Sandpit

A sandbox, also known as a bottle box, sandpit or sandbox, is an area set apart from the surrounding area that is filled with play sand. It is intended as a play space for children up to primary school age and is mainly found in playgrounds, green areas or gardens. An all-round raised border, often made of board or round wood, serves as a seat and windbreak.

In the sand you can stand, sit, kneel, who wants to stay clean sits on the frame, the bench. In and with the sand very diverse play is possible, alone with the hands or with many different tools: digging, drilling, raking, carrying, pouring, building, sifting, trickling, shaping, drawing and - unpopular with bystanders - blowing. With a little water, sand can be solidified by capillary action; with a lot of water, it can be liquefied. Things can be fixed or spilled by burying them. Quickly and easily sand cakes can be "baked" with sand molds; a classic big task is to build a sand castle. Walking on the sand, rain pelting on it, drying by the heat of the sun and wind weather and level all structures made of sand over time.

Usually, a sandbox is made of wooden boards and stones and embedded in the ground, but there are also models made of plastic, some of which are portable. Plastic models often resemble animals in shape and colors and are characterized by compact dimensions. The shape of a shell is common, with ribs for reinforcement and a lid to protect the sand from rain, leaf fall and cat droppings. A sandbox made of wood usually offers a bench.

Sandpits should be filled at least 40 centimetres deep with sand whose grains should have a diameter of up to two millimetres according to DIN 18034. In the past, there have been a number of fatal accidents, especially with older children, due to deeply dug holes and burrows that collapsed. To avoid such accidents, a grid, water-permeable fabric sheeting or interlocking stones should be installed under the sand. The sand of public playgrounds should be replaced at least every two years. To reduce costs, the replacement cycle can be extended up to three times by using a suitable sand cleaning machine.

Beach Volleyball

The frame that holds together the playing field for beach volleyball, built on a solid surface of sand, is somewhat jokingly called the sandbox. This frame usually carries a board, possibly with advertising, and a net above it to hold back the ball.

About 150 t of washed quartz sand with a maximum grain size of 0.1 mm are used for a beach volleyball court.