Guides / Kids' play · Updated
How much sand does your sandbox hold?
Capacities from each maker's own product page, November 2026. Bags are 50 lb play sand.
Short answer
A Little Tikes Turtle Sandbox takes a little over 100 lb, two or three 50 lb bags. Step2's Play & Store Sandbox holds up to 200 lb (four bags); sand tables hold 10 to 80 lb.
By model
| Sandbox | Maker says | 50 lb bags | Size | Cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Tikes Turtle Sandbox | “Holds more than 100lbs of sand” | 2 | 38 × 34 × 10.5 in | Shell lid snaps and tethers on |
| Little Tikes Bluey Beach Day Sandbox | “Fits more than 100lbs. of sand” | 2 | Not listed | Lid snaps and tethers on |
| Little Tikes Big Digger Sandbox | “Holds up to 100lbs. of sand” | 2 | 28.5 × 51 × 25 in | Lid included |
| Little Tikes Dirt Diggers Excavator Sandbox | “Holds up to 100 lbs. of sand” | 2 | 28.5 × 51 × 25 in | Lid doubles as a ramp |
| Step2 Play & Store Sandbox | “Can hold up to 200 lbs. (90.7 kg) of sand” | 4 | 11 × 42 × 28 in | Cover included |
| Step2 Naturally Playful Sand Table | “holds up to 80 lbs. (36.3 kg) of sand” | 2 | 16.4 × 26 × 36 in | Lid with tie-downs |
| Step2 Crabbie Sand Table | “Holds up to 25 lbs. (11.3 kg) of sand” | 1 | 22 × 24.4 × 24.3 in | Shell lid |
| Step2 Dino Dig Sand & Water Table | “up to 20 lbs. (9.1 kg) of sand” and 4 gallons of water | 1 | 30 × 29.5 × 33 in | Cover on the sand side |
| Step2 Cascading Cove Sand & Water Table | “Holds up to 10 lbs. (4.5 kg) of sand” and 3 gallons of water | 1 | 23 × 42.5 × 24 in | Full cover |
Makers quote pounds, not inches. Fill to just below the rim so it doesn't spill when kids dig. Wood boxes like KidKraft's don't list a capacity:
KidKraft doesn't list a capacity for its 59.13 × 59 in Backyard Sandbox, so we worked it out: 6 in deep is about 12.1 cu ft, 25 bags of 50 lb play sand at Sakrete's 0.5 cu ft a bag. The frame is 8.38 in tall, so 6 in leaves room to dig without spilling.
Building your own?
The sandbox calculator works out the bags for any size box from its length, width and depth (a 50 lb bag of Sakrete play sand is half a cubic foot), plus the boards to build it. Keep any sandbox covered: the CDC says cats and raccoons use open ones as a litter box.