Sandboxes

Sand play offers a variety of opportunities to support the development of toddlers and young children. Its distinct qualities make it an ideal activity for free and collaborative play, encouraging imagination and naturally catering to children across a wide age range:

• Sand is a unique material that can be molded, reacts to water, easily forms and breaks apart, and is a non-depleting resource. It can fill containers, form molds that retain their shape, or hide objects that can be rediscovered.

• Sand can bear children’s weight, allowing them to sit, roll, walk, or rise from a seated to a standing position without the risk of injury.
• Sand play encourages motor development and balance, enabling toddlers to develop greater independence. The adaptable yet stable texture of sand allows them to experience sitting, walking, or standing while supporting their movements.

• The texture of sand encourages tactile exploration and helps develop physical and sensory awareness.
• Sand is not a limited resource and facilitates both independent and collaborative play with peers or accompanying adults.
• The uniform color and texture of sand serve as a blank canvas for free play, encouraging children to imagine and create without limits. It can transform into a chocolate cake, a doll’s bed, or even a star in outer space.

Recognizing the importance of play in public spaces and the unique benefits of sand play, we were determined to create a meaningful opportunity for children to enjoy it while addressing residents’ concerns about cleanliness and hygiene. Our challenge was clear: How can we make sand play accessible to young children in public spaces while ensuring it remains clean and well-maintained? Through collaborative brainstorming and creative thinking, the concept of the foldable wooden sandbox was born. When open its sides double as benches, and after play it can be folded and locked.

We began with a pilot project near Paula’s Scrap Depot, placing two sandboxes along Ben Gurion Boulevard to observe how residents interacted with them and to evaluate various operational and maintenance issues. The results were positive: parents engaged in positive conversations, feedback on the Digitaf Facebook page was encouraging, and observations showed that toddlers spent significant time playing in the sandboxes and found them easy to use. Connecting the project to Paula’s Scrap Depot enhanced the play-oriented context for young children while reinforcing the municipality’s responsibility for the safety and upkeep of the space.

From pilot to scale: Following the success of the pilot, we decided to expand to additional neighborhoods in the city and purchased more foldable sandboxes. The project launch took place during the “Play in the City” event, where we set up 20 new sandboxes in Rabin Square over the course of the three-day festival. This gradual, guided introduction allowed city residents to experience the municipal sandboxes firsthand with the aim of easing their concerns, ensuring the quality of the equipment, and encouraging shared play between parents and children. After the event, the sandboxes were distributed throughout the city and placed near community centers.

Partnering municipal units:
The Community, Culture, and Sports Administration; the City Beautification Department