Dig this! Lake Grove parents launch mobile sandbox for kids

Two Lake Grove parents are turning their love of play, and their desire to build something of their own, into a new mobile business where kids can dig, build and use their imaginations.

Brianna and Danny D’Amato recently launched Little Groundbreakers, a mobile children’s play space centered around a giant sandbox filled with construction-themed toys and sensory-play activities.

The couple, parents to Ray, 4, and Hailey, 3, had talked about starting a business for some time.

“We’ve always wanted to start a business and do something,” Brianna said. “We just like when the kids have fun.”

Danny initially envisioned a larger brick-and-mortar children’s space, but after looking into the cost of leasing a location, the couple decided to think smaller — and mobile.

“We looked at places to rent, and the prices are crazy for us. I don’t think it’s going to work,” Brianna said. “Then, like a week later, we were kind of like, ‘Let’s do it on a smaller scale.'”

They purchased a trailer and, within about two months, transformed it into Little Groundbreakers.

The result is essentially a giant sandbox on wheels, filled with shovels, Tonka trucks, building blocks, toy cinder blocks, wood and other materials that encourage kids to create their own play.

“It’s basically a giant sandbox for kids to dig and have some sensory play,” Brianna said. “Use their imagination. They can build with toy cinder blocks and wood.”

The D’Amatos also wanted to create an experience that was engaging without becoming overwhelming.

“I just feel like it’s a good sensory experience,” Brianna said. “We want it to be also not too stimulating. You know, some of the places get a little crazy.”

And, like many parents, they liked the idea of giving kids another reason to put down their screens.

“This is kind of just like another way to keep them off the screens and to have some fun,” she said.

The construction theme comes naturally for Danny, who has worked in the industry for more than a decade and grew up around heavy equipment. He previously operated an excavator, while his father also worked with heavy machinery.

“I grew up around heavy machinery,” Danny said. “I’ve always had Tonka toys my whole life.”

The couple did much of the work on the trailer themselves. When they brought it home, the interior was essentially plywood.

They sanded, primed and painted it before building out the sandbox and adding shelving, toys and decorations. A friend handled the electrical work.

For about four weeks, Brianna and Danny worked on the project around their regular jobs and family responsibilities.

“I would do it during the day and then I go to work at 3, and he gets home at 2:30 and we would swap and he would take over for the night,” Brianna said. “We did it for four weeks straight. There was probably like three days we didn’t work.”

Now they’re ready to take Little Groundbreakers on the road.

The D’Amatos plan to bring the trailer to children’s birthday parties at homes and other locations, staying throughout the event and handling cleanup afterward.

They also hope to make appearances at festivals, block parties and community events.

“I really want to do block parties,” Brianna said. “I feel like that’d be a lot of fun.”

Little Groundbreakers is expected to make an appearance at the Oyster Jamboree and Frolic in Port Jefferson this weekend, giving families a chance to check out the new concept.

“I think the festivals will be the best way to get eyes on us,” Brianna said, adding that birthday parties and other private events will remain the business’s primary focus.

The couple said they’re already thinking about additional features they can add to the mobile play space as the business grows.

For the D’Amatos, though, the goal goes beyond starting their first business. They want to create the kind of childhood experience families remember.

“We’re just a small local business and we put our hearts into it,” Brianna said. “We really want to make a lasting memory on the people that hire us.”

Danny believes the concept itself is pretty hard for a kid to resist.

“I just think that if you show your kid this and if they don’t freak out wanting to do it, there’s no way,” he said. “Kids love playing in sand. They love digging.”

For more information about Little Groundbreakers, visit its website or follow the business on social media.

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Photos by Julianne Mosher