8 Low-Cost Sand Trays for Sandtray Kits

8/26/2020

Last Updated: March 4, 2026

If you’re a therapist or counselor who uses sandtray therapy or is curious about adding sandtray to your therapy toolkit you know the challenge: balancing the power of the sandtray with trying to keep costs manageable.

You know - the tray, the sandtray miniatures, the sand.

You might be a therapist who travels between multiple offices, wants a portable kit for school based or in home therapy, you want more than one sand tray without breaking the bank, or you don’t have the real-estate space in your office to store a complete classic sand tray setup, sand tray with a built in table, or a sand tray on wheels. And these? The budget can be pretty steep. Especially if you are just starting out.

Explore More: Get the complete guide to sandtray therapy foundations.

Free Resource: If you’re a therapist curious about starting sandtray, this free sandtray therapy checklist will guide you through the essentials: training, consultation, supplies, and miniatures you actually need. It’s the step-by-step shortcut to confidently bringing sandtray into your practice that supports real transformation.

Find The Right Sand Tray for Kits and Play Therapy

Now, before you start adding the sand trays below to your cart, here’s what I want you to know: the sand tray that is right for your office might be different from the next therapist.

So, how do you figure out what sand tray is right for you?

First, ask yourself these questions about how to find the right sand tray for your office. Then, learn about the different shapes and sizes of sand trays and what to consider when you are selecting your sandtray.

Size, shape, color, depth - it all matters.

I’ve rounded up my favorite low-cost sand tray kits for play therapy that combine practicality, affordability, and quality. These affordable options are a game-changer.

Low Cost Sand Tray Options for Sandtray Kits

Round Sand Tray

For therapists on a shoestring budget, 14” plastic blue plant saucers are surprisingly effective for a budget sand tray option. You can also find up to 22” terracotta colored saucers for a more natural color for your sand tray.

Considerations and Tips:

Smaller lip may cause spillage and have less depth for burying objects or making mountains.
Economical for multi-tray sessions like in groups or with families
Ideal for small-scale sandtray work
Limited color options - usually a darker blue or you can also find clear or earth color options
Look for smooth bottoms on the saucers so clients can make lakes without it having ridges

If you are looking at a serving tray, make sure it doesn’t have handle holes around the lip.

Rectangle Sand Trays

Rectangle trays mirror the more “classic” sandtray setup. You can find these trays anywhere from more standard size to smaller and more portable.

Smaller Trays:

Serving Trays - these trays come in at 15 inches x 10 inches with four differing shades and are easy to stack and store!
Deep Trays - these trays come in a multipack and would also be a great option for groups and at around 13 x 10 inches and 3 inches deep they are ideal for trays that you would want more depth for burying or messy play.

Considerations and Tips:

Consider if you will store the sand inside the tray or another container
Smaller trays can be excellent for groups or family trays
Are often a better option if you want to change out the sand and offer multiple colors for trays

Larger Trays:

Under Bed Tote - if you have some space under a couch or below a coffee table this option is great! It offers a closer to standard sized tray with a deeper lip at 6 inches allowing opportunities for burying sandtray miniatures and objects. The downfall is most under bed totes are clear without a blue bottom or sides. An alternative is to have a blue piece of fabric or colored paper you place under the tray.

Considerations and Tips:

You will need to measure to make sure your office can store a larger tray.
Oftentimes these size trays will fit nicely under a couch or on the bottom shelf of a coffee table.
The lids allow for containment when the sand tray is not in use.

Double Decker Sand Tray Kits

Double Decker Sand Trays are hands down my favorite sand tray for portability and the exact ones I used to create my Sandtray Kits.

They are ideal for storing the miniatures on top and the sand on the bottom. These sand trays are also extremely portable and you can easily take them from location to location. Check out my full sand tray miniature list for ideas if you are building your own portable sand tray kit or for inspiration for your collection!

You can also find them in a multi-pack if you are making multiple sandtray kits.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re starting a new sand tray practice or expanding an existing one, these low-cost sand tray kits for play therapy make tactile, expressive therapy more accessible. They allow you to start out small without high levels of commitment and to create a sandtray kit that is portable and easy to store!

Take Your Sandtray Practice to the Next Level

If you’re ready to move beyond getting your supplies together, my Creating Worlds: Introduction to Sandtray Play Therapy Course is designed to guide you step-by-step from setup to confident implementation. You’ll learn how to select the right sand tray for your practice, choose miniatures that support real emotional expression, and structure sessions that get results—whether you’re in-office, traveling between schools, or running group and family sessions.

Inside the course, you’ll get:

Hands-on strategies for creating engaging sandtray sessions
Guidance on building portable kits and multi-tray setups
A complete framework for integrating sandtray into your existing practice
Printable handouts, checklists, and planning tools to make setup simple

This isn’t just about buying the supplies —it’s about knowing how to use them with intention so your clients can process, express, and grow.

Ready to start? Join hundreds of therapists who have transformed their practice with sandtray therapy through this course. Enroll in Creating Worlds: Introduction to Sandtray Play Therapy Course Today!