Contributed by Info Guru Lisa Pratto

Who doesn’t love playing in the sandbox?

I mean, mom and dad are actually giving the kids permission to get dirty. How cool is that?! Amazing adventures can be had all afternoon long with these sandbox fun ideas.

10. The Basics

Every kid loves to play with the standard issue sand bucket and shovel. It’s a classic. It works. Enough said.

9. A Twist on the Basics

Now, if you want to jazz up your sandbox tool supply, try to think outside of the (sand)box. Head to the dollar store and browse their selection of colanders, slotted spoons and plastic bottles. Let your imagination run wild.

8. Sand Castles

Nurture their inner architect by adding some water to the mix and teaching your kids the basic construction principals of a good sand castle. Load your sandbox with fresh sand and make sure that you have a water source nearby. A combination sand – water activity center is perfect for sand sculpting.

7. Cars and Trucks

Grab every toy with wheels and drag it outside for a sandbox road rally. Be sure to draw roads in the sand and plant plenty of trees along the way.

6. Cooking up Dinner

Add a few disposable cake pans, a wooden spoon and a spatula or two for an outdoor kitchen worthy of Gourmet magazine. Who needs an Easy-Bake oven?

5. Dino Land

For another twist to brighten your kids’ day, gather up plastic dinosaurs from around the house or make another dollar store run. This works great with lots of grass clippings and brush trimmings for the full-on Jurassic Park effect.

4. Math Mania

Some sandbox fun ideas actually involve math games. Stop shaking your head; it’ll be fun. Teach kids basic fractions with a cheap set of measuring cups. Let them measure our how many ¼ cups of sand fit into a 1-cup measure.

3. The Lake

Freak your kids out and let them take the bath toys outside. Dig a hole in the center of the sandbox for a temporary lake, add some garden stones and let them go to town.

2. Spelling Bee

For a fun and educational twist on sandcastles, use letter molds in all shapes and sizes. For younger kids, you can work on the alphabet and older kids can spell simple words.

1. Hidden Treasures

One of the best sandbox fun ideas is letting your kids dig for buried treasure. At naptime or the night before, hide tiny trinkets in the sand. You can write a list of what they need to find or get creative with markers and make a pirate’s treasure map. Add pirate costumes and the kids will be entertained for hours!