Do you have any beach hacks & tips for families?
A day at the beach with kids usually means at least some planning, and lugging a ton of stuff for the beach, to make sure you’ll have everything you need to be comfortable and have fun.
But there are ways to make a family beach day easier!
What are some beach hacks or tips you’ve picked up that make the planning, packing and day at the beach go just a little bit smoother for your family?
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I use old flat bed sheets as beach blankets. I always pack icy cold water bottles and ice packs in insulated bags with fresh fruit and snacks. In my beach bag, I always keep kids sand/water toys, hand sanitizer, sunscreen, hand soap, hair ties, lotion, band aids/emergency kit, napkins, tissues and bug spray. Don't forget beach towels, sunglasses and spare swimsuits!
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If you can find beach chairs with straps for carrying on your back, it makes the trip to and from the car so much easier!
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One word: Bogg Bag. Splurge on the real thing. Washes easy, easy to carry, fits so much stuff and has great add-ons (bags, cup holders, etc).
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Yes! And the structured shape makes it work well for so many other uses. We like to bring it on road trips to keep things contained but still accessible.
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Baby powder lives in my beach bag — easiest way to get sand off skin. One would think it would just brush off dry skin, but that’s never the case. With baby powder, problem solved. Game changer.
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I can’t believe I’ve never heard of this - I can’t wait to try it next week at the beach!
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Put on sunscreen before you go to the beach. The last thing kids want to do when they finally get there is to hold still for sunscreen. It's not pleasant to apply on sandy skin, and it needs time to soak in before they go swimming. You'll need to reapply, most likely, but at least the first time will be out of the way.
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Go early in the morning or in the late afternoon, avoiding the hottest part of the day with the most potential for sunburns.
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Store your beach toys in a mesh bag so the sand can filter out.
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I’ve also seen some ingenious parents use those collapsible mesh kids laundry baskets for sand toys. We got one for that purpose at Daiso, but while it was awesome for trucking around a bunch of toys due to its ample size, it was not quite sturdy enough to hold up for longer than a few beach trips with the weight of all our toys. A heavier duty basket would have done the trick, I think.
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- 07/03/2025 - (edited)Anonymous
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Bring a garbage bag! Better yet, always keep one in the car as a back up. This is something I often forget to pack and always regret it when I do. They are handy for discarding your own trash throughout the day, of course, but my kids also love bringing our “grabbers” for impromptu beach clean ups, too.
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We keep an old plastic milk jug or two filled with water in the trunk of our car for a last clean up in the parking lot before we all get into the car to head home. Beware, though! Some milk jug tops are stronger than others so reuse ones that are less likely to pop off and spill all over your trunk.
