Sun, surf, sand – it seems idyllic right? Now add hot, tired, hungry kids and that perfect beach trip can easily end in tears.
But don’t despair, it’s not all bad news. If you go out fully prepared for that next major meltdown, your beach getaway can be smooth sailing (see what we did there?).
Here’s what you should pack when you’re visiting the beach with your kids:
- Snacks
Yes, we put this first. Nothing ruins a beach escape like a whining child. And besides needing some sleep – which can be done on the sand or, even better, in the car (now that is a holiday!) – kids are usually whining because they are hungry (they’re most likely bored, but we’ll get to that later). So, get some goodness into them – STAT! Oh, and pack some water bottles, they’ll need to wash down those ice creams you’re going to buy them later.
- Shade
There’s nothing like dragging the fam to the beach to find that the sand is searing hot and you feel like you’re sitting on the surface of the sun. A big beach umbrella or pop-up tent works great for those snoozy bubs just needing some space away from the summer crowds.
- Sunscreen
This is a must Down Under. And we don’t mean your nether regions (cheeky!). That pesky hole in the ozone means you’ll go from seashell to crab in minutes, so make sure to lather up 20 minutes before swimming and throughout the day. Zinc is also great to protect kids’ faces and it looks super cute too (you’ll just have to catch them first!). And on that note, chuck in some rashies and hats. You can never be too sun safe.
- Change of clothes
Don’t think that just because you are going to the beach, you need to have your kids in their togs all day. Something always happens – they spill their ice cream, they’re too cold, they don’t like their chosen swimmers anymore, the little one wets themselves (or has a dreaded poo-splosion) – the list goes on. Pop in a change of clothes and nappies for the littlies, and you’re sorted for the day. Plus, they’ll stay dry. Your car will thank you.
- Towels – and lots of them
Ok, we might be biased on this one, but having a range of towels at your disposal means you can sit on one towel and wrap the kiddo up in another. And if any accidents occur – a spilt drink or a wee – an extra dry towel is great to have on hand.
- Toys
Ahh the beach toys. There’s just so many of them! Buckets, spades, rakes, floaties, boogie boards, balls, rubber duckies, snappy crocodiles (No? Must just be our kids then). Pack ALL. THE. THINGS – they’ll inevitably get bored, and you’ll end up back at number 1.
