Safe and secure sandboxes

Among the 35+ anniversaries and observances in Japan on March 10th annually is Safe and Secure Sandbox Day 安全安心砂場の日 (Anzen Anshin Tsunaba no Hi). The anniversary was established by a company, HIsamitsu Center, that specializes in sandbox disinfection, playground equipment inspections and repairs for kindergartens, nursery cshools and childcare centers. The date comes from the wordplay on the date 3/10, which can be read as 'sand'—san (3) and do (10). 

It begs the question; how often do other places get their sandboxes cleaned? Or do they? I wonder do they clean the sandboxes in parks regularly. With so many wild cats in Japan, cat poo in the sandbox is a real issue. There were a couple of times I spotted cat poo in a sandbox in a public playground. So I came to prefer the sandboxes that had netting around them. Apart from keeping cats out, they also keep children in! 

The anniversary may have been established by a particular company with a particular service, but "Safe and Secure Sandbox Day" is a reminder that sandboxes in general are places we need to keep clean and safe for our children.