Sand and water have been entertaining toddlers since the dawn of humanity!
Are they simply fun toys, or can they play an important role in your toddler’s development?
In this post, I will take a look at the best sand and water toys for toddlers. I will also be looking at some of the benefits of these types of toys to your child.
Some can be used in the bath too, which is great if your toddler is hating bath time!
Sand And Water Toys For Toddlers
Ultimately, if you want to give your toddler hours of fun, then you should definitely consider Kid’s sand and water toys!
Not only will they give your toddler some excellent social play, but they will also entertain you as you watch them.
Oh, and you really should watch them too, because any play that involves water can be potentially dangerous!
Little Tikes Sandy Lagoon Waterpark
Toddlers will have hours of fun playing with the Sandy Lagoon!
The Sandy Lagoon by Little Tikes is an awesome sand and water toy that your Toddler will have hours of fun playing!
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The pit comes with 2 characters. These characters can race down the twin slides to see who enters the water first.
In terms of size, this sand and water toy is perfect for toddlers. The measurements are 26.5 x 26.5 x 34.5 inches.
For toddlers, it is an awesome toy, where they can splash and dig until their hearts are content!
For Parents, you will be totally entertained by your toddlers activities! From far enough away that you do not get wet, obviously!
The Sandy Lagoon and all other sand and water toys help to develop hand-eye coordination, social and active play.
Manufacturers recommended age: 2+
Little Tikes Anchors Away Pirate Ship
Yarrrrh! If your toddler is into Pirates too, then this sand and water toy is a winner!
My Toddler absolutely loves Pirate toys! He also loves sand and water play.
The Anchors Away Pirate Ship by Little Tikes covers the fun from both angles.
Playing with sand and water toys will certainly give your toddler’s imagination a workout. Throw in a Pirate-themed toy, and their imagination will go into overdrive!
I mentioned above that there is a small danger that you will get wet if you are too close to your toddler playing. The Anchors Away Pirate Ship takes it a little bit further, too!
Why?
Because it comes with at least 1 item that squirts water!
First up, we have the cannon. Thankfully, the range is not that great. Secondly, we have a totally portable shark squirter. I’ll say that again:
Totally portable!
Which means you are a target wherever you are observing the play from.
The build quality of the Anchors Away pit is outstanding. Little Tikes really do know how to make toddler toys that are built to last!
Manufacturers recommended age: 2+
American Plastic Toy Sand and Water Play Set
With so many games to play, your toddler will spend hours of fun with this toy and sand toy!
Next up, we have the awesome American Plastic Sand and Water Play Set!
This toy is a mix-up between fun sand and water toy and a construction toy for Toddlers.
Boy does it know how to spark their imagination…
Let’s take a look from a construction angle first.
This toy comes with a rotation crane and a dumpster to return the sand to the pit. This is a great toy for Toddlers obsessed with construction and will also help with developing hand-eye coordination.
Now we look at the sand and water play!
What I like most about this playset is the mini waterway which allows easy transportation of sand and water all the way to the other side.
The journey can be a perilous one for the tiny barges. They will need to deal with any waves created by the snap-on wave creator!
All in all, this is an excellent sand and water toy that will keep your toddler entertained for hours.
Manufacturers recommended age: 18 Months+
Step 2 Splash N Scoop Bay
This sand and water pit is an awesome choice for a toddler!
Next up is the Step 2 Splash n Scoop Bay!
This extremely sturdy, ultra-fun sand and water toy is perfect for Toddlers.
From a toddler’s perspective, the best thing about this toy is the water tower, which you can combine with the mountain to create a cascading waterfall.
If you know toddlers, then you will already know how much they love pouring water! Over, and over, and over, and over…
Another great thing about this toy is that you can cover the sand if you are not a fan of combining sand and water. Toddlers will happily play with either side for hours.
Obviously, when you have a toy with water and sand, you know they will get mixed up.
Along with the tables, you will also receive a small bucket, a weird half-shark scooper, and a toy rake/spade.
It is worth considering digging toys with this option too!
Manufacturers recommended age: 2+
Seaside Sidekicks Funnel Fun
Going to the beach? Then take a long this awesome sand and water toy by Melissa and Doug!
Melissa and Doug are very quickly becoming one of my favorite toy manufacturers! Not only do they appear on this list, but you will also see them on the following posts:
- Lock and key toys for Toddlers
- DIY and constructions toys for Toddlers
- Fire Station/Truck Toys for Toddlers
I said it before, and I’ll repeat it:
Melissa and Doug are renowned for creating fun, educational toys for Toddlers.
They really are!
Although this last toy moves away from the standard sandpit type toy, I wanted to include it in this post because it is awesome in its simplicity.
It doesn’t matter how big a toy is; it only matters that your toddler is engaged with it. Trust me; this toy will engage toddlers.
It is simple; your toddler can pour sand or water into the top of the toy and can watch it cascade through to the bottom.
The best thing is, it is much more portable than any other option on this page.
If you are having a day out at the beach, then why not take it along!
Manufacturers recommended age: 3+
Toddler Benefits – Playing With Sand And Water
Develops Problem Solving
Problem-solving skills are vital. Some of the toys on this page offer your child the challenge of getting water or sand from one part of the toys to another.
It will not be long before they develop their problem-solving skills to overcome this.
Develops Cause And Effect Association
When you pour the water or sand into a funnel, the result is that it comes out the other side.
These toys offer something very similar, especially those with long, winding funnels or buckets or spinning water wheels.
Social Play
These toys are immense fun when a toddler is playing on their own. Add another person into playtime, and your toddler will be learning some important social interaction skills.
These skills are vital for when your toddler reaches a School age and begins interacting with new friends!
Conclusion
In this post, I have detailed 5 items that I consider the best sand and water toys for toddlers. I also threw in some details about how these types of toys will aid your toddler’s development.
Let’s take a second to remember one critical point here:
Any toy that involves water can be dangerous.
Did you know that around 10 deaths per day can be attributed to (non-boating-related) unintentional drowning?
You must oversee any play that involves water! It is a parent or guardian’s responsibility to keep kids safe.
It is not just drowning that you need to be concerned about, either. If you have read several articles on my blog, you will already understand that keeping my toddler safe in his house is right at the top of my list of important Dad duties!
If your toddler is playing with water:
- Do not let them run; they might slip over
- Keep them away from electrical items; they might get a shock
- Always observe; they might drown
Good luck!
