Digging by Age

The right hole for a toddler is very different from the right hole for a ten year old. Find the guide for your children's ages.

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Digging with Toddlers

Under 3

Simple, sensory, and endlessly entertaining

Toddlers don't dig holes so much as redistribute sand — and that's absolutely fine. At this age the beach is a…

  • sand pool
  • buried alive
  • castle moat
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Digging with 3 to 5 Year Olds

3–5 years

Old enough for a plan, young enough to be amazed by anything

This is the sweet spot age for beach digging. Three to five year olds are old enough to follow a simple plan a…

  • castle moat
  • treasure hole
  • volcano
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Digging with 6 to 10 Year Olds

6–10 years

Strong enough, patient enough, ambitious enough

This is the prime digging age. Six to ten year olds are physically capable of serious excavation, intellectual…

  • tunnel
  • channel
  • den
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Digging with Tweens and Teens

11 and over

Too cool to dig? Not once they've started

The trick with older children and teenagers is framing. Nobody over ten wants to 'dig a hole' — but everyone o…

  • tunnel
  • channel
  • den
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Digging with Mixed Age Groups

All ages together

Everyone digs, nobody is bored, nobody is left out

The hardest digging scenario is also the most common one: a spread of ages from toddler to tween, all with dif…

  • castle moat
  • channel
  • sand pool