Pastime on the beach with the entire family can be incredibly fun, but only given that you’ve prepared for the occasion. Many hazards are present at the beach – the sun, water, insects, the hot sand – and you need to take precautions to protect your toddler and yourself from harm.
Not only that, you may want to pack a few items that may not necessarily increase your safety but may make your life a bit more convenient.
With that being said, if you are at a loss before your first beach vacation with your toddler, then our top 12 of beach essentials for toddlers may be able to help you!
Table of Contents
Sunscreen
The very first thing to bring is, of course, sunscreen. The sun is going to be the biggest threat to your toddler on the beach – and also you – so make sure not to forget to take apply sunscreen before going to the beach.
You may want to avoid spray sunscreens – your kid may accidentally inhale the sunscreen’s airborne particles. Instead, go for creams and sticks formulated specially for the sensitive baby skin.
Sun hat
Even with the sunscreen applied, your baby won’t be fully protected from the sun. Their head is going to be especially vulnerable to sun rays. Fortunately, sun hats are a convenient way of protecting the head of your toddler from direct heat.
You sure could use a beach towel or any other item to protect your baby’s head with, but sun hats have one crucial benefit over such improvised solutions – the brim is going to improve visibility for your toddler and also protect their eyes! Well, given that they don’t attempt to look at the sun.
Sunglasses
Speaking of looking at the sun, sunglasses will come in handy – good sunglasses will protect your toddler’s eyes if they look at the sun directly either out of curiosity or accidentally.
Look for sunglasses that provide 100% UV protection. You may also want to pick sunglasses that are built of a softer material, like rubber, and also have a round-the-head strap – this will help your baby keep the sunglasses on.
Swim diapers
Swim diapers are another must – to ensure hygiene in the water, these diapers are made of a non-absorbent material. Due to their lack of absorbency, swim diapers don’t swell in water as well.
With regular diapers, your toddler wouldn’t be able to enjoy these benefits. Of course, you should still bring along regular diapers, but before going to the beach, pack a few swim diapers just in case even if your toddler isn’t intending to swim.
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Water shoes
Don’t forget about proper footwear! The beach sand can get pretty hot under direct sunlight, иге shoes or sandals would be able to protect your baby’s feet from the heat.
We suggest that you opt for water shoes. Water shoes will provide all-around protection for the toddler’s feet and will ensure that all the water that enters the shoes goes out. Sandals can also be a good choice, but they may not be as good at preventing stones from getting in.
Swim Armbands/vest
If you are intending to let your toddler swim, then it is imperative that you bring swimming aids with you. No matter how attentive you are and how good the beach security is, bringing along a pair of swim armbands or a swimming vest is going to ensure your baby’s safety even if no one notices that something is wrong.
Beach towel
A beach towel is perfect for setting up some resting space on the hot beach sand. Not only that, if you bring a couple of towels, some are going to serve their direct purpose – removing water from the skin – while the rest will provide your kid with a place to sit and relax.
Consider getting a waterproof beach blanket – it won’t be too good for drying the baby, but it will be easy to clean and easy to shake off sand from!
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Bug spray
Bugs – in particular, mosquitos – are a big problem on beaches. To protect your toddler and yourself from the threat of infections and discomfort coming from itching or irritation, make sure to bring along a bug spray.
Baby powder
Sand can be fun when your toddler is building sandcastles from it, but it gets incredibly annoying when stuck to the skin, especially when wet. Baby powder allows you to easily remove sand from your baby’s skin – the powder will absorb the moisture and make the sand easier to remove.
Travel potty
A huge number of people are overlooking this simple tool. There probably are bathroom facilities at the beach you are intending to go to, but they likely aren’t exactly toddler-oriented. But with a potty, taking care of your child’s needs will become easier than ever!
You may bring along the baby’s regular potty, but you probably should opt for a specialized travel potty. Thanks to their portable design, travel potties do not take up much space and are very easy to transport!
Beach tent or umbrella
Sunscreen, a sun hat, and sunglasses provide sufficient protection from the sun, but why not push it further with a beach tent or umbrella? Aside from sun protection, these can provide your child with some playing space!
If your budget allows it, go for a beach tent rather than an umbrella. With their item organization capabilities, beach tents can be very convenient. Besides, they can also provide you and the baby with some private space!
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Inflatable swimming pool
The sea is right there, but it may not be the best idea to let your toddler swim just yet. However, if you don’t want your child to be left out of the fun, bring along an inflatable swimming pool.
Inflatable swimming pools can be very different – the most expensive and sophisticated pools can be very big and boast things like waterslides! And since they are inflatable, they occupy little to no space when deflated.
With that being said, a good inflatable swimming pool doesn’t need to cost a fortune. But if you have more than one child who you don’t want to let near the sea yet, you may want to go for a larger inflatable swimming pool.
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Passionate about the outdoors. He has accrued a wealth of experience and knowledge in naturalism, outside adventures, ski instruction, and writing. In addition to exploring the outdoors, he enjoys backpacking and camping.