Indoor Sandbox

I finally tackled this project for Claire, something I had wanted to do for a long time. (I think since last winter!)  I got the idea from this wonderful Waldorf based book, Heaven on Earth.   I have gotten a lot of great ideas from this book! The basic instructions seem so obvious too, it made me wonder why I didn't think of it myself, or do it sooner.  You basically just get a large plastic bin with a cover, get a couple bags of play sand (which is actually super cheap) and dump it in, throw in some measuring cups and spoons and voila!  Indoor sandbox. 

 The main point is that you don't let the kids sit in the sandbox, but sit around it, which Claire got pretty quick.  The other rule 'the sand stays in the sandbox' has been followed with varying success.   I think I envisioned (like I do with all activities I create for her) that she would become absorbed in hours of independent play with the sand, leaving me to clean the kitchen, hold the baby, whatever else. 

Mostly though, she wanted me to play with her, and it was when I did leave her alone with it (for more than ten minutes anyway) was when sand started getting dumped on the floor and brought to other rooms.  In the big picture, sand sweeps up pretty quickly and it was pretty cute to see her build roads for cars and bury her farm animals. (That sounds strange said out loud, but she kept 'hiding' them under the sand.) 
I am looking forward to the summer and the actual outside sandbox.  I am definitely tiring of finding more and more indoor activities to occupy us during these winter months!  Maybe next winter with Amelia being older it'll be easier to get outside more.