Accessories

Prepare to spend hours outside with your toddler...
My son loves this toy. Most of the time we just fill up the sand side and let him play in that.

When it's super hot out I put water in the water side too. The water side has a very nice drain in the bottom so it is easy to empty out. Despite the cover we never leave water in there after we're done playing.

I don't really use the umbrella because the play table is set up under our sunroom so it's in the shade all of the time.

The cover is awesome, it keeps bugs out of the sand and keeps everything inside relatively clean.

Believe it or not my 18 month old has figured out that he can climb into the sand side and sit in there and play. Probably not a recommended use, but that side is big enough for one little kid to play around in.

I also like the brown colors, it makes the table blend in with the rest of the backyard and stand out obnoxiously.

Great toy, just what I expected.

A Great Outdoor Activity Center - Just Beware the Sand!
The Naturally Playful Sand and Water Activity Center is a great outdoor toy for any baby big enough to toddle around up to age six or so. It has two separate compartments: one for sand and one for water. The water half has a rubber plug for easy draining. The sand side will hold up to 40 pounds of play sand. We found this to be just the right amount so that there's plenty to play with while the Center still remains somewhat portable.

It's important to note that after about five minutes of play, you'll likely have one big compartment of wet sand/silty water. This won't be an issue if you've given some thought to where you placed the table. We made the mistake of originally putting ours on our composite deck and the spilled wet sand packed in between the planks like grout. I eventually had to dig the stuff out by hand in order to keep water from pooling on the deck each time it rained. Since then, we've actually just ditched the sand and use it as just a water table - the kids love it just the same. If you want to use both sand and water, I'd recommend putting the Center either on a concrete patio/driveway or else in the grass.

The entire set is very well-made. The legs are sturdy and wide-set for stability. The top cover is held snugly in place by two bungee cords (as others have said, don't cut these cords when unpacking it!). The umbrella has even held up well despite its extremely light weight. We've been using the table for several years now and it hasn't shown any fading or other weathering (we do store it indoors for the winter, but when it's emptied out, it's very light to carry).

Ideally, the top cover would be flat and smooth so that you could also use the Center as a picnic table for the kids. But the cover actually has a hump in it - rather like a flat treasure chest. Still, it's a very well-made toy that kids will enjoy for years.

My 2 boys love this!
We have 2 boys, and bought this a few months ago for my youngest son's first birthday. we choose to keep it in a screened porch off the back of the house, so have not used the umbrella. My 3 1/2 year old and now-16 month old love this table. they have had countless hours of fun. Sand and water will be mixed constantly (it took them about 5 minutes after setting it up), but that is part of the fun of it. It has been very durable, but has 2 drawbacks that keep me from giving it 5 stars. First, the water needs to be changed fairly regularly or we have found that algae grows in it. Second, that is not easy to do -- a lot of sand gets in the water side (at least on our table), and there is no screen on the drain, so all of the sand goes pouring out making a big mess. That said, I still would buy it again without hesitation.

Great, but be ready for wet sand
It might just be my kids, but they immediately mixed the sand and water, which isn't a big deal, it will dry. The kids (6 and 4) love it. The only annoying thing is that they fill the hole with the umbrella in it with sand and then it is almost impossible to pull out. We have only had it for 2 weeks, but so far it has held up to a kid thinking it was a small pool and climbing on it and the other damage inflicted on it by small children.

Ages 2-14 loving it!
We bought this for my youngest son's 2nd birthday - as the youngest of four boys, it's difficult to find toys we don't already have! But the sand & water table fit our needs perfectly - we needed NO MORE TOYS inside the house, we needed something durable, and we preferred something all of the boys could play with if they wanted (ages 14, 8, 8.5 and 2).

After reading dozens and dozens of reviews on different sand/water tables, I chose this one and am extremely pleased with it. It is so sturdy that my 34 lb. toddler was able to climb *into* the water section without a single wobble of the table. The lid really does work great to keep out the elements & critters, too! And the umbrella provides a great amount of shade, so I feel good about knowing my kids are getting some kind of protection from the sun when they take off their hats or shirts because it's so hot outside.

I think the biggest surprise to me was seeing how much my 14 year old son enjoyed this toy. I knew my 8 year olds would love it and so would the 2 year old, but seeing all 4 boys willingly play with the same toy at the same time without any fighting or arguing (once we got enough play vehicles for everyone) was truly a sight to behold! With children so far apart in age, it's hard to find *anything* they can all do (or would want to do) together, but they all love playing with this toy!