With the summer weather, brings outdoor adventures. The beach is a classic family summer destination. Whether you are on holiday in a tropical oasis, or a local beach, you want to be prepared when going to the beach with a toddler. Here are my top 15 must have items to pack when going to the beach with a toddler.
- Sunscreen
- Sun Hat
- Sun Shirt and/or Swim Suit
- Beach Tent/Sun Shelter
- Beach Blanket
- Water Bottle(s)
- Snacks
- Water Shoes
- Beach Toys
- Suitable Life Vest
- Hooded Wearable Towel
- Portable Travel Pool
- Swim Diaper
- Wet Bag
- Large Beach Bag/Wagon
Sunscreen
Skin care is important for someone of any age, but children’s skin is especially susceptible to damage caused by the sun. An spf appropriate sunscreen is a must, which is why it tops our list as the most important item to bring to the beach with a toddler.
Toddlers should be using a high SPF sunscreen that is also waterproof. There are many brands that make child or baby specific sunscreen which offer protection against the sun, without the harmful additives normally found in adult products. It’s best to pay a little more for these products, rather than risk skin irritation.
Sunscreen should be applied to all exposed skin prior to being in the sun, as well as periodically throughout your time at the beach, especially if your little one has gone in the water at all.
I carry my sunscreen bottle(s) in a ziplock baggie, so they don’t accidentally leak inside my beach bag.
Sun Hat
The sun’s harmful rays can also penetrate through the hair and burn the top of the head. By wearing a sun hat with proper UVB/UVA protection while in the sun, your toddlers head is protected.
Along with protecting the top of the head, a wide brimmed hat will also give the neck, ears and face protection from the sun. A hat with a chin strap will help it stay on even while running, rolling and swimming.
Sun Shirt and/or Swim Suit
Whether or not your toddler will be going in the water or not, a swimsuit is a good idea to wear as it offers more sun protection than a normal pair of shorts and shirt. For both boys and girls, a rashguard bodysuit is best. These are available in short sleeve or long sleeve varieties. Any number of patterns and designs can be found, so you’re sure to find one your little one loves.
When choosing a rashguard bodysuit for your toddler, be sure to make sure it is rated for upf 50+.
Beach Tent/Sun Shelter
When spending more than a couple of hours at the beach with a toddler, you will be glad to have some respite from the sun. An easy to set up sun tent will provide just that. There are many different brands and varieties to choose from. Our family uses the LightSpeed Quick Cabana tent. This particular tent we have, has been used all summer for several years now.
Toddlers will most likely spend most of their time in the sand or water, but parents need comfort too. If you prefer to bring lounge chairs to sit in, the LightSpeed tent is high enough to fit chairs under. When kids break for a snack or a drink, they can do so under the tent in the shade. It’s also a great place to reapply sunscreen.
Beach Blanket
If you’re opting to not bring a Beach Tent, you will likely want to bring a beach blanket. Even if the kids don’t use it, it’s a great place to organize your belongings, and secure your beach space. You can keep your towels clean and dry until they are needed, as well as empty the contents of your beach bag.
Our family loves the LightSpeed foldable beach blanket. It is an easily wipe-able material, and I have even thrown ours in the washing machine many times. It folds up into its own neat carrying case with a shoulder strap. We use it not only at the beach, but also when we walk to the park, or in our own backyard.
Water Bottle(s)
We all know hydration is important, especially with a toddler at the beach. Be sure to bring enough water for everyone. Insulated metal bottles work best for the hot weather. They not only keep your water cool in the heat, but are also durable and easy to clean.
Snacks
We all know how grumpy a hungry toddler can be. Don’t forget some easy to serve snacks. They will need something they can eat with potentially sandy hands. Soft food pouches work wonders, and no need to wash their hands off. Pouches can be found in various flavours with fruit, vegetables, grains and yogurt on the ingredient list.
Water Shoes
Although a toddler can walk on a beach barefoot no problem, a pair of water shoes can really help them keep their feet safe. On the beach and in the water, a set of water shoes can protect their soft skin from injury due to stepping on a sharp seashell, and from the burn of hot sand in the sun.
Beach Toys
What fun is the beach with a toddler, without beach toys? Preference in toys will vary based on what each child likes to do. A good beach toy kit should contain a large bucket, and a smaller one or two, along with some shovels.
I usually rotate some other toys in our beach toy bag. One visit we will bring a toy dump truck and bulldozer, and the next we will bring a set of toy dinosaurs. We also usually pack along a small football or other soft rubber ball to throw around if there is room.
Suitable Life Vest
If your toddler is one to wade or swim in the water, an appropriate sized life vest should be worn. Even kids who don’t wade far, can be swept up in waves and pulled from arms reach quickly. There are lots of comfortable life vests available for toddlers, and most have no issues wearing one while playing.
Hooded Wearable Towel
If your toddler likes to swim or splash in the water at all, you will need to bring a towel to dry off with. Sure a normal beach towel works, but a hooded wearable beach towel works better, and is more fun!
A wearable beach towel is one that fits over your toddler like a poncho. It has arm holes and a hood and they come in a variety of patterns and colours. These towels are very convenient when at the beach with a toddler. You can slip one of these towels right over their head when they are done swimming. Kids love the fun designs, and will often want to wear them longer than needed.
Portable Travel Pool
I know what you’re thinking…do I really need to bring a pool to the beach? The answer is yes, but this isn’t the kind of pool you are thinking of. Sometimes at the beach, it’s hard to find a space near the water, or your little one is afraid to wade into the water. All toddlers love playing in water though. A portable travel pool is a small fold up basin that sits on top of the sand. All you need to do is dig a hol e as deep as you want the pool to be. Lay the pool fabric over the hole, and fill it up with water.
The Bbluv Splash is the pool of choice for our toddler while on the beach. It even comes with a foldable bucket and easy carry bag. It’s lightweight, and takes up very little room when folded down. This little pool gives toddlers their own little ocean to play and sit in. Gone are the days where parents would have to continually walk to the water to fill up buckets! After one use, you will wonder why you didn’t find this little pool sooner.
Swim Diaper
If your toddler is not yet toilet trained, or is in the middle of training, you may want to bring some swim diapers. When wet, swim diapers don’t swell like normal diapers or pull ups. It’s not very comfortable to play on the beach wearing a diaper that is heavy and full of sea water.
Wet Bag
Don’t forget something to put wet clothes in for the journey home. You don’t need a designated wet bag, any shopping bag will do. It’s nice to keep all your wet items together, and away from other items you may not want wet.
Large Beach Bag/Wagon
Beach Bag
Depending on how you plan to get to the beach, you will need a way to carry it all there. If the beach is walking distance, perhaps you want a wagon in which to carry everything in. If you are driving to the beach, a beach bag will suffice.
A good sized beach bag is a must. You want something big enough to fit all your personal items mentioned above into one bag. It also needs to be made of something that is easily washable, whether by hand or in the washing machine. It will get dirty and wet. Don’t bring a bag to the beach that you don’t want to risk getting dirty.
Wagon
If you are walking to the beach, maybe a wagon is more to your liking. A great wagon is easy to pull, with front wheels that offer easy navigation on any terrain. A long enough handle that it doesn’t run into your heels while pulling. It should be easy to store, so fold-able or collapsible is best.
It’s a good idea to pack all your things into a beach bag and then put it into the wagon, as there is a high chance that your toddler wants to ride in the wagon, in which case you will be carrying all your things anyway!
Some wagons, like the Radio Flyer, offer a sun shade, which is great for when the little ones want to ride. This particular model can also be used as a bench seat so snacks can be enjoyed up out of the dirt.
Our wagon of choice for beach going is the Mac Sports brand. It has wheels built for rougher terrain, which makes the job of pulling it much easier. It doesn’t come with all the gimmicks of the flashy Radio Flyer, but for us ease of use won over the gimmicks. It also folds down for easier storage and transport.
Your next beach trip is sure to be a hit!
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