Tots Sand play at Railyard Park
Parents in Santa Fe obviously can’t take their toddlers down to the beach, but this summer Railyard Park offers kids time to frolic in the sand and sun and also develop their cognitive and social skills.
“Nature can be a playground,” said Christy Lee Downs, executive director of Railyard Park Conservancy. That’s what toddlers 4 and younger will learn during the park’s third annual Sand Day Saturdays program. The fun in the sand begins May 26 and continues each Saturday through Aug. 11. There is no charge, and kids can show up anytime between 10 a.m. and noon. The park’s two sandpits are located near the Community Room, not far from the intersection of Guadalupe Street and Cerrillos Road.
“It’s one of the very few such programs for that age group,” Downs said, although siblings and parents are encouraged to join in the fun.
Using only small, commonly available kitchen and garden tools, such as spoons, scoops, buckets and pans, kids will play with sand and water. Childhood education experts will be on hand each Saturday to help set up the event and answer questions about the benefits of sand play. Downs said that parents are sometimes surprised by how much a child can develop cognitively and socially through such a simple activity.
“This program is . . . a major asset to our community, and we see many parents return each week, grateful for this opportunity,” Downs said. “We set it up and just let it happen.”
Downs said that an early childhood training workshop on sand play is planned for late summer or early fall. Also held at the Railyard, the class is for parents, educators, child care staff and others who work with young children.
For more information, visit railyardpark.org or call 505-316-3596. No registration is required. Just show up.