The sandbox experience
your kids deserve

Did you know that Little Diggers’ sand comes straight from The Bahamas? Supplied by our exclusive sand partner, Calcean Minerals & Materials, our sand is silica-free, quartz-free, and non-toxic.

This partnership will allow us to provide the safest and cleanest sandbox experience possible. Calcean has an innovative approach to merging safety and sustainability beginning with the harvesting of a unique mineral called oolitic aragonite. This type of calcium carbonate sand naturally and continuously forms on the banks of The Bahamas, making it a truly renewable and climate positive resource.

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How is it different from other sand?

Standard calcium carbonate rock from a mine or silica/quartz sands commonly used for play sand are fossil sourced, non-renewable, and have a large carbon footprint. Calcean sand is pure, non-toxic, and compliant with Children's Product Safety Standards (ASTM F963-17/23).

From Island Sand to Little Hands

How Calcean sand makes its way to Little Diggers

STEP 1

In the ocean, a renewable mineral called oolitic aragonite naturally and continuously forms. Driven by photosynthesis, blooms of picoplankton in the water sequester carbon from the atmosphere.

STEP 2

Through a mineralization process, the carbon from the atmosphere binds to the calcium from the water, precipitating calcium carbonate. The water turns a milky color during these events, called 'whitings.'

STEP 3

Aragonite builds layer by layer of crystal growth to form ooids. The ooids are smoothed and polished by turbulence on the seafloor - creating the beautiful round grains you see in our sandbox!

STEP 4

After removal, the sand is then sterilized using heat and screened to ensure consistent grain size and dust reduction.

STEP 5

Finally over 50 tons of
sand is trucked to
Little Diggers and placed in the sandboxes!

Renewable & Sustainable

Current reserves of aragonite are estimated at 50 to 100 billion tons and renewing at a rate of 14 - 120 million tons annually, making it the only renewable calcium carbonate on the market!

Climate Positive

Aragonite removes thousands of tons of carbon from the atmosphere during its formation, and has been proven to remove more than the harvesting emits.

STEP 1

In the ocean, a renewable mineral called oolitic aragonite naturally and continuously forms. Driven by photosynthesis, blooms of picoplankton in the water sequester carbon from the atmosphere.

STEP 2

STEP 3

Aragonite builds layer by layer of crystal growth to form ooids. The ooids are smoothed and polished by turbulence on the seafloor - creating the beautiful round grains you see in our sandbox!

STEP 4

After removal, the sand is then sterilized using heat and screened to ensure consistent grain size and dust reduction.

STEP 5

Finally over 50 tons of sand is trucked to
Little Diggers and placed in the sandboxes!

The safest sand on the market, only at Little Diggers

The first time you dip your toes into the sand you’ll notice the soft texture. This is because our sand has a grain with a smooth and round structure, which keeps it from hard packing. But perhaps the most important characteristic of our natural sand is that it’s silica-free. Many other play sands on the market are made from quartz and produce silica dust that can cause hazardous respiratory conditions like silicosis.

Sand Features

Silica-free

Dust-free

Allergen-free

Natural

Non-toxic