What is Sand and Water Play?

Posted by EYR Team on 19th May 2025

Sand and water play is a popular activity in many early years’ educational settings, from nurseries and preschools to childminders and at home. It offers children the opportunity to explore materials, use their senses, and develop important skills. In this blog, we explore what sand and water play is and answer some frequently asked questions surrounding this activity.

What does sand and water play refer to?

Sand and water play refers to any activity involving both of these elements, either independently or used together. Sand and water play activities often include various containers, utensils, and toys as well as trays, tables, and sandpits to store the sand and water itself.

Sand and water play is also a form of sensory and messy play, which means it involves touch, sight, and often sound as children pour, dig, and explore.

What are some examples of sand and water play?

Sand and water play is generally an open-ended activity but could feature the following activities:

Scooping and pouring with jugs and cups
Building sandcastles with molds and buckets
Play kitchens whereby children use the sand and water to create “food”
Using funnels, sieves, and pipettes to observe the changes to the flow
Floating and sinking experiments
Mixing sand and water and other elements like food colouring or shaving foam to observe differences.

For more activities then check out our blog 10 Sand & Water Play Activities for Early Years. Or for more specific tuff tray related activities then why not get some inspiration from our dedicated blog post: Sand and Water Tuff Tray Inspiration.

What can children learn through sand and water play?

Engaging in this form of play supports a whole host of learning and developmental areas, including:

Fine motor skills: through manipulation of smaller tools
Early maths: through exploration of concepts such as volume and measurement
Language skills: through the discussions of actions and textures
Early science concepts: through exploration of cause and effects, sinking and floating, and how materials can change
Creativity: through imaginative play games like play kitchens and other imaginative scenarios
Problem-solving: through activities like building sandcastles, children will learn to problem-solve to get their sand the right texture and moisture for their castle to stand.

For more detail on the benefits of sand and water, head to our detailed post: How Children Learn Through Sand and Water Play

Can young children play with sand and water?

Yes! Sand and water play is perfectly safe for children as young as toddlers with adult supervision. Activities can be tailored and made age appropriate easily with small adjustments in the utensils used, the depth of the water presented, and ensuring materials are safe and clean.

Why is sand and water play important?

This activity is important as it contributes to learning through play and can help support vital development in children. Sand and water play also offers children an enjoyable activity to partake in whilst they develop these key skills.

Though defined as “play”, sand and water activities are aligned with the key early learning goals set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework, including:

Final thoughts

Sand and water play, whilst a simple, child led activity, is packed with various learning opportunities. It is a great way to occupy children whilst supporting their early development in many key areas. For more activity inspiration or details on the importance of sand and water play then check out our other blogs in this area!

We would love to see what sand and water activities you get up to with your little ones! Share your pictures on social media and tag us or use the hashtag #ExploreWithEYR.