In full disclosure, we received the Little Tikes Treasure Hunt Sand and Water Table in exchange for our honest review.
As soon as the weather gets warmer and the sun comes out, my boys ask to play with their sandbox and water table. These sensory based activities offer so many opportunities for learning through play that I can’t say “no!”
This year, however, I wanted to find something that combined these two sensory-based activities. Instead of having to set up two stations, why not have just one? Little Tikes has a set that offers exactly what I was looking for. The Treasure Hunt Sand and Water Table combines their love of playing with water and sand, and it keeps everything in one place. It also offers opportunities to combine the two sensory items together!
The Little Tikes Treasure Hunt Sand and Water Table is a bright and colorful set that is easy to put together AND pack up when done playing. In fact, the water basin doubles as the cover! It is also well-made, sturdy and durable which is a must for little ones. There is one section for sand and one for water, but there’s no rule saying you can’t switch it up or combine the two. That’s the beauty of play!
My boys had so much fun adding the water and sand to their new table!
This set also comes with 13 accessories that can be used in the sand and water. This includes a rake, sifter, shovel, boat, treasure and more! The attachments for the water basin and sandbox also add to the fun as they allow for even more interactive play. What I love is that there are enough accessories so several kids can play together without fighting over the toys! It also allows for ongoing interactive learning fun.
My boys love playing with all the fun accessories that come with this set!
My boys are having so much fun playing with the Treasure Hunt Sand and Water Table. They love filling up the water basin each time we take it out, and they are learning to attach the play accessories themselves. They love to play independently and together. They also love to create their own stories and adventures using the treasure, boat and train car. It is so much fun watching them play and work together.
Of course the Little Tikes Treasure Hunt Sand and Water Table is fun, but it also offers great opportunities for growth and development. At Mommy University, we are always looking for toys that offer opportunities for kids to learn. We especially love toys that allow for learning through sensory play. Little Tikes offers a wide variety of toys that encourage growth and this sand and water table is no exception!
Benefits of Playing with the Treasure Hunt Sand and Water Table
Introduces Cause and Effect
I love that there are so many opportunities for kids to learn about cause and effect. This is a skill that boosts cognitive and academic abilities and paves the way for academic success. By playing with various accessories, they learn how their actions cause a specific response. For instance, when they turn the handle, they can see what happens to the sand as it spins around in the chute. They can also learn what happens when they spin it fast versus spinning it slow. Kids can also experiment with putting sand and water in the sifter and trammel to see what goes through it faster. The possibilities are endless!
There are so many opportunities for kids to learn cause and effect with the Little Tikes Treasure Hunt Sand and Water Table!
Offers Sensory Stimulation
So many children today thrive on sensory stimulation. They need to touch, feel, see and smell everything they play with. The ability to move sand and water around helps them self-regulate as well as become more focused and alert. Physically touching items also helps children better understand and grasp concepts such as cause and effect mentioned earlier. Kids need to interact with the learning experience, not just hear or read about it. With this sand and water table, kids can be see and feel how certain things work and what direct responses their actions can have.
Encourages Imaginative Play
Pretend and imaginative play is essential for development. It helps build vocabulary, social skills and story telling skills. With the Little Tikes Treasure Hunt Sand and Water Table kids can create fun and exciting stories as they play from being miners looking for gems to pirates searching for buried treasure to paleontologists looking for fossils. Kids can also work together to create stories and characters as well as problems to solve.
My kids had so much fun pretending they were one the Seven Dwarfs mining for gems! (Note: Although this set comes with gems, the ones in this picture were my gems that I added for even more excitement and fun!)
Fosters Language Development
As kids play, they learn to label objects and identify colors. They then learn to count objects and understand concepts such as big and little, short and long, and rough and smooth. As kids get older, playing with the sand and water table leads to story telling and turn-taking conversations. As a parent, you can engage your child in conversation and assist in language development by asking them questions about what they are playing with and why. You can also ask them questions such as “What will happen if you…?” This develops their language skills as well as critical thinking and problem solving skills.
We absolutely love playing with our new Little Tikes Treasure Hunt Sand and Water Table. In fact, we have played with every day since we opened the box. I know your kids will have fun as well!
The Little Tikes Treasure Hunt Sand and Water Table retails for only $59.99 and be purchased by visiting this Amazon affiliate link.