While there are hundreds of expensive gadgets that will entertain your little one, there is a lot to be said about plain old play sand.
Here are six fun games that will keep your little one busy for hours:
1. Hide and find
Hide a small toy in a box or basin of sand and give your little one a limited amount of time to find it. You are guaranteed a mess with this one so it’s best to take it outside.
2. Mould the sand
Fill up a sock with some play sand and let your little one mould it into any shape they like.
3. Long jump
You’ll need to head to the beach for this but it’s a great way to get them outside. Simply mark in the sand where the kids have to jump from and where they land and see who goes the furthest.
4. Write a message in the sand
Sprinkle a little sand on a flat piece of card or a smooth concrete surface and get your little ones to write a message in it.
5. Sand art
Mix a little bit of sand with various poster paint colours and let your little one explore their creative side with sand art.
6. Sandcastle stepping stones
You’ll need to head to the beach for this game but no matter how cold it is you’ll all have lots of laughs. Simply build two parallel lines of sandcastles and see who can walk on them the furthest without falling over - you will need to keep rebuilding this game though!
