If you’ve got a winter getaway planned or are lucky enough to live somewhere warm and just want to take advantage of the few remaining beach days before the holidays get here, now can be a perfect time to go! The beaches probably won’t be quite as busy, meaning it’s an optimum time to go. Uncrowded beaches allow you to keep a better eye on your children while still letting them roam a bit, and it’s much easier to relax when you don’t have to fight for space on the sand! And with all that extra room, there’s much more space to play games and be together as a family. Here are my three top tips for keeping your kids safe and having fun during your next beach outing.
Pack Healthy Food
One often overlooked thing to pack when planning a seaside visit is a good selection of things to eat and drink. It’s very common for kids and adults alike to get dehydrated at the beach, so protect from this by packing hydrating beverages that your kids will actually want to drink such as flavoured water, sports drinks, or if you’re feeling extra festive, some coconut water or pineapple juice. Don’t forget to pack healthy snacks such as granola bars, fruit, and vegetables. Try not to bring things like sauces which could get sandy.
If you’re planning on spending the whole day at the beach, get your child involved with packing a healthy lunch before you go. There are some great classic meals you could pack like sandwiches and chips, or you can make something more out-of-the-box like a pesto pasta salad or taco salad with tortilla chips.
Safety First
There are lots of things to think about when it comes to keeping your children safe at the beach. Obviously your child should always be wearing and applying sunscreen throughout the day, but some other great ways to protect your child’s skin from the sun include one piece bathing suits, swim shirts, and hats. These will protect large areas of sensitive skin so that it’s quicker for you to reapply sunscreen throughout the day, and they are less likely to be burnt by the sun’s harmful rays. If your child is older, there are many great juniors one piece swimsuits out there for them too.
Always keep your children within arm’s reach, especially if they are young or aren’t strong swimmers. Choose your swimming areas carefully, watch out for tall waves or strong ocean currents and try to pick a swimming area that is close to a lifeguard stand, but don’t rely on the lifeguard to watch your children for you.
Another thing I always make sure to do before heading out for the day is check the news or my phone for weather updates, especially if you live in a place with abrupt weather changes. All it takes is one lightning storm to send you packing everything up again and heading home, and the strong currents and waves during bad weather days can be extremely dangerous to play in, so be prepared ahead of time just in case!
Plan Games
There are many traditional games that you can play with your children at the beach such as flying a kite, playing beach volleyball, and building sandcastles together. But what about playing some more active games that will get your children learning something new? A beach treasure hunt is a great idea for both young kids and old. The little ones can learn new words by having them look for crabs and shells while the older children can help point out different species of birds. Help your toddler practice their counting skills by holding their hands as they jump over waves and number each one that goes by. This is a fun way for them to improve upon new skills and tire them out for their naps later!
Of course, there seems to be an almost never ending number of things to do when taking your kids to the beach, there are even beaches you can camp at overnight and ones where you are allowed to make fires and have a BBQ! But if you’re just making a quick day trip to the beach soon my tips are great ways to really enjoy the little bit of heat we have left! What are your most important beach tips when it comes to kids, or just when it comes to relaxing by yourself?
Disclosure: This is a collaborative guest post.