Figure 1--Here is a glass magic latern slide of children playing in a sandbox. This is an American scene, but it is unidentified. Click on the image for an enlargement.

A popular spot for the younger children in many parks was the sandbox. Early parks did not have such amenities for children, but by the early 20th century parks were increasingly catering for children. Many parks began installing sandboxes and playground equipment. We do not yet have details on chronlgical and country trends. e believe, however, that sanboxes were one of the first pieces of playground equipment installed. This may have been due to the relatively low cost of a sandbox and the fact that little children loved them and could amuse themselves for some time. We do not know who first came up with the idea and where the first one was installed. The sandbox here looks rather crowed. I'm not sure what is going on. I don't think that most were this crowded. Note that some of the children are a little older than you might find in a sandbox today. This semms to bethe case in many old photographs archived in HBC. The children seem less sophisticated if not jaded than modern children.

Popular Activity

A popular spot for the younger children in many parks was the sandbox. Children in the early 20th century had fewer times and nothing like the electronic devices in the home to entertain. Thus a sand box was a great diversion. ACtually it is still popular for younger children today.

Age

Note that some of the children are a little older than you might find in a sandbox today. This semms to bethe case in many old photographs archived in HBC. The children seem less sophisticated if not jaded than modern children.

Park Facilities

Early parks did not have such amenities for children, but by the early 20th century parks were increasingly catering for children. Many parks began installing sandboxes and playground equipment. We believe, however, that sanboxes were one of the first pieces of playground equipment installed. Actually some of these facilities may be more like sandpiles rather than actuasl boxes. This may have been due to the relatively low cost of a sandbox and the fact that little children loved them and could amuse themselves for some time.

Figure 2--The sandbox here looks to us to have been photographed in the early 20th century. A good guess would be about 1905.

Chronological Trends

We do not yet have details on chronlgical trends.

Country Trends

We do not yet have details on country trends. A HBC reader, however, does recall the sandpit in the London park near where they lived in the 1960s. It was right next to a paddling pool.

Inspiration

We do not know who first came up with the idea and where the first one was installed.

Sandbox Here

The sandbox here looks rather crowed. I'm not sure what is going on. I don't think that most were this crowded. There is a wall in the background which was probably unusual. We thought at forst this might be a school, but the mix of ages seems to make a park more likely.

Magic Lattern

The image here is a photographic glass magic lantern slide, black and white, showing a large group of children of various ages playing in a sandbox. Look at the large collars on the boys, pinafores and high button shoes on the girls. Lantern slides are one of the best untapped resources of photographs there are. Many of these slides are one-of-a-kind because they were often not mass produced or the ones that were have been destroyed or discarded by now.