What should I take to the beach on a vacation with young children?
Ahh, sweet summertime is finally here! This year, my family took our first ever family trip to the beach and it was SO FUN…and also, full of teachable moments (ha, hello teacher lingo!). So, while this isn’t necessarily related to teaching, I know there are plenty of teacher mamas out there that are also on that summer grind so here we go! Let me know if you’d add anything to the list!
My Favorite Beach Must Haves for Families with Preschoolers and Toddlers
I have one toddler and one preschooler, so keep that in mind with these recommendations. However, they were also enjoyed by all of the adults on the trip so…I think they work for all ages. Here are my must-haves (followed by a few should-haves):
Beach Blanket, under $10 on Amazon
One of my top two must haves!! This blanket folds up SO small, is waterproof and sand-proof, and comes with stakes to secure the corners in the sand. We saw a LOT of Pinterest strategies on the beach (fitted sheet with stuff securing the corners, towels, fancier tent contraptions, etc), but this was my favorite. It was so cheap that I didn’t feel like I needed to watch it with hawk eyes to make sure it didn’t get taken or messed up. It was also comfortable and big enough that all of the adults opted to not even worry about beach chairs because we could just sit on this. I LOVED it.
Mesh Laundry Bag, under $7 on Amazon
This was not my most stylish beach accessories but I fully embrace my #MomEra. I definitely saw this hack on Pinterest and it didn’t disappoint. I threw all of their toys, towels, WHATEVER, in this bag and gave it a good shake and was able to leave a majority of the sand AT the beach. Similarly to the blanket, I wasn’t worried about this getting lost or messed up so it was another thing I didn’t have to stress about. It also gave the toys room to breathe and dry on the deck without a full unload. 10/10.
Sand Castle Supplies and Buckets, under $15 on Amazon
Synonymous with a beach vacay are buckets and shovels and I can totally see why. These were used for shell collection, water transportation, sand castle building, and more. I wasn’t sure if the kids would get bored with this set, but they totally didn’t! These were always the toys the kids reached for first and were super cheap.
Kid Rash Guards, Mom Rash Guards, Mom Swim Shorts, under $30 on Amazon
Clothing can make or break any vacation, but especially one involving water.
For the Mom: I have FINALLY found my favorite combination for momming around water: your favorite supportive bikini (read: water bra and panties, haha), a long sleeve rash guard (so you don’t have to find someone to help you with sunscreen on your back - the worst), and these swim shorts that have biker shorts underneath (no accidental flashing or weird water wing hips). I was SO comfortable in these on the beach and at the pool.
For the Kids: We are all about the long sleeve rash guards in our family! I have bought them at Walmart, Target, and Amazon but haven’t noticed a huge difference. My one thing I would have done differently is to get a more water-safe color for my son. Experts recommend staying away from blues, whites, and grays when around water because it is hard to see them in water safety moments.
Wagon, under $100 on Amazon
Ah, my sweet saving wagon. This thing was a last minute purchase at Walmart a couple days before we left for the trip and it SAVED us. We used it to get through the airport (YES, you can gate check them and take them through security!!), unload the car, go to the grocery store, get up and down the boardwalk, and SO much more. It created a safe space for my easily-overstimulated kids and was just perfect. (I didn’t really research wagons so there might be a better one out there but this one worked great so I’d recommend it!)
**Note: Some Walmarts carry this wagon in store for a better price so make sure to check your local store!
Things I Wish I Would Have Taken on the Beach Vacation
Waterproof Bag for Phone and Towels, under $100 on Amazon
Remember how I mentioned those teachable moments? The first came about an hour into the trip when my phone fell out of my back pocket and into the Pacific Ocean…never to return. Yep. Oops. In that moment (and the rest of the trip when I had a replacement phone I was even more protective of), I wish I would’ve had some sort of waterproof bag to store stuff I didn’t want sand or water to get to. My brother-in-law is big into kayaking and swears by these bags (as did the many surfing instructors I happily watched during our stay), so I thought it should be represented on the list.
Cooler, under $30 on Amazon
Our hotel was located on the beach so whenever we needed lunch or snacks, we were typically ready for the quick walk back to the room for a break. However, if my kiddos were older and could handle longer stints at the beach and/or my hotel was farther away, I definitely would have wanted a cooler for drinks and snacks. This one has great reviews and I love that it is backpack style!
Sun Shade, under $100 on Amazon
Our beach trip was to Pacific Beach, California during “June Gloom” (as the locals called it), so we had very few moments of bright sun or temps over 75 degrees. For that reason, we didn’t bring a sun shade and just used hats and sunscreen as needed. However, with kiddos if the temperature is going to be over 80 or you plan to be at the beach longer than an hour or two, I would definitely recommend looking into some shade options to prevent the burns and grumps. Here is the one my brother-in-law recommends!
Overall, we had SUCH a fun trip just seeing the kiddoes experience the beach for the first time. A few other things we loved that weren’t included on the list that I’d recommend buying on location due to packing struggles: kites, pool noodles/boogie boards, and bags or bins to store shells.
These are just a few of my beach must haves - what would you add to the list?
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