When is a child too old to play with sand toys?

Many people think that playing in the sand is child's play, but the truth is, we're never too old to enjoy a day at the beach. The older the child (or the adult), the more interesting their sand creations can be. It took a Discovery Toys product called Measure Up Cups (see video demo) to teach me that. It's made of 12 graduated cups, the largest being 8 ounces (don't mix your beach set with your kitchen set, though!) and is easily transported to the beach in your beach bag. When my son was pre-teen, he and I were using them to build a sandcastle so complex that the lifeguard on the beach asked us if we had a building permit!

Sandy Feet's book, "Sandcastles Made Simple" offers invaluable tips for making extraordinary sand sculptures. For example, the sand must be very wet, requiring you to dig down deep. Just remember to fill in the hole so no one falls in.