As spring blossoms and the kids rush outside to play, the sandbox remains a standard go-to for fun time in most backyards.



My children love their sandbox, they can play in it endlessly. They also love to truck sand around the yard away from the sand box in various play modes. We end up having to refill our sandbox a few times each season.

We love to start the season with sand from Toys-R-Us. The sand is soft, white and kid-friendly. I’ve used Home Depot’s sand box sand, which is less pristine but works out just fine.  It is also less expensive, though.  Not even $3 for 50 lbs of sand.

I have even resorted to using contractor sand once towards the end of the summer when the sandbox was running low.



Now I am finding out, none of it is truly safe for your children to play in.  Some of you know this already, some of you are just as surprised as I was.

Contractor sand hasn’t been washed and prepared for children to play in, and can contain lead and toxins harmful to their health. Plus it is so fine, children can easily breathe in the microscopic particles.  Sand used for walkways often contains chemicals to control weed growth between stones and bricks.

Play sand? I just didn’t know.  Sand that you purchase from most stores for sand boxes are not real sand but quarried quartz rocks ground into a fine sand-like particles.  This “sand” contains crystalline silica, which has been classified by OSHA as a known human carcinogen. Breathing this dust can also cause silicosis,  a horrible respiratory disease that poses a higher risk to children’s small, developing lungs.

Is no place safe for our children? Ack! Even the innocent sand box!

Safe Sand is an educational resource for parents searching for more information on the hazards of typical play sand. They also sell sand that is safe for children.  I must warn you, it isn’t cheap, $60 for a 50 lb bag delivered, that includes shipping. My sandbox takes about 200 lbs to fill, which goes for $199.  Safe Sand recommends getting together with other families interested in purchasing safe sand and buying in bulk, which saves money.  I cannot advise you on how to come to terms with eco-cost of getting this sand shipped to you.
And why is it that only California requires labels on play sand warning about the potential hazards? What, the rest of America doesn’t really need to know?  Yes, you can go to some websites for sand and see the warnings there, but when was the last time you thought to do that? If a product has carcinogens, then you want a label on the product.  You shouldn’t have to hunt down the warning.



In all honesty, I am writing this after I have already filled the sandbox with sand from Home Depot. Now what do I do?  Throw it out?  I cannot afford to spend $200 on fresher, safer sand.  I am outside with my kids when they are playing, and they use quite a bit of water in there, which keeps the dust particles down.  They don’t try and eat it.  So I think that I will have to just deal for now, and when this batch is done, another healthier recommendation is small, smooth pea gravel.  You cannot build sand castles with it, but it is supposed to be fun to dig around and play in.  Plus it would have the thrill of something new.

At least now I know better.