I’m not your seasoned beach-goer despite living within an hour of the beach for most of my life. However, I do feel like I’ve got my life together when it comes to going to the beach with a toddler.
There are a TON of things out there to make your beach day “easier,” but at the end of the day bringing less shit stuff with you is really the way to go. My kid doesn’t need 46 buckets, 17 shovels, a wading pool, and a floaty in the shape of a small village to keep her entertained for a few hours. She can’t carry that much stuff anyway.
Oh, you bet your ass that you’ll see my kid carrying something as we trek across the scorching sand to find our own little place among all of the other groups of people just trying to grab a glimpse of the waves.
So here are a few of my go-to items for beach days, and by days I mean a few hours at most because I don’t even like sand that much.
Blue Bucket– this photo is the exact same one we have. I got it at Target at the end of the last summer for about $1. WIN. However, this link is for something similar that’s considerably more expensive. FAIL.
Pop-Up Tent– This thing is the TITS. You open the little bag and boom. Pops right up. Those little pockets on the side are for sand and thats what holds it down. It comes with stakes but you don’t reallllyyy need them. So convenient for shade, nap space, hiding from your kid so they can’t ask you to walk to the water, AGAIN. Only negative is folding it up again, follow the instructions inside the bag. You’re welcome.
Tommy Bahama Beach Chair– This is one my best purchases ever. It’s not cheap and that’s a good thing. I have had this chair for 6 years and its still as good as the day I bought it. So, perks- It has 2 pockets on the back. One for stuff and one is a cooler! So convenient. It has a pillow on the headrest, a support arm in case you want to pay completely flat, it has a side pocket for your drink and phone AND it has straps so you can wear it on your back as you trek across said hot sand. I could go on all day about it. I DO hope they come out with better patterns eventually but whatev, and another item with a difficult folding process. You have to figure it out on your own though, it’s like an initiation into the cool kids club. I believe in you.
And thats its! Yep, that sums it up. Sometimes I bring an additional cooler bag with me if we’re packing a full lunch and snacks but I try my hardest to fit everything I need into the pockets of my chair. Don’t forget the obvious things like sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, reading material that you probably won’t even get to look at. Baby powder if you hate sand like me (it takes it right off!) and a towel!
Happy Summer Daayyysss!
