Fun in the Sand with Big Game Hunters

25th April 2018 Toys & Games

If you follow the blog, then you will know that we have been working hard in the garden this year. We’ve trimmed back the bushes, worked hard to get some colour into pots and we’ve also added a rather large – and fun – thing for the kids too. Enter the Choo Choo Train sandpit.

My kids love sand. As in LOVE it. Every visit to Chester Zoo, the park or the beach ends up with countless hours spend making sandcastles over, and over (and over) again. So, when we chose something from the Big Game Hunters website to try out in the garden this year, there was no doubt that it would be a sandpit.

We were really torn at first between the Sand Sailor sandpit and the Choo Choo Train sandpit as both looked equally awesome. However, we finally decided on the train not only because of Henry’s obsession with trains, but I also thought the tunnel gave it an extra level of interactive adventure.

PUTTING IT TOGETHER

Everything was impressively flat packed down into a single package when our Choo Choo Train sandpit arrived. Although the number of pieces when you first unpacked it was initially daunting, each piece was clearly numbered and there were detailed step by step instructions on how to assemble it with pictures. Think Ikea but for outdoor fun.

I’d love to say that I did the assembly, but that would be a lie. Hubby did a great job putting it all together while the kids and I looked on and supervised(!!). I have to say that from the outside looking in, it went together impressively fast and with only a little help from an extra pair of hands to hold things required from time to time.

You will need a few things at home to assemble the Choo Choo Train sandpit though, such as both a manual and electric screwdriver. Hubby also got good use of his G clamp so if you have one at home, it will come in useful. It was all done with the minimum of fuss though and before we knew it we had a sandpit to enjoy.

The sand isn’t included and the cheapest we managed to find it was on Amazon which was £14.99 for a 25kg bag. We estimated that we would need approximately 150kg of sand and therefore ordered 6 bags, though in practice we only needed 5. The 6th we kept though for any top ups that I am sure we will need moving forward.

CHOO CHOO TRAIN SANDPIT IN PLAY

First of all, I was impressed by the small footprint the sandpit needed. Considering it’s a big piece of kit, it sits nicely within a 2m x 1.1m space. Perfect seeing as we don’t have the biggest of gardens. The kit also comes with a geo-textile underlay measured perfectly so it sits beneath the sandpit, ensuring that weeds do not push up through underneath the train.

We all have our favourite things about the Choo Choo Train sandpit. I love the canopy across the top which means that there is a little bit of shelter while playing as well as some shade on hot, sunny days. Darcie loves the little seat at the back of the train and love to sit there while she makes sandcastles, bosses her brother about and lines up all her Paw Patrol characters who apparently also like coming outside to play in the sand. Henry seems to love crawling through the tunnel and also driving the train in equal measure, almost as much as he loves stealing his sisters Paw Patrol characters and burying them just to annoy her.

The sandpit seat also acts as storage for buckets and spades which is perfect for keeping everything contained and safe. It also comes with a sandpit cover which fits perfectly, helping to keep both the rain and debris away from the sand.

OUR VERDICT

To be honest, there’s nothing not to love about this sandpit. The kids have asked to play in it every time they have been outside and the fact it is big enough for them to play together side by side is a huge bonus for me. Of course, if it could somehow influence them to stop fighting then it would be the icing on the cake, but I guess we can’t have it all.

I thought the attention to detail was fabulous from the spinning steering wheel to the funnel on the engine, from the bright red wheels to the authentic looking ‘garden games’ locomotive badge on the engine. More than just a sandpit, this is imaginative play at its best while providing something to dig in, something to crawl through and even something to climb on as seen by the fact that Darcie has taken to sitting on top of the engine.

The downside is the price. At £194 for the sandpit and around £70 for the sand to fill it, this is not a cheap option. However, when you compare that to other garden toys of a similar size then it’s on a similar level in terms of cost. Therefore, if you are looking for something special maybe as a birthday or Christmas gift – perhaps even joint for more than one child to share – then I would recommend considering this as my two have already had hours of fun with theirs, and I have no doubt many more are to follow in the years to come.

DISCLOSURE: I was provided with the Choo Choo Sandpit in return for my honest review. As always though, all opinions expressed in this post are my own.