Step2 Naturally Playful Sandbox
by Step2
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List Price: Our Price: $89.62 You Save: $10.37 (10%) Availability: Usually ships in 1 to 2 days Buy Used: from $88.00 (click here) Category: Toy See more product details |
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Toys and Games Reviews of Step2 Naturally Playful Sandbox
Customer Review: FUN and EDUCATIONAL!
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought this toy along with the teeter totter for my neice. I have four children myself and believe sand and water play is one of the essentials for child development and exploration. I read a few reviews that commented "sandplay is better than tv time." YES INDEED but it is more than simply better...it is EDUCATIONAL!
Sand or water play helps develop problem solving skills,measuring, fine motor skills, etc. I have provided a few links for those interested in reading about the educational benefits of sand and/or water play...and best is they discover it on their own as long as we provide the tools ( recycled objects are he best!) for them- and even sometimes they discover the tools themselves with that big, proud smile on their faces :)
http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content4/water.play.learn.html
http://betterkidcare.psu.edu/AngelUnits/OneHour/Sand/SandLesson.html
http://www.naeyc.org/ece/1997/03.asp
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/Parents/SandAndWater3.aspx
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/Parents/sandandwater2.aspx
http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content4/water.play.learn.html
and there are plenty of more sites...if that isn't enough just search google ;)
and my sister wrote this:
We received the sand box and teeter totter as a gift for my daughter's first birthday She absolutely loves them. She has played outside just about every day(weather permitting!!) in the sandbox with her toys (no sand yet-we'll get that next year). She loves climbing in and out and the sides are so durable they don't bend at all when she does this. She also enjoys climbing up on the cover and standing up on it. Again it is so durable that it doesn't give in at all and supports her weight.
P.S. My sister gave the stars above though I edited the EDUCATIONAL VALUE stars to a 5 ;)
Customer Review: Just plain fun in the sun!
Summary: 5 Stars
For my son's 3rd birthday I wanted to buy a sandbox that met all my specifications but yet was fun for him too---size, durabilty, lid design, and cost were my main focus. After researching every sandbox I could find and reading all the reviews, the Naturally Playful Sandbox looked like the best buy. What a great choice it turned out to be! For starters, the size is very roomy (most sandboxes are way to small)--this one is big enough to play in without sand flying out everywhere. It can adequately hold 2 children, possibly 3 if they are small (age 1-2). The design is good because it is very sturdy and holds it shape. The four "rock" corners make a nice seating area since my son will NOT sit down in the sand to play. It can hold 4 bags of play sand very easily which is good so the sand is deep enough to dig in and bury items! My biggest concern was lid design since living in Florida down pours of rain can become an issue. If rain or moisture gets in, sand becomes green. The lid fits snug enough to stay on and the weight of the lid seems to be enough to hold it down under normal wind conditions. When the lid is on, it has a large enough dome shape that you can store all the play toys under it, inside the sandbox. The overall style of the box is good since it blends in with your outdoor surroundings, as opposed to having a big purple dinosaur in your back yard. It also doubles as a planter when your child outgrows it. The surrounding rock shapes would compliment any landscape. Overall, I would rate this as a wonderful buy---and the price can't be beat. Would definitely recommend! You won't be disappointed.Customer Review: Worth the investment
Summary: 4 Stars
Too many sandbox reviews are about the sand that goes in them. Mine pertains to the actual product and I will leave it up to you to do your own research on whether or not to use the "safer" sand.
This sandbox is a different take on the almost always brightly colored, animal themed sandboxes that have been a part of children's lives for so long. It's a great way to blend fun with a design that fits mom & dad's tastes as well. Blends in great with yards in which the parent have spent their hard earned money on pretty landscaping.
Although not huge, it is very reasonably sized for the price. My 7 year old & 5 year old still play with it together, but one usually is in the box while the other is sitting on one of the cornerstones with their feet in the box. Just so you know what your total startup costs are going to be, this one holds around four bags of play sand, which run between five & eight bucks a bag at a local home improvement store.
The one thing I would like to see changed on this product is the sturdiness of the plastic. They advertise that the cornerstones can be used for seating, but they seem to be a bit flimsy, in my opinion. The lid could also use some reinforcement as well. No matter how hard you try to avoid it, inevitably some child WILL climb on it at some point and it will cave in. Ours hasn't broken or caused any problems yet, but I would like to see it stand up to a child's weight just bit better.
Overall, definitely worth the investment, as our children have spent many many hours entertained by this!
Customer Review: Beautiful!
Summary: 4 Stars
Haven't filled it with sand yet, but we have been using it as a pool until we get sand. So far, it's a big hit with my 19 month old daughter. She loves climbing in and out of it.
I love how pretty it is and the size is perfect! Plenty of room for her and then some!
I love how lightweight it is - worried that the top might blow away in a storm, but that hasn't happened yet and we've had some severe, windy storms!!
I was a disappointed that the top does not completely cover the sandbox - it does on top which is great, but on the sides of the narrower ends, there are two, 1 inch long by 1/2 inch tall slits that make it VERY easy for bugs,spiders, etc to get in. Have already found several large spiders in it. (We have TONS of spiders in our area though.) We will just have to use the same stuff we use aroudn the rest of the yard and house for pest control in/around her sandbox though I was hoping not to use those for her sandbox.
I am happy it has a lid though which will keep bird poo, stray cats, etc out of it.
Truly awesome price ($58!!) especially with free super saver shipping! You won't find a new one any cheaper anywhere!!! Even the smaller lobster/turtle covered sandboxes at walmart are close to $50!
This one looks fantastic in the yard, especially if you're not into the primary colors theme all the time!!
Customer Review: A great sandbox
Summary: 5 Stars
Just a forewarning, if you hate dirt or messes or cant stand your kids getting a little dirty, NEVER get a sandbox. Well we got this when our b/g twins were 18 months old. We loved it, and they did too. We have a big tarp on the bottom, (though there is a good 200 lbs of sand in there!) so if need be we can take the sand out. We use this box on those warm days when the sand is nice, when more than one kid wants to play or when our now 3 year olds just feel like it lol. We do have the Step 2 naturaly playful sand and water table too, but we dont keep sand in there, read that review for details. This is nice for when I dont care if the kids get a little messy. I plan on introducing it to my 8 month old b/b twins this summer too. We bought a bulldozer, and we have buckets, shovels, sifters, rakes, and all our beach stuff in there. The cover keeps all of the animals out, and we can also leave our toys in there. It is very durable as my 3 year olds enjoy jumping on it when the cover is on. It does take up a bit of room, so I recomend you not put it on your deck. And it can be very messy (we have it on the ABC puzzle mats, so we can sweep it off into a dust pan and put it back in). Our boxer and our golden retriever mix love it too! all in all you should get this if you dont mind messes, if you have children, or if you have dogs who love to dig!