Many individuals delight in the extended summer days, lounging on the warm sand while the rhythmic sound of waves crashing on the shore serenades them.
A trip to the beach on a sunny summer day offers hours of enjoyment and relaxation, with numerous activities to savor while basking in the outdoors.
One challenge of a beach outing is hauling all your heavy equipment. To reduce muscle strain, a beach cart can assist in transporting your belongings from the car to the sand effortlessly.
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Before embarking on your ideal summer beach day, ensure you pack these essential items.
- A cooler filled with beverages and snacks
- Infant cabana
- Generous amounts of sunscreen
- UV wristbands or stickers
- Sunglasses and hats
- A fitted sheet for a sand-free area
- Portable fan
- Hooded towels
- Buckets and shovels for sandcastle creations
- Games
- A comfortable seat for parents (plus a small chair for the little ones)
- Bag for wet clothes
- First-aid kit
- A beach cart
- A speaker and a fun beach playlist
When you’re heading to the beach with young ones, remember to pack these essentials for a stress-free experience. (iStock)
1. A cooler filled with beverages and snacks
Ensure you have ample drinks and snacks to last all day at the beach.
Pack easy beach foods like chips and sandwiches, with mini-sandwiches being ideal for snacking throughout the day.
Hydration is important, so don’t forget plenty of water to keep you refreshed under the sun.
2. Infant cabana
Any parent knows that a beach outing with a baby can quickly go awry without proper preparation.
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Infant cabanas alleviate many concerns by offering essential sun protection and a secure space for napping.
They are generally affordable and provide much-needed shade for your child during a warm beach day.
3. A generous supply of sunscreen
Don’t overlook sunscreen for your beach day.
Make sure to have spray, lotion, and face sunscreen packed.
Never underestimate the importance of sunscreen at the beach. Be diligent about reapplying it for both you and your kids throughout the day. (iStock)
If you have lip balm with SPF, toss it in your bag for additional protection.
4. UV wristbands or stickers
Keeps track of sunscreen application on kids can take away from the fun of a beach day for parents.
Various products can help alleviate the stress by signaling when it’s time for a reapply.
UV stickers come in packs, allowing you to easily monitor sunscreen reapplication. Simply place the sticker on and observe the color change when it’s time to reapply.
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These assist in keeping track of when to apply sunscreen to your kids, and you can also use one for yourself to ensure you’re also protected.
5. Sunglasses and hats
Sunglasses and hats offer additional sun protection for both kids and adults.
Bucket hats are a fantastic choice for a day at the beach.
Pack extra pairs of sunglasses and a few hats in your bag in case someone needs one during your outing.
Bucket hats are particularly effective for shade, but any hat, like a baseball cap, will also be beneficial.
6. A fitted sheet for a sand-free area
The ultimate beach hack is to bring a fitted sheet to create a sand-free sitting area. Simply place the fitted sheet upside down on the sand and secure the corners with four objects.
Then, set up a small foot bath filled with ocean water nearby and place a towel beside it.
Create a sand-free space with a fitted sheet for enjoying meals at the beach. (iStock)
After collecting sand on your feet, rinse them in the water bucket, dry them on the towel, and then step onto the fitted sheet, maintaining a sand-free zone.
Whenever someone wants a break from the sand, like during lunch, follow this routine to keep sand out of your sandwich.
7. Portable fan
A beach day can be quite warm.
While a quick dip in the ocean can cool you off, a portable fan is a great addition.
You can find affordable handheld fans on Amazon, some of which even offer a misting feature for added cooling.
This fan will come in handy if you want to cool down without getting soaked.
8. Hooded towels
It can be a challenge to coax kids away from the water when it’s time to leave.
Various hooded towels might help you entice them out.
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Hooded towels come in diverse designs, featuring animals and sea creatures, ensuring you’ll find one your child loves.
9. Buckets and shovels for sandcastle creations
Sand toys can keep little ones entertained for hours.
Bring a bag of sand toys stocked with plenty of shovels and buckets for building sandcastles and other imaginative creations.
Be sure to rinse your toys in the ocean before packing them up to avoid bringing hidden sand along for the ride home.
Bring plenty of shovels and buckets to keep children entertained for hours. (iStock)
10. Beach games
Beach games offer endless family fun.
It could be a game like Spikeball or simply a football or volleyball to toss around. Having different activities will help keep the kids occupied.
A set of waterproof playing cards is also a beach essential for enjoying games without fear of damaging your deck.
11. A comfortable seat for parents (plus a small chair for smaller kids)
While you may not get many chances to relax and tan at the beach while supervising kids, having a comfy beach chair is still essential for those moments of rest.
While kids nap, you can take a breather in your comfortable chair.
Consider getting an adorable beach chair for your child, complete with an umbrella for added shade.
12. Bag for wet clothes
After a day at the beach, you’ll likely end up with a lot of wet gear, which can be cumbersome to transport home without a designated spot for it.
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Make sure to pack a separate bag to put everyone’s wet clothes in after a long day splashing in the water.
When you return home, you can easily toss the contents of the wet clothes bag directly into the wash.
13. First-aid kit
Accidents can occur, so it’s wise to be prepared.
You don’t need anything extravagant — just a basic first-aid kit to manage minor injuries.
If you lack a first-aid kit, simply pack some extra Band-Aids in your bag for emergencies.
If you or your child sustain an injury at the beach, seek assistance from lifeguards available.
14. A beach cart
Transporting all your supplies to the beach can be a hassle, but a beach cart simplifies the process.
A beach cart simplifies the process of transporting items from your car to the sand. (iStock)
While styles may differ, many beach carts resemble small wagons.
You can load everything into these carts and pull them along instead of juggling all your items in your hands, which often leads to dropping things along the way.
15. A speaker and a fun beach playlist
Don’t forget to bring the perfect beach tunes to enjoy throughout the day.
A waterproof speaker is an excellent choice, so you don’t have to worry about any water damage.
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Just be considerate and keep the volume at a reasonable level to avoid disturbing other beachgoers.
Kimber Crandall contributed reporting to this article.
