TL;DR: Taking a toddler to the beach is super fun, but if it's your first time doing it, preparing ahead of time will help make it a stress-free experience for the whole family. This blog breaks down easy-to-prep activities, tips, and tricks when it comes to food, and must-pack items, including our nontoxic bubble set.
The Beach and Your Toddler: A Game Plan
Ready to hit the beach this summer? Here's a spoiler alert: Your toddler WILL love the beach! Who doesn't? However, as we know very well as toddler parents, toddlers come with a lot of things and their attention can shift quickly. For a stress-free beach vacation or visit, this blog breaks down some easy and fun ways to keep your toddler near your beach umbrella, happily eating their favorite foods, and with everything they need to have fun. Keep reading for our best beach tips and tricks, including how our bubble wand and fish scrub are going to save the whole day!
Easy-to-Prep Activities
If you need a shade break and want your toddler to hang out under the umbrella with you for a bit, here are some super-easy-to-prep beach activities to keep them nearby:
Kiddie Pool
Kiddie pools are becoming increasingly popular at beaches!
Fill yours with ocean water and watch your toddler have a blast keeping cool and enjoying the sensory fun of it all. Bring along some cups and sand toys so your toddler can explore even more!
Easy to dump out, easy to quickly rinse in the ocean, and TONS of payoff for your toddler.
Construction Zone
While you're packing up the sand toys, don't forget the construction crew, too! Bring along some excavators, dump trucks, or monster trucks.
Your kiddo will have a blast creating roads, rivers, and sand jumps for all their trucks.
Buried Treasure
Want to blow your toddler's mind? Here's how to set up some buried treasure:
- Mark off a circle or square at your beach site under an umbrella
- Bury some treasure inside the square or circle for them to find
- Hand over a shovel, bucket, and sifter, and watch your toddler enjoy every second!
Food Tips and Tricks
Packing up a cooler for everyone's food? Here are some tips and tricks to keep in mind for your toddler's food:
- When possible, pack your toddler's food in a separate container. Chances are, their hands are going to repeatedly get sandy, and if you are able to put their lunchbox in its own container (or bag), it will help minimize the mess throughout.
- Fill up a large insulated tumbler, such as a water bottle or Stanley cup, and fill it with ice and a little bit of water. Then, pack in as many popsicles as you can! This is an easy way to bring a frozen treat to the beach without taking up too much space.
- Pre-freeze everything! This includes cheese sticks, yogurt, smoothies, watermelon, or other fruit. Not only will it keep it fresh, but it is all going to taste so refreshing on a hot beach day.
Must-Pack Items
Taking your toddler to the beach doesn't have to be an entirely orchestrated event. However, there are many things you can pack to make your life easier, if you choose to. Some of these things include:
Pop-Up Tent or Fitted Sheet
Sometimes, toddlers simply want a break from the sand. It can send them into sensory overdrive, and they may want to just get on solid land for a bit.
- A great way to accomplish this without having to leave your beach site is by setting up a pop-up tent for a sand-free chill-out zone.
- You can also lay out a fitted sheet on top of the sand and place bags in the corners to keep it open. Easy to shake out and take down when done!
- Bring a wagon to not only lug your gear, but also as a place for your kiddo to lounge if they need a sand break. Line with a fitted sheet or towels to keep it sand-free!
Mess-Free Toddler-Friendly Bubbles
When it's time to keep your toddler near your beach site for mealtime or a shade break, a great way to do that is with bubbles!
Our bubble wand and bubble solution are small enough to fit inside your sand toy bag!
Your toddler will love blowing bubbles at the beach, and you can feel good about doing it. Our bubble solution is nontoxic, free of harsh soaps and detergents, and is made of botanical ingredients. This makes it easy on the beach and even easier on your child's sensitive, sun-kissed skin!
Sensory Fish Scrub
Not only is our Sensory Fish Scrub a fun toy to include in your toddler's kiddie pool station or sand toy bucket, but it also helps scrub off all the sand before you leave without a cornstarch or baby powder mess!
Made with thousands of microbristles, this fish scrub will gently and easily brush off the sand from your toddler. This means you don't have to subject them to that big, scary, crowded, and cold beach shower before you leave!