Little Tikes’ iconic Turtle Sandbox is this year celebrating 40 years of creative play and inspiring big imaginations in little ones. It was introduced in 1979 to reinvent traditional wooden sandboxes and offer a fun, characterful take on sand play.

Now, this much-loved sandbox has earned its reputation as one of the best sandpits for promoting active play and social interaction, but also emotional, physical, and sensory skills. Explore and challenge their imagination with this charming sandpit and enhance their personal skills with our diverse range of play ideas. Take a look at our top 10 tips for how you can challenge your little one’s imagination.

Beach life

Bring your Turtle Sandbox to life and create a beach. Use small buckets and spades to create a real-life sea-side experience. Add shells, pebbles and plastic animals to enhance their sensory experience.

Sand kitchen

Use old kitchen equipment as props – anything from old cake tins to cutlery and cups. Allow their imagination to run wild… Add flowers, mix mud and incorporate other treasures to their made-up culinary delights.

Letter hunt

Who says play can’t be educational too? Plant foam letters in their Turtle Sandbox and let your child piece together the alphabet letter by letter. Test their visual and tactile skills by encouraging them to search for the letters.

Green fingers

Pretend to plant seeds with pebbles and pull up weeds! Don’t be afraid to get messy and create a sensory surprise!

Roads and race tracks

Create a road map in the sand, build huge sand piles and make other imaginative play-scapes. Mold hills and mountains with old tubs and create a route your little one can’t resist to race. Encourage competitive play in a safe environment.

Treasure hunt

Create a fantasy island complete with treasure they’ll love seeking out. Fill the Turtle Sandbox with pirate treasure such as gold coins, toy mirrors and plastic jewellery. Let sensory stimulation take over, as they feel their way beneath the sand to find the hidden goods.

Sand sketching

Flatten the sand as much as you can, smoothing over any lumps and bumps. Using their finger, your child can tell a story through a drawing. This is not only great for developing their imagination but is also a calming activity for children.

Mud madness

Use your garden hose to wet the sand in your Turtle Sandbox and leave it overnight for the sand to become a muddy residue. Let your child walk around bare feet, feeling the sand between their toes and create a different kind of textured sensory play experience.

We challenge you to embrace the sand and get involved in the messiness. Support your child with experimental play and develop their confidence with imaginative ideas. Our multi-use Turtle Sandbox is the perfect answer to encouraging play, with endless opportunities for you to get involved too!

Interested in finding other toys that encourage play whatever the weather? View our Sand and Water Play range.