Sand tray
8
Designed by
Marielle Seitz
Educational Value
When children discover the Sand-Tray they are
drawn towards the fine sand as if by magic.
They use their hands or the sand rake to make
“patterns” in the sand.
You can tell from experience by watching children
playing with sand that not only do they get great
enjoyment from experimenting with the sand but
they also become completely engrossed in what
they are doing. They reach a state which can be
best described as deeply concentrated, inwardly
satisfied and relaxed.
Sand is especially therapeutic. The healing power
of graphic-motor play activities- as experienced
when working with one’s hands-combined with
the simple sensual fascination of sand, offers a
real change from the picture imagery we create
for ourselves through the intellect.
The sand tray differs from the sand-pit in that
the child doesn’t sit or knees in the sand but has
the sand in front of him/her on the table. This
enclosed space gives the child a feeling of safety
because he/she can walk around the Sand-Tray
when working or just work from a set space. The
child can decide whether he/she wants to use the
sand tray lengthways or crossways. Different-
coloured cards, rainbow-coloured craft paper, me-
tallic Foils or even personal artwork can be placed
under the glass tray insert to from a „backdrop“.
The sand can be quickly smoothed over with use
of the special tool and play can begin anew.
This has a motivating effect on the children and
encourages them to take a delight in experi-
menting. You can use the sand tray for play acti-
vities but also for practising definite shapes with
children. In this case the teacher has to give the
children a few ideas to start them off and maybe
even set a few simple tasks for them.
Depending on the age and level of the group,
shapes can be drawn in the sand. We can tell by
look ing at the free hand drawings of a child which
shapes he/she has already discovered and how
he/she is able to express them.
(source: Rudolf Seitz: “Kinder kritzeln, zeichnen,
malen“, “Kunst in der Kniebeuge“, “Was hast du
denn da gemalt?“, Don-Bosco-Verlag)
Primitive shapes are universal: all children world-
wide draw in the same way. They start off with
scribbles and then the first recognizable shapes
appear. These shapes progress from the primitive
shapes of the straight and curved line until the
age-old shapes of the circle and cross become
apparent. These in turn, give rise to the triangle,
square, rectangle, star and the spiral.
