We just got home from a week-long beach vacation with friends. I am working on a post with a full list of all of my Tips For Taking Toddlers To The Beach, but for now, I want to share some specific items that made our week much easier.
Some of these may seem simple but they have become our essential items for a better beach day with kids
A small spray bottle filled with water
Summer days can be sweltering and little bodies can overheat so quickly. Some kids love splashing in the water. Other kids, especially those new to the beach, may not be so quick to jump in.
I have been stashing a small spray bottle of water in my diaper bag every summer. It has come in handy more times than I can count. It is a great way to cool little ones (or yourself) down quickly without forcing any unwilling individuals into the waves.
Insulated water bottles filled with ice
There is nothing like an ice-cold drink to help cool you down in the scorching sun. Joel and I converted to insulated water bottles a few years ago and have never looked back.
Given that I was hearing Colton say “mommy, no more ice in my wawa,” ten times a day, I thought it was time to get the boys their own insulated bottles.
They have been a game changer. We have only had them for a week and I’m already considering replacing all of their cups.
I filled the insulated bottles with ice and some water. The ice stayed put all day, and I just brought an extra regular bottle of water to refill their new bottles as necessary. The boys had cold water the entire day and gone were the pleas for more ice.
Ziploc bags
- Phone protection
- All the parents we were traveling with knew this convenient beach hack. Just pop your phone in a “>Ziploc bag and boom! You will be able to use your phone while keeping it protected from sand, water, sunscreen, and sticky- ice cream hands.
- Individual portions
- We also used Ziploc bags to carry snacks every day instead of buying marked-up individual bags. You can portion control, mix and match, and even reuse these bags for the following day’s snack.
- Makeshift ice pack
- If you forgot your reusable ice pack at home, toss some ice in a Ziploc bag and you will be able to keep your cold stuff, cold.
Baby powder for sand removal
If you take only one thing from this post, please let it be this!
Our friend showed me this trick last year. Beach days have become so much easier ever since.
Sand has a stubborn ability to stick to everything! Enter baby powder. Sprinkle it on your little one’s hands, feet, groin, or anywhere sand is stuck and rub away with a towel.
The baby powder will absorb the moisture and the sand will fall away. This trick works like magic and is my favorite of all the items for a better beach day with kids.
Inflatable kiddie pool
My mother-in-law has been bringing a small inflatable kiddie pool to the beach for several years. We decided to buy one for our beach week with friends and it was a hit as usual.
It is an easy way to keep kiddos cool without bringing them down to the water. We inflated it the first day and tossed it over our beach cart. The kids had fun filling it with water, playing with their toys, and rinsing their hands and feet.
If you only have one child, the small size should be sufficient. If you have a group of children, I recommend, a slightly larger size to allow more room for play (this is what we have).
It is also perfect for the newer beachgoers who are hesitant about the sand and waves. Our little guy camped out in the pool all day, every day.
Plastic Food Containers
The same mom who taught me the baby powder hack brought a few plastic containers to the beach house.
I have always relied on plastic wrap or foil but these lightweight plastic containers were the perfect solution to prevent our sandwiches from getting smushed or soggy.
They also made it easier to bring salads and other types of leftovers to the beach.
Mesh Beach Mat
As I mentioned before I really dislike the feeling of sand sticking to everything.
This CGear beach mat has layers of mesh that let sand fall through. It was so nice to sit on this mat, and not have sand stick to me!
Other reviewers mentioned that it doesn’t do as well with wet sand. I will agree with that. Wet sand can kind of get caught in the layers. That being said this is still absolutely my new beach essential.
It also really helped with diaper changes. It is so easy for sand to get onto baby’s bottom. I simply lay a towel on top of this mat, and I truly had sand-free diaper changes!
We will be at the beach for another week later this summer and these seven items for a better beach day with kids will all be coming with us! I hope you found some new beach tips here.
Update: If you’re looking for a full list of Tips For Taking Toddlers To The Beach check it out here!
