes.
The current generation is no stranger to this kind of entertainment, but young mothers are increasingly forbidding their babies to go to play in the sandbox. This is due to the fact that the quality and purity of the sand located in this play area leaves much to be desired.
How to make a safe sandbox for a child?
- What kind of sand is suitable for a sandbox? The best choice is the river. The extraction of this material occurs from the river bottom, and this practically excludes the presence of small stones and clay in it.
- Required amount of material. This parameter is calculated based on the size of the desired sandbox. Based on average values, we can say that about 4-5 cubic meters of sand will be required.
- The composition of the breed. Why is river sand ideal, as well as quartz, the cost of which is much higher? In the composition of bulk material, in no case should there be any foreign particles. When buying a material, the supplier should ask for a certificate confirming the quality of the product.
Optimum grain size. Grains can be of three sizes:
- small;
- Medium;
- Large.
- Where to buy material? Like any building material, clean sand can be purchased at the construction market or at hardware stores. In both cases, the products must be certified.
- Compliance with SanPiN. They come into effect after the children's entertainment is installed and covered with sand. Rules and regulations must be followed. For example, sand must be changed every six months. This will help avoid contamination of the material. Also, do not leave the sandbox open, you should close it with a specially designed lid or tarpaulin. There must certainly be trees and shrubs around, they will protect the child from the open sun.
Which to choose?
When choosing a material, you should pay attention to its quality. River sand is not the only ideal option.
One of the best options is quartz sand, which must certainly be calcined. Its particles are somewhat larger than those of the river rock. The cost of sand obtained by grinding natural quartz significantly exceeds its counterparts.
The cost of a quarry is somewhat lower than that of a river breed. Its difference is a reddish tint. This is due to the presence of clay in the composition, due to which the sand will be better molded. Sand is obtained during the natural destruction of rock. The sandbox filler obtained in this way must be calcined and washed. Pre-treatment is necessary to reduce the possible presence of infectious agents.
What should be the sand for a children's sandbox today?
A modern child can no longer be surprised by a primitive sandbox and a set of various forms. Modern parents are increasingly paying attention to the color options for sandbox filler. Quartz chips can be painted in absolutely any color. The painted material is safe for children's health and does not lose its properties under the influence of the sun and moisture.
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Alas, the quality and composition of sand for a children's sandbox is often terrifying. After all, Often a mixture is brought to the playground and filled up, similar to sand, obtained by digging another pit in the city. Such "sand", or rather sandy soil, can be saturated with heavy metals, zinc, lead, and also has an exorbitant content of clay and dust particles. Then our four-legged friends relieve themselves in the sandbox, they don’t change the mixture for years - it’s easy to imagine what such games can turn out to be for the health of our children.
For preschool institutions (kindergartens), we recommend for arranging sandboxes washed(otherwise - alluvial) sifted sand from special suburban quarries or river fine sand, which is usually mined at the mouth of the Volga or Oka. This type of sand does not have clay in lumps, the content of dust and clay particles is less than 2%, it does not contain sulfur, sulfites and sulfates, as well as other harmful impurities. This material belongs to building sands of the first class, fully complies with SNiP lll - 10-75 "Landscaping" and GOST 8736-93, and also has all the necessary certificates, quality certificates and test reports. It is recommended to replace the sand in the children's sandbox twice a year, and it is advisable to close the sandbox every night to prevent contamination. According to sanitary standards, the area around the sandboxes must also be landscaped, thus protecting the sandbox as much as possible from dust and dirt.
From an ecological point of view, sandboxes located at a distance of about 100 meters or more from roads, separated by trees and shrubs, as well as inside yards, are most preferable.
The optimal area of a children's sandbox is 4-6 m2. It is important that it is deep enough, at least 30 cm deep and comfortable for games. Thus, for one children's sandbox, about 2 m3 of washed sand is required. It should be remembered that 1 m3 of river or washed sand is 1.6 tons, so you should think in advance about filling the sandbox with this material.
