Gettin' a little dirty

When I opened a little over 8 years and we put in our first load of sand I remember apologizing to parents when their kids were dirty when they got picked up.  I will never forget what one mom said to me, "Oh it's great! At least I know he was busy playing and not sitting in front of a tv all day."  It was a relief to me that she understood the importance of : outdoor play and allowing children to explore their world even if they get dirty.  Many parents since then have expressed their approval.  

This weekend we added a new load of sand .  The kids were busy for hours!  

Dump trucks were filled and used to make roads.  If you look closely there is a small dinosaur laying on the road.  Before the sand was put in a few 'treasures' were scattered around the yard. the kids are so excited when they find one!  The treasures included small plastic dinosaurs and sea creatures, toy jewelry, key rings, large plastic toy money, and other odds and ends that are kid safe. (There are lots more to be found yet!)

Some of the kids enjoyed making sand castles. 

 The sand castle kingdom.

Yes, the kids went home a little (okay,  some kids-  a lot! ) on the dirty side.  It was not because we ignored them all day.  They worked hard and it showed.  They used their imagination, they worked together (actually their were a lot fewer arguments today than on other days), they learned about the properties of sand, they planned and executed those plans, and they enjoyed the experience. 

  Picture texts were sent to parents throughout the day.  As pick up time arrived, more phone cameras came out and their sand masterpieces were saved.  Tomorrow the sand castles will be toppled, the roads will be dozed closed and new creations will take their place.  The memories of today are saved in pictures, but I would guess the children will remember the experience for many years to come.