Trying to figure out some cheap shade for sandpit

**sidewalks** · 04-01-2008, 09:29 PM

This not for the fix-it board, I'm just too cheap to buy a beach umbrella. I can't find any where I live (I hate shopping, maybe I'm not looking carefully).

I have a 5' by 7' tarp (with grommets) that I use on it to keep the rain out. I'm trying to think of a way to convert it in a couple of minutes to instant shade for my kids. The pit is 4' by 4'.

Should I borrow a boy scout manual from the library?

Thanks for any out of the sand box thinking.

**justpeachy92** · 04-01-2008, 10:42 PM

I would look for something like this http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=5223212
with it being portable you could take it with you to parks or other places where you might want some shade.

**changed4life** · 04-02-2008, 09:59 AM

That's an awesome idea for a sandbox shade. Maybe she'll go for it since it works double and triple duty for many things.

**rainbowgc** · 04-02-2008, 11:02 AM

I would think you could do this with your tarp and some pvc pipe

**sidewalks** · 04-02-2008, 12:41 PM

I'll have to think. We don't go to the beach that often. We already have little pieces of 3/4" pvc that we connect for play, so putting a frame up might be fun for my oldest.

Then again, it would be nice to have portable shade when we do go to parks...

Thanks.

**PurpleSnowflake** · 04-02-2008, 12:50 PM

What about using a sheet for a shade?

You could hook it up with a clothesline.

**boysrspecial** · 04-03-2008, 10:31 AM

We used pvc and my husband drilled holes at the top. We attached it to the tarp with nylon cord. We pushed the pvc into the ground pretty far because we have alot of wind. Another inexpensive idea if the pvc is not sturdy enough is elecrical conduit, this is inexpensive and more sturdy. I have made several curtain rods out of conduit for my longer windows. Very sturdy and much cheaper than comparible weight curtain rods.

**sidewalks** · 04-03-2008, 01:27 PM

I should have added that the sand pit is in a raised bed garden. Three 4x8 frames, and each 4x8 split in half with a piece of wood, making six beds total. Right now only 5 out of the 6 beds are soil, and one is sand. The three frames are about two feet apart, and all are surrounded by a four foot rabbit fence.

In other words, space is tight, and the shade has to be put up and down regularly. I saw on the internet someone using conduits and metal strips as a frame to cover garden patches. It was secure but involved.

I also read that the tarp might be too hot. So the sheet sounds good.

**peanut** · 04-03-2008, 06:44 PM

My girls used to use sheets tied to sticks (okay, fallen branches from our trees) to create a lean-to kind of shade for them to work on schoolwork under...we homeschooled. they'd spend all day in the backyard studying in these lean-to's. However, being as they were built by kids and the sticks weren't pounded into the ground, they were susceptible to being blown over in a strong wind. I imagine sinking them in the ground would work.

I'd say pound sticks/posts whatever at each end of the beds and in the middle towards the northernmost part of the bed. Find a sheet to tie up to it and just remove the sheet when you want to remove the shade. The girls just put the top of the sheet over the top of the stick and tied it in place with some twine or string.

Hope that helps...

Jean