As I plan for a trip to the beach in a few weeks I thought I would put together a blog post of our essentials. With 3 kids all under 2 years apart I’ve learned a lot over the past 6 years on how to make a beach/lake trip a lot easier on me! I thought I would share with all of you in hopes you will discover something new.
ESSENTIALS
*words are clickable if there is a product link
Beach Towels: we love target towels for the adults and 5 below towels for the kids
Blanket – I can’t even begin to tell you the awesomeness of this blanket. It’s light and compact. Dries easily. Folds up easily. Has built in sand pockets on the corners to prevent it from blowing away.
Ikea Bag - Best bag ever! I think you can get these at Ikea for a dollar or two but we don’t have one near us. For 12.00 you can get a set of FIVE. Worth every penny. It carries everything we bring to the beach in one bag. It’s also great when traveling and for stores that don’t provide bags for you like Costco, Sam’s club, Aldi’s etc.
Sunscreen – Think Baby is our favorite. Free of chemicals!
Beach Cart – The walk from the car to the beach can feel like 10 miles when you have 3 young children with you. This thing has been a life saver! Carries everything we need, folds up easily, and comes with an awesome soft cooler that we use ALL the time.
Umbrella- AK introduced us to this beach umbrella. Best one on the market!
Beach Chair – We have these Nautica beach chairs and love them. They are a little more expensive but are durable, have a insulated bag, cup holder, recline to 5 positions, and have a shoulder strap for easy carrying.
TOYS
I’ve learned to back off on the toys. All that the beach and water have to offer is enough! We’ve simplified our toy list with just a few essentials.
Mask/Goggles/Flippers – We love these FLIPPERS. Goggles we usually just pick up at Walmart or Target.
ANIMALS - My girls love the animals that they have at Michaels as well as these Jumbo Animals. They usually bring a few on trips to the beach.
BOOGIE BOARD - 5 Below has these!
Last time we went to the lake AK brought along some bubble solution and a wand. HUGE HIT!
KEEPING COOL
After a long day at the beach/pool sometimes we just need to relax in the air conditioning for a bit. Here our some of favorite things to do while we are on Vacation.
DECK OF CARDS – Go fish and solitaire.
PAINTING SHELLS - We bring along watercolors, palette, paint brushes, and oil pastels.
PUZZLES - We love Ravensburger puzzles
GAMES - Some of our favorites:
SLEEPING QUEENS (Thank you AB)
SPOT IT – Check out the waterproof version!!!
Do you have a long car ride ahead of you? Check out our busy books:
http://www.playathomemomllc.com/shop/
As well as some great audio books:
RL
Melissa says:
Baby powder!!! Essential in getting sand off skin!!! If it’s listed, I’m sorry for the repeat.