Little Diggers, the Nation's Premier Indoor Sandbox Playspace, Expands to 50+ Signed Franchise Locations Nationwide

Founded in Dublin, Ohio in 2023 by Zach and Hannah Bowers, Little Diggers offers 1,200 square feet of sandbox space filled with more than 200 toys, trucks, and excavators, including the brand's custom-designed Sand Stacker. Since opening, the company has served more than 100,000 kids and built a following of more than 130,000 across social media platforms.

"There's something special about getting lost in playtime. And for our kids, it's never taken more than trucks and a pile of dirt (or sand)," said Founder Zach Bowers. "We created Little Diggers for children to enjoy an immersive, hands-on play experience that excites both their senses and imagination."

Little Diggers is built on a simple premise: Childhood overstimulation isn't a kid problem, it's an environment problem, one that's often bright, loud, and crowded. The company's answer is something both simple and complex: sand, paired with an environment designed to help kids slow down and focus.

Zach, a former fintech CTO, applied lean startup principles from the tech world to scale Little Diggers' brick-and-mortar growth. Outside of the business, he is a father who believes in giving kids the opportunity for hands-on play in an increasingly digital world.

The company sources sand from the Bahamas that is silica-free, non-toxic, and bio-renewable, and offers coffee, including nitro cold and hot brew options, for visiting parents.

Since launching its franchising arm in 2025, Little Diggers has received thousands of franchise inquiries from all 50 states and more than 85 countries. The company currently has more than 50 signed franchises, with locations across Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.

Little Diggers has collaborated with Handyman Hal, Sherri Dusty Rinker, and Paramount around the recent release of Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie.

The company states that hands-on, slow and focused play can help raise problem solvers, thinkers, innovators, and world changers.