Sandbox Learning Activities for Preschoolers

These fun sandbox learning activities are an engaging way to take education outdoors. Whether you’re looking for a literacy, STEM, sensory, or even geography sandbox learning activity, we’ve got you covered.

 

Sandbox Learning Activities

Give preschoolers a fun introduction to maps with our sandbox geography activity.

Sensory play with pine cones in the sand box has all kinds of educational benefits for preschoolers. So does exploring sand toy painting.

Do you have more than one child sharing a sandbox or sand-filled sensory bin? You can think about it as a way to practice social skills.

 

RELATED: Sidewalk Chalk Literacy Activities

 

Literacy Sandbox Activities

Little construction lovers can try out our simple sandbox story extension activity.

Make sandbox play part of your pirate theme storytime with these fun ideas, or set up a pirate theme sight word game.

A Dump truck alphabet rocks activity is a fun way to work on ABCs outdoors.

 

STEM Sandbox Activities

The sandbox has a lot of potential as a science, math, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) laboratory. I love all these engaging ideas!

An easy activity for starters is this super fun way to mix engineering play with sand sensory play. It’s sure to keep the kids entertained.

Budding engineers will also love rain gutter sandbox play. They may also enjoy combining imagination with water play by making a river in the sandbox.

If you don’t live near the shore, you can do this fun tide pool experiment in your backyard.

If you’re looking for an out of the box way to practice math in your sandbox, try this wiggly eye activity.

Bump up the “Wow” factor sandbox volcano, and learn a little chemistry too.

Dinosaur lovers (and future dinosaur lovers will enjoy a sandbox fossil dig!

Preschoolers can get a taste of geology when they mix earth materials with sandbox sand.

Rainy or Shine Learning Activities with Sand

Many sand activities can be done indoors in a sensory bin or tray. Ideas shown indoors here also can be taken outside or adapted to do in the sandbox.

Sand tray letters are a classic and engaging activity.

This ocean beach sensory bin doesn’t actually use sand, although you certainly could. It has lots of room for kids’ imagination.

Older preschoolers can work on their very first sight words with this clever sight words in the sand activity.

Turn a classic story into alphabet sensory play, indoors or out. Or, let the kids design their own story with a storytelling mini sandbox.

 

Whether your sandbox learning activities are open-ended or more directed, indoors or outside, the kids are sure to have a blast.