Planning a Kids Beach Day
I live in a small coastal town in Maine and go to the beach with kids at least once a week year-round. I have absolutely fallen in love with going to the beach, even with three kids! Here are my recommendations for how you can have a great day at the beach with your kids!
Essentials to Pack
A wagon is a life saver when going to the beach with kids. It helps me get everywhere and gives me the confidence to be able to do these trips on my own. A good beach bag is also necessary! We have a mesh beach bag for sand toys that zips and has side pockets for everything. Some sand toys we put in the bag and love are collapsible beach buckets for easy packing, mini "garden" metal shovels (these are colorful and never bend or break) and old toys from our playroom! My kids love playing with their own toys at the beach. I pack toys they don't play with anymore from the playroom because I don't care if they get dirty or ruined and suddenly, they are so much fun at the beach!
Finding Kid-Friendly Beaches
My number one recommendation for finding a kid friendly beach is to find one with easy parking. I have gone to so many beaches over the years and our best days are when we go somewhere where parking is a guarantee. Most state parks have large parking lots with low entrance fees and that helps a lot! I also like exploring places when they aren't super busy. If you are able, try exploring areas in the off season. You will be able to see the parking situation, where bathrooms are located and if there is a long walk from the parking lot to the beach. It will help give you the confidence for those busy summer beach days because you will feel more prepared. If you are not able to visit in the off season, use Google Earth to zoom into locations and look around!
How to Dress the Kids
Dressing appropriately is essential when going to the beach with kids! There have been plenty of times we had to leave early because my kids were cold and wet because I didn't dress them well. For year-round fun at the beach, I highly recommend a Jan and Jul Rain Suit. Our Rain Suit keeps them so dry and clean, and it has changed all our trips. For years when my kids were very little, and crawling at the beach, I didn't know about rain suits. Now we can stay at the beach so much longer!
Another essential for dressing kids for the beach is good footwear! The Jan & Jul Jelly Jumpers we have are the best (and we have tried many over the years)! They are so easy to get on and off, even when they are wet, and they are closed toe shoes with grippy bottoms. These shoes give my kids the confidence they need when climbing on rocks along Maine's rocky coast.
My Number 1 Tip Set Your Own Pace
I want you to know that you can absolutely bring your kids to the beach and not have a terrible time. I KNOW that it can be so stressful going on beach trips! The most important thing I tell my friends when they ask how I bring my kids to the beach is that it is OKAY to leave early. You don't have to prove anything to anyone by going to the beach and staying the entire day or staying hours past nap time. You know your kids best and you know what you can all handle together! I hope you have a great day at the beach!
– Rachel, Maine loving mom of three boys and blogger at https://mymainebees.com/