For decades, children have played in sandboxes. But while these play areas allow kids to express their creativity and enjoy the outdoors, sandboxes can also harbor germs. To help keep your child’s sandbox safer, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests: use only natural river or beach sand, cover the sandbox when not in use to keep animals and insects out, let wet sand dry completely before covering, rake sand regularly to get rid of clumps and debris, and keep pets out of the sandbox. American Academy of Pediatrics, June 2016