A stress free day at the sea side!

Taking the children to the beach can be lots of fun but also lots of stress! Here are a few ideas of what to take to keep the kids busy and you relaxed!

Shelter
The beach can get very busy especially when the sun is shining, so it is a good idea to create some privacy and mark out a section for your family to sit and play. Windbreakers are a great idea because you can make sure young children stay within the enclosed area, which makes it much easier to keep an eye on them!
A beach shelter comes in handy several times throughout the day, so it’s a fantastic addition to the windbreakers! It provides a private area for everyone to get changed out of wet swimsuits as well as shelter from the sun during peak times. It is perfect for very young children and babies who will nap during the day to ensure they are not caught by the sun. At dinner time you can sit in peace away from pesky seagulls and avoid getting sand in your chips!

Beach Shoes
Beach shoes are a practical idea for little explorers! You can get waterproof shoes that have a good sole, so they protect feet from sharp objects on the beach and can be worn all day long! At the end of the day you won’t have to spend ages dusting off sandy feet, so you can have an extra 10 minutes sun bating!

Accidents
There are lots of potential accidents that could happen at the beach, from sand in someone’s eye, to cutting yourself on a rock, so it is a good idea to come prepared. Taking plenty of bottled water to clean wounds and rinse sand is a sensible idea. Lifeguards may not be close enough to offer immediate assistance and the road or your car could be a long walk away from where you are on the beach, so having the necessary equipment to deal with any accidents is very advisable. A small first aid kit with plasters and small bandages means you can both clean and protect and nasty cuts.

Food
Take plenty of nibbles for everyone to eat throughout the day. Again food outlets may be a good walk away and if kids get hungry they won’t want to wait! Keeping some fruit and easy foods such as crisps and tube yogurts in a cool box means you can keep everyone full and energized all day long!

Bucket and Spade
Last but not least don’t forget to take a bucket and spade to keep the kids busy building sand castles all day! There are lots of fun toys for the beach, but me mindful of how busy it is going to be! Footballs and bat and ball games may require a lot of space to run around and play, if the beach is heaving with people this will be inconvenient and people may get hit by balls!