Whether you’re heading on vacation somewhere tropical with kids (and lets face it, you northerners are probably booking a trip after that snow storm) or you live near the water like we do, planning for a day at the beach can be stressful. Although, booking trips like San Diego whale watching in advance can be very helpful. You want to enjoy yourself but you want to be prepared too. You almost have to be prepared in order to enjoy yourself. Well after MANY a trips to the beach I am excited to share these 4 beach hacks for parents with toddlers!
Beach Tips for Toddlers
Be Prepared for Sand
Be prepared to come home with sandy kids. If you can prepare yourself for that you’re ready for anything (ha-ha). I strip my kids naked at the showers and clean them up but there is still sand EVERYWHERE and I use to stress about the cleanup until I came across “Save Your Seat” disposable car seat & strap covers and I have been hooked ever since!
Buy the Wagon
Strollers are out of the question and kids + the beach = LOTS OF STUFF. Even when I pack the bare minimum it’s still more stuff than I care to carry (or can even realistically handle with grace). We have this Mac Sports Heavy Duty Collapsible Folding All Terrain Utility Beach Wagon and it’s perfect. I put my bags in the back and the girls up front and just wheel them on down!
Don't Go Overboard on the Toys
If I can offer one piece of advice, don’t go over board with beach toys. Cleaning and packing them after the day is done can be a nightmare but it doesn’t have to be with this next hack.
I found a beach bucket randomly at a TJ max a few months ago and I thought it was the most genius thing ever. To the point where I forced them to let me buy it even though all the toys inside were missing. Essentially it’s a carry bucket with holes and a sand sorter as a lid. Inside are some essential beach toys (or whatever you choose to put inside) but what makes it genius is after your day at the beach you load up the bucket with all those sandy toys, put the lid on the bucket and run it through the ocean a few times (or a shower) and seamlessly rinse all the toys off in one swoop.
Bring Shade
Shade! My girls are at the age now (3yo & almost 2yo) where they don’t really need the shade if we’re only there a few hours but any longer than that I always have my Sport-Brella X-Large Umbrella on me. And I’m always having someone around me ask where they can get one because it is SO EASY to open and set up. I take my girls to the beach for playgroups often and when I do this it’s just me and the girls and this thing literally takes 2 minutes to set up. It’s amazing!