Recently I broke free from the Arizona heat and made the trip to to the west coast to lounge on the beach. (More like stop my daughter from eating every grain of sand on the shore.) The beach can often seem like a daunting task when it comes to having babies or toddlers but with these few tips, you too can go to the beach and enjoy!
1. SUNSCREEN– I feel like this is a given. Sunscreen is so important when your kids are literally porcelain like my daughter is. I am not the biggest fan of the ingredients found in most sunscreens; there are some great tips including some DIY recipes on toxin free sunscreens here, and my personal favorite which you can pick up online or at Target is California Baby. And don’t forget that even if it’s cloudy and overcast you should reapply every hour or so. Another little tip to avoid sunburns is to buy long sleeve rash guards.
2. SNACKS– Even if you are planning on going out to lunch when you are on the beach you should pack snacks. We made the mistake of not putting things into small Ziplock bags and the little toddler hands got sand everywhere inside the chip bags. The smartest thing we packed were Uncrustables. The kids loved them and ate them every few hours. Just make sure you have them eat over a towel or somewhere with no sand just in case they drop them.
3. INVEST IN A BEACH TENT– This is probably the smartest investment we made. You can find them on Amazon. Just make sure you get one with open windows, other wise the wind will try to blow it away! If you have kids that take naps while at the beach, this is the perfect place to snooze a little. Help your littles dust off their feet before coming in so it isn’t completely filled with sand.
4. CHEAP SAND TOYS– I emphasize the word CHEAP. My daughter loved the sand toys; she played with them literally all day but a few were lost to the sea or buried deep down to never be found again. Cheap toys are the best.
5. HAVE FUN– I think as moms we get so caught up in how everyone else is doing that we can forget to have fun ourselves. Do what you like to do at the beach too! If you are there with your SO, take turns with the kiddos so you can swim, boogie board, tan, whatever you think of! Or read or take a nap yourself.
The beach is the best and can really be relaxing and enjoyable, even with babes! HAVE FUN!
I love the long sleeve rash guards! I wish I could find more in adult size. And 99 cent store toys are the best especially if you are traveling out of state and don’t want to have to haul the toys back to your house.