When my kids were little my husband use to take a shovel to the beach and he would dig a good sized hole that would fill with water and the kids love to sit in there and play. Not super deep as you dont want it caving in but wide enough that it was like a paddling pool

We invested in a beach cart and it has been the best investment. It is so easy to stack with snacks and drinks, sunscreen, hats, snorkels, books, sunshade, first aid kit and everything needed for a fun day at the beach. The cart is great because it means no extra trips back and forth to the car.

I have found a fantastic snorkel that not only I, but my kids love to use. You can purchase them from Anaconda on sale for around the $50 mark, Body Glove brand. It is an all in one mask snorkel combo. Because it’s all in one piece, it fits so much better and it also has a stopper in the snorkel part that stops water from going in, making duck dives so much easier!

My beach tips are:

1. Keep a large plastic tub or garbage bin liner in your car boot to throw all your wet towels, bathers etc into.

2. Keep a change of clothing in the boot in case you need it.

3. Keep an old sheet or two (or three) in the boot and use them to cover the car seats to keep them from getting wet and they will also collect sand. When you get home, remove them carefully, shake them out, hang on the line if necessary to dry, then fold and place back in the boot for the next beach day.

each person has a backpack .of their own and carry too. freeze drinks to keep food cold in a small cold bag, no problems all sorted!!!!!

I’m loving these answers like the baby powder one I’ve never heard but going to try! We also do the designated “clean” towel/picnic mat for sitting and eating too.

Our beach essentials:
– a basin/bucket; we carry beach toys in it, doubles as the carrier for sandy toys and wet clothes at the end, and something the kids can fill with water for their sand creations at the beach. Easy to clean too. (I use the Ezy Storage 14L Rectangular Basin – I have 2, it’s also a soaking bucket at home for stained clothes, and used for camping washing dishes)

– beach toys; the bucket, small shovel/trowel, diggers, little people and a boat (plenty of room in the bucket to spare) Mostly, they play with what they find eg. Sticks, seaweed, shells, stones and create things.

– We also bring something that floats eg. A kick board, noddle or a body board and lets the kids choose which one. Easy enough to rinse off sand before putting in the boot

– And a cool cabana – that was a splurge a couple years back but totally worth it as we can go to any beach and know we have a shade for the whole family.

– Packing the car the night before, always a huge help getting the bucket, cabana, and bag of spare clothes/towels in the boot. We usually leave straight after breakfast to avoid heavy traffic as the beach is an hour away.

– snacks and bowls for the kids! We have a few allergies/intolerances, so being prepared with food is helpful and saves us the search and some money. I pre-chop carrots, cucumber, apples, boiled egg, in a handy separating container, a packet of chips, dip, and bring water bottles. If it’s a longer day planned at the beach I’ll bring lunch too.

(We do sunscreen at home before we go, use sun safe swimming tops and hats. No tips for making sunscreen easier but my 4 year old son was with me for my skin check and Doctor he told him even though we have skin that tans we need sunscreen to prevent skin cancer so and he remembers that so doesn’t fight so much, I let him do his face and I do the rest)

My son used to be terrified of the water from a young age. If you have kids like that, don’t give up. Water play is really good for them. It’s important to start at a young age and use a good flotation device, like an inflatable ring and always stay close.
Swimming lessons from 6 months are great too. They do special singing programs that help build confidence in the water. If your child associates water with a fun time, they will want to keep going back.
Lastly, build trust. Don’t force them. Let them hold you if they feel frightened and let them have fun in the shallows. They will do things in their own time. Persistence pays off!

The BEST advice I can ever give anyone going to the beach with kids is to buy a large bottle of Talcum powder! It is the best for getting sand off literally everything!!
My second tip is to bring a pop up change room tent! The amount of times my kids have gone home in wet chaffing swimming costumes because they didn’t want anyone to see them changing is unbelievable! Our pop up tent has been life changing! We all drive home comfy and cozy!
Lastly a sand proof picnic blanket is so perfect for a sand reprieve! The sand literally falls right through them!

First of all, be really clear who’s watching the kids at all times. My husband and I hand off to each other – “I’m going to grab some ice creams, you’re on kid duty” so that there is never any doubt about who’s watching and keeping them safe. I’m also a fan of having a beach bag permanently packed with the right towels and things like sunscreen. It gets you out of the house so much more quickly.

The best hack I’ve found for getting sand off their bodies is to sprinkle baby powder over the sand and gently rub. Its magic.
My favourite toys are buckets and spades. My toddler loves to run around digging and carrying sand.
I’ve found the best way to get my toddler on board for sunscreen is letting him apply some himself. He knows it’s part of the outdoor play routine to wear a hat, put on sunscreen and ‘rub it in’ as he says.

Definitely one of those beach carts with 4 wheels for all the stuff we have to cart.
I give up with the sand free on the towels and in the hut but I always have a dustpan brush in the boot of the car to brush as much off as possible before getting back in.
Pump application blockout is always the easiest to use and so they will use it more.
Big bottle of water from home, partially frozen or with ice in it.
Crocs or thongs for safety. Sun shelter that you can hop into/under. Of course hats, towels and sunnies.

Use blanket for designated sand free area,
Take small handheld vaccum/wipes to wipe off sand from toys and kids, Use sunscreen stick or spray for quick application, ask kids to apply each other (under your supervision) but they will have fun, Have a sunscreen dance party. Hope it helps.

My list…
– Bring a big blanket or mat to designate a “clean zone” for snacks and toys
– Use a beach tent or umbrella to create a sand-free play area
– Pack a small handheld vacuum or wipes to clean sand off toys and kids(helps a lot)
– Apply sunscreen before you leave the house, and reapply every 2 hours
– Use a sunscreen stick or spray for quick reapplications
– Make it fun – have a “sunscreen dance party”
– Get kids to help apply sunscreen to each other (under adult supervision)
– Use a waterproof phone case to capture epic beach moments

When my kids were younger I would buy them disposal cameras so they could take pictures themselves of places on the way to our destination on our car rides they absolutely loved it but only problem was by the time we got to our destination all the photos were taken and had to more cameras for them.