For a mama who is more of a “rocks and docks” gal, I end up spending a lot of time in the sand and surf. Along with regular visits to the cottage, our family goes on a big beach holiday with our extended family every two years. As a result, my kids spend a fair bit of time rinsing sand from undesirable places.
Going to the beach is a big job for any mama – especially if you want to spend the whole day there. A lot of organization is involved, so hopefully these few tips and tricks will make your time in the surf a little less stressful.
Sun protection
My kids take after me when it comes to skin tone. My tanning history goes like this: freckle, burn, peel, repeat. While our family should have shares in a sunscreen company, I’m a big fan of actually covering up the fair skin I bestowed upon my children. Their bathing suits [1] are a throwback to the late 1800s and they may not look super cool in their wide-brimmed hats, but no one is getting skin cancer under my watch.
A Place to Hide
A beach tent [2] serves multiple purposes – it’s a great place for a midday nap, a time-out and also serves as a great storage place if you have a cooler full of icy adult cocktails! But don’t forget to leave room in that cooler for loads of kiddo drinks and snacks. A day at the beach is thirsty work for our sandcastle building and body surfing beach bums. If you’re brave enough to drag your newborn along, there are special wee tents [3] that will give them all the peace and protection a babe could ask for. If you want to skip the tent, grab an umbrella and a great beach blanket [4] and it’s surfs up!
Other products that will prevent a beach day temper tantrum:
Beach shoes: If you’ve got the kinda kid who is going to freak out at the cottage if a leech grabs hold, you may want to invest in a pair. On that note, keep a salt shaker handy. Salt is good for more than tequila.
Disposable Swimpants: No one wants to mess around with poop at the beach. Disposable swimpants can make the awkward beach poop as pleasant as possible. Don’t forget the wipes and a plastic bag.
Ziploc bags: use these for packing up a first aid kit (Band-Aids, AfterBite, Polysporin). You don’t want a minor injury to ruin your day at the beach. Ziplocs are also great for storing your wallet, keys, tech gadgets, etc.
Final few tips from this weathered mama:
- Keep the beach toys in a mesh bag, unless you like having sand all over your car.
- Keep a 2L water jug in the car so that you can clean feet before heading home.
- If you are going to be in salt water, keep some fresh water in a bottle for rinsing those salty eyes and sandy mouths.
Beach season is upon us. Hopefully a few of these tips will help you prepare and stay sane as you try to avoid frying your family in the sun!
Oh, and one last thing – don’t let your kids see the trailer for Jaws before heading to the ocean. Sadly, I learned that lesson the hard way.
IMAGE SOURCE: LEMANNA VIA GETTY IMAGES