Remember when we were kids how much fun we had playing in the dirt and in the water? Going to the beach and playing in the sand and sea? Making sand castles and shapes in the sand or playing with toy boats in the pool? Remember the fun we had when we discovered sand boxes and the trouble we'd get into for playing in water and mud puddles? Let's face it. If we say the words "sand box" to a kid today, all too often they'll think if the cat's litter box, and would never associate it with having hours and hours of fun. But it doesn't have to be that way.

One problem with the traditional sand box is the fact that it was a wooden frame with a lot of sand in it over bare ground. This usually meant when you reached the bottom of the sand box, you hit dirt. Too often, when happily scooping your shovel, you would find a worm or other critters that had made a home the night before. Not only that, but sand would invariably wind up outside the sand box, and all over the yard, instead of staying where it was supposed to. Playing in mud puddles is not only dirty, but quite unsanitary.

Fortunately, there are a couple of great alternatives that are much better than our old playgrounds in all kinds of ways. The Sand and Water Table combo enables kids to have those hours and hours of fun without having to be concerned about virtually any of the drawbacks from the "good old days". Not only is the enjoyment factor still there, but without having to worry about bugs or unsanitary conditions, parents don't have to worry about what their kids are getting into while outside playing.

The Sand Table is just like your average sand box, but it is in a table format instead of being located in the ground. What does this mean? No bugs, no digging through the bottom, and best of all - the sand stays neatly in the table without the huge mess. And the water table gives kids a safe, sanitary place to play in the water without having to worry about what else could be in the water, or having them playing in the mud. All you have to do is set the tables up, add either the sand or water to the play area and sit back and relax while the kids have a fantastic time playing.

And for about the same price you'd pay to build a sand box and fill it with sand, you can get the Sand and Water Table both. Not only is it affordable, but storage at the end of the day is a snap. You simply put the sand into a container, empty the water table, stack and store until time to pull them back out. They're all ready to be used again the next time. In terms of "bang for your buck" there isn't a better value available that gives the kids hours of fun, but also gives you peace of mind that you're able to pass on the simple joys of childhood to a new generation.