This lovely sand desk invites hours of explorative play with its sand wheel, sand scoop and little sand holders in the counter. All of these items, with their varied textures and functionalities provide great tactile stimulation of the fine motor skills. They also provide an understanding of cause and effect: when I pour sand over the sand wheel, it turns. This contributes to thinking skills and general cognitive development. The sand play unit can cater for smaller groups of children providing, sorting or selling materials they have found or created in the playground. These explorative and dramatic play scenarious support children's negotiation and communication skills, as well as their language skills. This is a fundamental part of children's cognitive-creative development.