Hmmmm.......I'm not an expert in that area, but all I've heard about our little man-made ponds here is to NEVER let your kids play in them. There's just too many possible bacteria in there.
Maybe someone else will say otherwise, but I personally wouldn't let them play in it.

I don't actually recall any messages like catherinet describes, but I admit that I worry a little that she might have a good point. On the other hand, my dog, and the birds have drunk out of mine for six years without obvious ill effects; and of course the fish, toads and frogs do well too. Most of us also go rooting around like I have been doing the last several days while we clean plants and rocks. Speaking for myself, I'm fine.

I don't think sand would be a problem for the pond. I suspect that it would get dirty though. It might be best to occasionally remove it to a shallow tub and rinse it and pour it back. I also imagine that it might be slippery if on much of any slope on top of liner so a slight bowl might be better.

If the play area was totally separate from the pond area it would be safe enough but I would not connect them in any way.

The link is a favorite of mine.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ron's pond scum

Kids grow up fast and the sandbox will become "old" quickly. I would get a kiddie pool for them to splash in and concentrate on making the stream more attractive for the more mature audience.

I agree with Holly. They will want something with more water in it. My grand daughter was happy as a duck in the 300 gallon prefab that I use for emergencies for my little pond. I cleaned it, put in the small emergency pump and one of those floaters with chlorine tabs and she splashed around for a week's visit. Proudly announcing that she was swimming in the fishy's pond. She also told her Mother that Gran-daddy fed her 'dog' chicken. (Our dogs are spoiled and have deli chicken for treats.)

She is 7 this year and much more sophisticated. So we will have to see what we can get into this summer.

Hi all and thanks for the reply. I don't think a cheap plastic tub would work for us, as I would really like to emulate a more natural play space. I want their play area to be enchanting , like something out of a faery tale. We are making a small raised little playhouse /cottage, with beach /sand pit nearby and I want there to be a natural looking recirculating stream that will flow in front of it..they can use this to bring water to the sand pit and sit in it when the days get hot. I am thinking to make it out of concrete and have decided that it be best if it were not connected to the pond. Any ideas for how to do this ??

It's nice to have a fantasy of kids playing in a pristine pool and I know we all survived our pasts without today's knowledge and cautions, but every year there are warnings about blue-green algae blooms in lakes and streams that are deadly to dogs and dangerous to humans. I wouldn't take a chance with any kids' health, nor do I want to argue with their parents' lawyers about my pond being an "attractive nuisance".

I built a hollow in my grandkids' play area for a black cement mixing tray (big box store, near the bags of cement). I fill it when they're coming over, then empty and disinfect it when they're done. No algae, no drowned critters, no worry between visits.

So none of you go swimming in a local lake? Have raised 4 kids in the camping, swimming life. None worse for wear. Healthier than the cousins. LOL

You could treat your sand and splash area like a swimming pool, using chlorine to kill microbaddies.

On the other hand, I've read that kids who are exposed to germs build up antibodies that make them healthier than "protected" kids.

I did a little research on this question and here is what I found. "According to safewater.org, avoid drinking from a pond as some bacteria like E. coli can cause illness. Water may be contaminated with this bacteria if you have farm animals using or living near the pond, or from wild animals dropping contaminated feces in or near the water." I suppose even giardia could find its way into a pond.

Without the above information, I have let my grandkids play in the stream above my pond. They have never shown any adverse effects.

A few times, I have worked on my pond wearing sandals, swimsuit and tank top. Generally, I've been OK. However, a couple of times, I have picked up some strange infections. Not a good place for little ones I think.

Yep, used to swim in the cow pond with the crawdads and drink from the hose. Also used to smoke, drive cars without seatbelts, and look for true love in biker bars. Survived, got smarter, and lost my belief in the sanctity of the good old days.

Swimming in a lake, ideally a large, self-filtering ecosystem, is different from playing in a garden pond of a few hundred gallons. It would be interesting to have the pond water tested and find out what microbes I'm washing off after wading around for pond maintenance.

6000 gal pond. My kids haven't outgrown playing in the water yet, they are 37 & 35. Whenever they come over, they head for the pond. Grand kids play in it also. Yes we have even gone swimming in it. Swimming with fish and frogs is fun. Yes, we try NOT to drink the water but it happens.
That said, I would make a separate water source for the kids play area. One that would drain entirely so no chance of breeding mosquitoes. Constant water and the frogs would move in and then you would need to keep a filter going and the water moving. The sand would be a problem - great filter, it would end up full of everything. (like letting kids play in the pond filter) Better to turn on the water at the top when they play and let it dry out/drain between. Sand and a garden hose can keep kids busy forever.
My pond has a beach area (with rocks and gravel) that is constantly rearranged to make tiny pools for the frogs. With a tiny pump and tubing to bring water in. The gravel eventually ends up in the pond and is cleaned out with leaves and such. I keep adding new gravel to the beach. Amazing things live in that gravel - I stir it up frequently and run the garden hose into it to wash it a bit. The fish love to eat the things that wash into the pond.

Microbes in the pond? No reason to waste money on testing. You can just look at what microbes are found in virtually all untreated freshwater.

Take just one of the thousands of kinds of microbes almost certainly in every pond called Aeromonas hydrophila. It's the bacteria in "Aeromonas Alley" that Koi keepers love to hate. It's also the bacteria responsible for Aimee Copeland losing both hands, one leg and the other foot. The flesh eating bacteria case that made lots of money for CNN, Fox every local news station and 7/8ths of the web a couple of years ago.

A person could try to Howard Huges it and live in a closet...but Aeromonas hydrophila is in there too!

I prefer good old common sense and not getting info from pretty much anything on TV or on the web.

"Self-filtering ecosystem" is a yummy term we use when we want to think something is good. It sure sounds good. But. Aeromonas hydrophila is one of the creatures that plays an important part in most self-filtering ecosystems.