"Mate, I don't know where it came from but we were battling with the shade with Maddison," he told the Herald.
"A week or two before I thought of it I'd just sold an old tent and I thought 'oh s**t I could have used that!' So I went along to the Warehouse and, $20 later ... boom!"
Hooper says he got the sand from a local quarry and topped up the rest from Mitre 10.
The idea allows for shade from three angles as well as allowing a gentle breeze for air ventilation.
Hooper said it's a whole lot better than the clamshell sandpits that are sold.
"We'd battled with the big plastic blue clamshells. You put one on top of the other but it kept on leaking. The shade was an issue and the beach umbrella wasn't really doing the trick.
"But this idea kicks the goals. You have the open door facing south so you don't get any direct sun ad a bit of breeze rolling in, and a bit of shade and you're good to go.
"It pissed down the other night and the sand didn't get wet at all so she's good as gold."
My latest brain wave. The sand tent. Shade from sun. Zip up and it’s weather proof and cats can’t leave any presents. 💩
Posted by Hoops on Air on Monday, 18 November 2019
And the best thing about it? No nasty surprises from animals, Hooper says.
"The best thing about it is the neighbourhood cats can't get in and leave any presents which the dog likes very much so didn't need him in there digging for cat presents.
"Maddison loves it. Typical 3-year-old. She's happily in there playing away on a nice day."
Fellow Kiwis have taken to Hooper's Radio Facebook page praising the idea with one describing the hack as a "game-changer".
"Wow what a great idea! This is a game-changer this summer," one person said.
Another wrote: "Patent it now! Get a logo made on the side of the tent and way she goes!"
Hooper says the tents are just $20.
