There’s increasing research about the importance of sensory play for toddlers and preschoolers, giving young children the opportunity to explore the world through their five senses. The development of fine motor skills, cognitive abilities, and self-regulation are just a few areas that can benefit from sensory play. Not only is this type of play good for them, but it’s also just really, really fun.
Give a toddler a water or sand table and watch them experiment with pouring, splashing, pinching, or yup, probably putting it in their mouth. Are you looking for a sensory play table that incorporates both sand and water in a great two-for-one deal? Read on for details about the features of the Little Tikes Sandy Lagoon Sand & Water Table!
The Basics
A water table is a must-have toy for toddlers, and so is a sand table, so why not get one play table that gets both done simultaneously? The Little Tikes Sandy Lagoon Sand & Water Table is a two-in-one play table that will have your little ones having twice the fun! One side of the table is equipped with a drain and designed to hold water, while the other side is meant for sand. There’s even a custom-fitted plastic cover for the sand side if you want to cover up the sand part of the table when the waterside is in use, so the two don’t get mixed up. A tip for parents: if the sand side is not covered up, the two will definitely get at least a little bit mixed up.
You get several accessories with this table as well. In addition to a central play tower, there are plastic character figures, a scoop, a shovel/rake, and several play features attached to the table. The Little Tikes Sandy Lagoon Sand & Water Table offers excellent value for the price.
Design and features
Recommended Age
The Little Tikes Sandy Lagoon Sand and Water Table will facilitate various activities to amuse kids in a wide age range. Young toddlers will love to pull themselves up to stand alongside this table and splash, while older kids will enjoy the water wheel and slide on the central tower. This sand and water play table is suitable for kids aged 18 months to 8 years.
Ease of Assembly
This sand and water play table comes with four plastic legs that snap in easily. The waterside of the Little Tikes Sandy Lagoon Sand and Water Table comes with a plug that some parents report struggling to insert, but some parents suggest that if you use a pair of pliers, the plug should be able to go in tightly. The center tower of the table snaps on easily as well. This table goes together so quickly that it’s not difficult to detach the legs for storage over the winter or when not in use.
Water and Sand
Like the name suggests, the Little Tikes Sandy Lagoon Sand & Water Table has two play areas, separated by a plastic wall. The side intended for water has a removable drain, but there’s no drain on the sand side. Toddlers are not always known for keeping things neat and tidy, so of course, when water and sand are in close proximity, there runs a risk of the whole thing turning into a mud table.
Little Tikes is one step ahead of toddlers on this one, though, and have designed the side intended for sand with a specially fitted plastic cover. This way, if parents choose, you can fill one side with sand and put the cover on it any time your child wants to play with water.
Of course, parents can choose to fill both sides with sand or both sides with water, depending on what your kids are in the mood for. You can also experiment with other sensory experiences, perhaps filling the waterside with Orbeez water beads and the other side with kinetic sand. Orbeez and kinetic sand make for easier cleanup, so it can be a great option if you decide to bring the table inside during the colder months to play.
Accessories Included
The Little Tikes Sandy Lagoon Sand & Water Table comes with several fun accessories for hours of playtime fun. The central tower has two slides attached and a water wheel that turns when water is poured. There’s a plastic pouring cup and two plastic character figures, as well as a plastic sand toy that does double duty with a rake on one end and a shovel on the other. There’s also the custom fit plastic cover for the sand side of the table, as described above.
Other Features
This sand and water play table is very lightweight and easy to store. It’s easy to clean, as well, and the waterside can drain easily, or you can tip over the whole table if you’ve chosen to fill both sides with water.
Compare and Contrast
Little Tikes Island Wavemaker Water Table
The Little Tikes Island Wavemaker Water Table is big enough to have several children play with it simultaneously, making it perfect for playdates or siblings. There are loads of play accessories included, a central ‘Skull Island’ with a slide and waterfall when you pour water from the top.
There’s also a wheel that kids can turn to create waves on the water table, a spinning palm tree, and lots of little nooks where kids can hide the toy treasure chest. This play table also comes with several island-themed plastic characters, including a shark, a narwhal, a mermaid, and a pirate.
Due to features like the water wheel, the Little Tikes Island Wavemaker table is best suited for water play, unlike the Sandy Lagoon table, which you could use with either sand, water, or both. Some parents have noticed that the legs on this table – three legs supporting a roughly triangular or boat-shaped table – are not quite as sturdy as the four legs on the Sandy Lagoon table.
Little Tikes Fun Zone Battle Splash Water Table
For some wet and wild fun, the Little Tikes Fun Zone Battle Splash Water Table is a water table that comes with a built-in game! This table comes with three built-in water shooters, and kids can either shoot water at the other boats to try and sink them or shoot water at the central targets to fill the buckets until they tip over with a splash. Of course, there’s sure to be plenty of spraying each other as well!
This water table does require a hose connection, which means its use is limited to where you have access to an outdoor water source – so it probably isn’t a good choice if you’re going to be using it on an apartment balcony. It’s also not as multipurpose as other tables we’ve looked at since it can’t be used for sand or as a general sensory table.
Because there are three shooters, it would be hard for any more than three children to play with at a time. I’d recommend using this table outside only when kids are dressed in bathing suits or old clothes and prepared to get wet and messy ahead of time! The Little Tikes Fun Zone Battle Splash Water Table can provide a lot of fun, but because of the way it is designed, it’s not ideal for open-ended sensory water play like the Sandy Lagoon Sand and Water Table is.
What’s in the Box?
The Little Tikes Sandy Lagoon Sand and Water Table comes with 1 table, four attachable legs, one center water wheel play station, two plastic figures, two plastic inner tubes, one shovel/rake, one plastic cup, and one custom-fit plastic cover.
Conclusion
Both sandbox fun and water tables are must-haves for summer fun with toddlers, and getting both done at once is even better! Easy to store, easy to clean, and easy to use, the Little Tikes Sandy Lagoon Sand and Water Table comes with tons of accessories for hours of wet and wild backyard fun.