Build your own sandpit pirate ship – lots of tips and ideas!

A sandpit pirate ship is like a play paradise and small adventure playground for many children. The little boys in particular find the idea of ​​being the captain of their own ship particularly exciting. But why should you always go to the nearby playground when you have enough space for a nice sandpit in your own garden? The ships mostly have a sail and some also have a steering wheel for the budding pirates. And it's not as difficult as it might sound to you at first. What materials you need for this, which place in the garden is best for it or how you can make a pirate flag yourself - you can find the answers to these and many other questions in our article!

Which types of wood for your pirate ship sandbox?

If you have set yourself the task of building the perfect pirate ship sandpit for your children, you should also pay particular attention to choosing the right type of wood. After all, the little ones should be able to enjoy this beautiful toy for a long time. The most important thing is that the wood is weather-resistant and not impregnated. If it rains, the waterproofing could wash out and get into the play sand. However, since some children like to put the sand in their mouths, poisoning could occur. For construction you can take either spruce or fir boards. These can also be found cheaply in wood shops. Another option would be wooden boards made from black locust, larch or Douglas fir, which are more resistant to wood rot.

Where is the best place to place it?

The right location depends on a few factors. Make sure that the water can drain away easily after a rainstorm. You can use gravel as a base on which a layer of fleece is placed. This protects against weeds and harmful insects and allows water to drain smoothly. Another great option is to build the sandbox pirate ship on a floor laid with stones. Ideally, the playground is in the shade and of course in an easily visible locationin your garden, so you can easily watch the children at any time. We advise you not to place the sandbox under a tree. Falling leaves in autumn and the needles of conifers could quickly become a nuisance.

Some sandbox pirate ship models are equipped with a sun canopy or a sail on the mast, which also protects against solar radiation. If this is the only sun protection while playing, the sail should be made of a high-quality polyester with UV protection. If this and the sail pole are rigidly attached, with a little skill you could convert it so that it moves with the sun.

This is how the structure works

If you buy the sandbox pirate ship online or in a hardware store, you will usually receive a kit made up of prefabricated individual parts. You can find out about the level of difficulty in advance and plan your time accordingly. For most models it takes around 2-3 hours. In addition, the instructions are so detailed that even people with no mechanical skills would be able to assemble it. So that you don't have any problems, you should check the scope of delivery for completeness and pre-sort the screws and individual parts before you start.

you wantA unique playground for your childand are planning to build the sandpit pirate ship yourself? Then you should either have a detailed sketch made or download a construction plan from the Internet. You won't need any special tools either. However, you should have a good saw, a drill and some screw clamps available. You may also be able to have the boards and strips cut to the required length at a hardware store. Your project doesn’t have to be that complicated. Most of the time, just small details like a mast with a sail, a steering wheel and of course a pirate flag are enough to stimulate your children's imagination.

A brief overview of the most important features:

• A sandpit pirate ship is usually placed directly on the lawn and does not have a base plate. AFloor fleeceprotects the sand from weeds and also allows water to seep away.
• Tryden Bugof the ship so that you can use it as a small oneStorage spacecan use. This is the perfect place to store small shovels, molds and other sand toys that you don't want to have in your house.
• A benchincreases the seating comfort for children while playing and is usually located on deck.
• Steering wheel, mast and a pirate flagOf course, they definitely belong to a ship and increase the fun of the game. Let your imagination run wild and decorate it with lots of small details.

So that the little captain can play with his friends, the sandpit pirate ship should of course be big enough. When it comes to dimensions, pay particular attention to the interior dimensions - as benches and storage spaces take up a lot of space. To avoid injuries to children, we recommend that you only use countersunk screws and pre-drill the wooden boards. This is the only way you can be sure that the screw heads disappear completely into the wood.

Here's how to build it from an old bed

You havean old bed in your garage? Don't throw it away - it can be quickly and easily converted into a great pirate ship sandbox!

Tools you need:

• Bench drill
• Cordless screwdriver
• Cross-cut and miter saw

Construction instructions:

• Measure the border and attach the bed sides.
• Attach beams to which you can easily attach the sail.
• Take formwork boards for the top of the ship and also attach bales for the sail. A piece of roof batten ensures that they don't come apart.
• Of course, the bridge should not be missing on a ship. To do this, take the second end of the bed. Insert this into the ground about 90cm from the first end and cover the gap with formwork boards.

• Every captain also needs a steering wheel! For this you need a multiplex plate.
• Cut out a large circle with the jigsaw. A metal biscuit tin, for example, is a great way to draw a smaller circle and the handles.
• Carefully cut out the handles and cutouts with the jigsaw.
• Now all you have to do is round off the steering wheel with the edger and your little project is finished! As you can see, building a sandbox yourself is really child's play.

Make from old boat

It's clear that a sandpit pirate ship will make your children's hearts beat faster. Unfortunately, not everyone is skilled at crafts and that's why we have a very interesting and simple idea. All you need is an old wooden boat and sand - little effort and big effect! Simply bury the old boat halfway in the ground and fill it with sand. Where do you get an old boat? Check the internet for cheap deals or ask at your local junkyard.

Make a simple pirate flag yourself – DIY instructions

To abelongs to real piratesof course also a pirate flag! With our DIY instructions it's quick and easy.

Everything you need:

• Old white or black fabric
• Waterproof pens
• A small wooden stick either from the garden or the craft store
• Scissors
• Tacker

Directions:

• Print and cut out two coloring pages from the internet.
• Cut out small rectangles or triangles from the old fabric.
• Place the templates in the middle of the fabric and trace carefully.
• Let your children color the template and decorate it as they wish.
• Staple the flag to the wood and you're done!