Today I have a guest post all about one of my favourite things – family beach days! We live in Swansea which is right on the South Wales coast so we are no strangers to a day out on the beach. Family trips to the seaside do differ massively to the days we used to spend on the beach kid free, there is a lot less reading on a sun lounger and much more sand castle building and jumping over waves in the shallows. The logistics of taking kids to the beach can feel a bit overwhelming but you can have fun by the sea with kids, you just need to prepare. This post is full of really useful tips and will hopefully help you to feel more confident about going on your next family day out to the seaside.
How to make a family beach trip less stressful
A trip to the seaside to enjoy the sunshine is a perfect way to spend a summer’s day. However, with the kids in tow, a day at the beach can quickly turn into a logistical nightmare, and things can get pretty stressful. If you think back to your childhood, some of your best memories were probably family days out at the beach, making sandcastles and splashing around in the sea.
Trips to the beach with the kids can still be a lot of fun; they just require a little more planning.
Those carefree days of relaxing on the sand and getting stuck into the latest paperback from your favourite author may feel like a distant memory. A family visit to the seaside may be far from relaxing, but you can make it a lot of fun. Here are some suggestions to help you feel a little less frazzled on a trip to the beach with the kids:
Get Ready Early
On a hot day, the beach can quickly fill up with people in search of a day out in the sunshine. Make sure that you arrive early to avoid driving round and round in search of a parking space, while the kids get impatient in the back.
Apply the first layer of sun protection of the day before you get on the sand. Chasing around after speedy toddlers with a bottle of sunscreen is a recipe for disaster; firstly, it’s totally exhausting, and secondly, they’ll end up as a streaky, sandy mess. Later applications throughout the day should get easier once they’re past the initial excitement of being at the beach.
Try to get everyone who’s toilet-trained to go to the loo before they leave the house; this will help prevent any potty-related mishaps when you arrive at the seaside.
Keep Them Covered
Once the sunscreen is on, don’t forget added protection to ensure the kids stay protected from the sun. If you’re looking for girls and boys swimwear it’s a good idea to look for styles that include a level of UV protection within the material to help provide some extra defence from the sun.
Make sure you pack sunhats so the sun is kept off their heads, out of their eyes, and the back of their necks are protected as well.
Be Prepared
Keeping everyone safe and healthy while they have fun is the most important task at the beach. Make sure that your kids stay with you at all times so that they can’t wander off.
Bring along a shade so that the kids can have some time out from being in the sun at regular intervals. It helps to bring plenty of toys that can be played on the sand so that they aren’t bored while they’re cooling off in the shade.
Don’t forget to pack water to keep everyone hydrated. Bringing fruit and veggies as snacks on can help, due to their high water content.
Lastly, don’t forget to enjoy making memories that will last a lifetime.
Do you have any more tips to add? We love a beach day with the kids but it definitely does take preparation and organisation if you want to have a stress free day.