5 Must Have Items at the Beach with Kids
When heading out to the beach with kids, I try to keep a minimalist approach. Look at this picture – these people brought one blanket and three kids (ok there is no way I can go with only a beach blanket, plus there is no way I am ever laying down at the beach with sandy kids on me- haha!) But seriously, heading to the beach doesn’t mean you have to lug a ton of stuff. The children have the water and the sand to play with, what more do they need? I try to keep a minimalist approach when going to the beach with children. Here are my 5 must have items at the beach with kids (affiliate links):
- Sun Protection – Of course, sunscreen is a must have for safety reasons and for comfort reasons. No one wants to deal with a sunburned child at the end of a long day at the beach. Ouch! (Speaking of ouch, I do usually bring a few band aids. For some reason, my kids always cut their feet on something). If you are feeling rich, buy the spray sunscreen it is so much easier but just expensive. We have also found that you need regular lotion sunscreen for the face – the sticks or the spray will not work as well. I highly recommend sunglasses for yourself to keep and eye on the kids and for younger kids. When my children were very little, infancy through preschool, their eyes seem to be more sensitive to the sun.
- Beach towels – one towel for every kid. We prefer the ones that are not too huge and lightweight. The heavy ones take too long to dry out in between each use. If you have a baby, then a beach blanket is nice to have. The smaller the better. If you bring one that is too huge, it is too hard to keep it flat on the sand. And too big also means everyone trips over it.
- Snacks or lunch (see previous post)
- Sand Toys – Through the years, I have been carrying this giant bag of sand toys. I think I might even hoard sand toys. Finally, I have realized there is absolutely no need to do this. All you need to bring is a few good quality hand shovels, one large bucket, one small bucket and a few large shovels. And I mean the bigger toy shovels that are perfect for digging huge holes in the sand.
5. Other beach toys – Water balls, water football and Paddle Ball.
Come back tomorrow for 5 Things I am Not Taking to the Beach with Kids.
As a mother of six, I know how hard it can be to take the kids on outings. Whether it be to the beach, the park, camping or the playground, when the kids are young it can be a workout to go anywhere. When you get home from the outing, the kids are tired and you are wiped. Stay tuned from some great freebies to allow you to unwind and for the kids to stay entertained without having to rely on tv, tablets or phones.
