Confession – I really LOATHE the beach.
I know I’m supposed to enjoy the day with a drink in my hand and sand between my toes but we all know a beach day with children is work. Pre-kids spending a day at the beach was more like a relaxing spa day with the salty wind in my face and a good book. Back then all I needed was a towel, chair, and a cooler full of snacks and ice-cold drinks.
Now that I have three children, the amount of things required for a day at the beach has doubled. Beach towels, snacks, water, sunblock, sand toys, extra clothes, hats, and an umbrella. The whole thing is a production.
For my fellow beach haters, below are my simple beach hacks that help make the day a little more enjoyable.
Apply sunscreen before you reach the sand.
I know this isn’t mind-blowing information, the directions on the sunscreen bottle say to apply sunscreen 20-30 minutes before sun exposure to be effective, but also if you put it on any closer you will be a walking sticky sand magnet. No Thank you!
Lots of Sand Toys.
I know this seems hypocritical, but hear me out. Encouraging your children to build the biggest sand castle requires less supervision than them swimming out in the ocean. Having lots of sand toys will keep them occupied on the shore and out of the ocean.
They See Me Rolling.
Seriously, invest in a good wagon that can travel through sand. Load it up with all the things to keep your hands free for wrangling excited children as you set off in search of the perfect spot.
First Aid Kit.
Put together a small kit to have on hand for minor boo-boos. Stock the kit with Band-Aids, a topical antibiotic, bug bite ointment, and baby powder for removing sand.
Phone Charger.
Order a solar phone charger off of Amazon, so you won’t miss a picture or text due to a dead battery. Just make sure to position the charger outside of the umbrella and on its own towel so that it won’t be messed with.
My family loves the beach and at the end of the day, the joy on their exhausted little faces and the memories that were made are all worth the work it took to make it happen. I am all for enjoying some Vitamin C and having less screen time, just preparing for it and dealing with all that sand is pretty stressful and messy. But I guess that just comes with the parenthood territory, right?
