Decking out our backyard in kiddie splendor a la Little Tikes, I knew that a sandbox was a "must-have" item.

Browsing the summer sections at various stores I saw that these things had come a long way over the years. When my little brother (now 12) was a kid, the only choice was between the Little Tikes Turtle Sandbox or the Little Tikes Turtle Sandbox. I mentioned in passing to my mother that I desired to add a sandbox to our backyard and that I was looking at either the Little Tikes Construction Sandbox or the Easy Store Sand & Water Table. My father's vote was clearly for the construction variety, of course. But my mother veto'd them both and suggested the Little Tikes Turtle Sandbox

"Do they even still make those things?", was clearly my reaction to her suggestion.

Her response, "Of course they do but it doesn't matter, I saved your little brothers".. (Plural, as in he had 2 of them, because one was at Grandma's house).

Honestly, I had some doubts. My little brother, now not so little anymore, is 12 years old. This would put the Little Tikes Turtle Sandboxes that my family owned at nearing 10 or 11 years old. My mother, not in the slightest bit worried felt strongly that one box could go to our house and the other could get set up in their backyard in a similar setup to the one my little bro had when he was a tot. So, my husband and baby brother now all grown up (boo hoo!), set off to retrieve the turtles and assess the situation.

The Turtle report
10 years later, the 2 turtles are still very much in tact. Both left outdoors in fairly unprotected areas they had seen a lot of weather. One turtle was damp due to a recent storm and the other was dry but a little dirty. The dry turtle got loaded into my Subaru Outback and headed home with us. The other one would remain and get cleaned up for use at Grandma & Grandpas.

After getting a bath with our garden hose and spray nozzle attached, a little bit of soapy sudsy water and some comet, our 10 year old Little Tikes Turtle Sandbox looks pretty great. In fact, if it weren't for the fact that one of its eyes is gone it would look close to new. According to Little Tikes the turtle is made of fade-resistant and chip-resistant plastic. This is absolutely true!


Is bigger better?

Honestly, for our needs, it isn't. Most of the time my son will be playing in his Little Tikes Turtle Sandbox all by himself or maybe with one other child. I'd say that this box is just right for one or 2 children to play in. It also doesn't take up a lot of space in smaller yards, measuring in at 43"L x 47"D x 15"H.

This bright green sandbox looks just like a happy cartoon turtle, sorta like having your very own Franklin. His plastic shell slides off to reveal a hollowed out area that can hold up to 150 pounds of sand (which is typically 3 bags). I purchased 150 pounds of play sand for less than $15 and filled it right up. To keep the sand clean, dry, and protected from both the neighborhood kitties as well as the elements, just remember to slide the lid back on when you are done playing. The lid gets held on my 2 knobby like posts that are on each side of the sandbox that fit into 2 recessed areas in the underside of the lid. This keeps the lid from getting blown or knocked off, and does a pretty good job at it.

Overall

Our use of this product 10 years later, tells you just how sturdy and durable this product really is. No wonder Little Tikes hasn't changed a thing about this product. They are still offering it (according to their website), though they've definitely come out with some newer, bigger, and fancier models. So far, my son is really loving his Little Tikes Turtle Sandbox. Sure, he would have loved the construction sandbox or the sand & water table too. But, this sandbox is just perfect for him sizewise and he doesn't know the difference. In the end, sand is sand and its fun to play and dig in.

My mother is thrilled we are using the sandbox. Of course, this is why she saved it and Alexander is the only local grandchild. If I really wanted to get him a new one I'm sure my father would have splurged for it (the construction sandbox!). But, it really wasn't necessary.

Of course, I'm happy because I got this sandbox for free. Purchased new, the Little Tikes Turtle Sandbox goes for anywhere between $20-$35, but it can often be found at garage and summer sales purchased secondhand for much cheaper. If you're on a budget and spot one of these secondhand, you'll probably be quite happy with it. Most of these turtle sandboxes that are more than a few years old are, like ours, missing an eye or 2 - but that doesn't affect their functionality in the least.

Other uses for this sandbox
~Use as a wading pool (very shallow)
~Kids outgrown it? Plant a garden in it. I've seen a few little gardens grown in and around Little Tikes Turtles, and they are quite darling.

For more info:
http://www.littletikes.com


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): FREE
Type of Toy: Science and Nature
Age Range of Child: 12 to 36 Months