It’s the dog days of summer-the days are long, the weather is great, and there’s no doubt that every mom out there is ready for some relaxation and quality time with her children. What better way to accomplish that than by taking a day trip to the beach?
The beach itself is beautiful, with the warm sand and cool water it’s a place that every member of the family can enjoy. Preparing for the beach, however, can be a bit of a hassle, so here are some tips that are sure to make your experience as easy as possible so that you can stop worrying about what to bring, and start enjoying the sunshine!
Protect Yourselves
Sunscreen should be one of the first things you pack in your beach bag. Not only will sunscreen protect you and your little ones from painful burns, but it will also help defend against the serious long-term effects of sun exposure. If like a lot of children, your kid just wants to get out there and play and is too impatient to wait around for you to slather them in sunscreen, make it more fun by telling them to imitate different ocean animals. Putting lotion on a toddler’s face is much easier when you’re getting them to poof up their cheeks like a pufferfish! If all else fails, you can always reach for sunscreens in easier-to-apply forms like sprays, sticks, and even wipes!
Don’t forget, wearing high coverage clothing is another way to decrease your sun exposure and make applying lotion easier. The less skin you have showing, the less time you’ll have to spend covering it in sunscreen! For moms out there, wearing a higher-coverage suit is a great way to reduce overexposure. If you don’t want to sacrifice style for sensibility, try a cute one piece! Seafolly offers a ton of great styles. As for the little ones, pack hats to shield their heads and faces. Swim shirts are also a great way to protect their shoulders, one of the places they’re most likely to get burnt.
Bring Snacks
There’s nothing worse than preparing for a day trip and realizing at the last second that you haven’t gotten anything to eat or drink! Rather than getting stranded at the beach with some emergency chips and juice boxes, or even worse being surrounded by restaurants with no kid-friendly options, try getting your children involved with the preparation of healthy and satisfying packed lunches before you go. Whatever you bring, make sure it will pack well in a small container or plastic bag. As far as drinks, go for something that is tasty for you and the kids, but will still keep you hydrated. Flavored water or lemonade are great and tasty options, and you know the better something tastes the more your child is going to drink it! Whatever drink you decide to take, make sure that you bring a lot of it and stay hydrated!
Plan Games
Even digging in the sand and taking dips in the water can get boring after a few hours. Luckily there are many great options out there for beach-friendly games that are fun for the entire family. Bocce ball is a favorite that even the smallest kids can learn to play, and beanbag toss is a really fun game that takes up only a small amount of space in the car. If you don’t have access to a game set you can always make up your own beach games using the things you have on hand, or before you go check out some free game ideas that use items you probably already have lying around the house.
If you’re the type of parent who loves to teach your child new things while you have fun, ask them to look for and count out all of the different kinds of seashells that are laying around. If your kid is a bit older you could even teach them about some of the animals that live in the bodies of water around you, and why it’s important that you protect those animals as much as you can by making sure to pick up your trash before leaving the beach.
I hope some of those tips will help other moms have a stress-free beach experience this summer. Time to get out there and take advantage of the beautiful weather while it lasts! Stay safe, and most importantly have fun!