To me, there is no better place than being on the beach. The shore is my very favorite place on earth and now that we are living on the East Coast again, we are lucky enough to be able to make a few beach trips every year! Ages ago in my single days, my beach bag consisted of music, a magazine, a towel and some sunblock. Now my list is quite different- especially when I am having a beach day with my kids. Here are my top beach essentials that I must have any time I am sitting the shore with my peas in tow.
1. Beach blanket
In addition to towels, of course, a big beach blanket
is a must for beaching it with kids. I like the kind with a wipeable side than can be hosed off if necessary. I have three beach blankets, actually and keep one in my car all of the time for not only the beach but also the pool or even the park.
2. Beach chair
A great beach chair is a MUST. Even when you have little kids and don’t get to sit too often, when you do get that chance, you want your chair to be comfortable and practical. My favorite beach chair is the Premium Backpack Chair from Rio. This chair is the best! It’s easy to carry with it’s backpack straps and lightweight frame and is well made so it will last you many seasons to come!
It has four different declines so you can be as comfortable as possible while reading your book (or watching your kids jump in waves!) and has a cupholder for your favorite icy beverage. I love that it comes with a pocket on the back to store some beach items- I use it to store the beach blanket so it’s one less thing to carry.
It comes in a variety of colors too, the classic navy is great with it’s nautical style, but there are also some fun stripped options too! These chairs are perfect for the beach, pool, sports game or park- they are truly an all summer essential! Check out Rio’s website for more information and also to check out their other beach must haves!
3. Tent/umbrella
This is the newest addition my beach necessity list. I just bought a beach Sport-Brella Umbrella
that is awesome. It’s SPF 50 and super big. It was on sale at Amazon, but I plan on using it for baseball and soccer games too, so I know i’ll be getting lots of use out of it.
4. Beach toys with bag
Of course we need sand toys at the beach and I like to tote them in a plastic bag
with holes so it can be hosed off easily when we are done.
5. Sunblock
Of course! I use different brands but I always am sure to get some for the body and a separate sunblock face stick
for their little cheeks- it’s just so much easier!
6. Baby powder
Got sandy legs?? Sprinkle them with baby powder and then just rub the sand off! Easy peasy.
7. Baggies
I always bring along a big box of large zippered bags for collecting sea shells and also they can be filled with sand and used a sand bags to hold town towels or blankets.
8. Sunglasses and beach hat
For everyone!
9. Cooler
I have a cooler and also a cooler bag
. They are both great for bringing drinks and food for snacking and drinking all day! (Drinking juice, of course)
10. Water shoes/flip flops/crocs
I always bring water safe shoes for my kids to use on rock beaches, hot sand or in the water collecting shells. We like crocs since they drain easily and have the strap on the back to hold them on their feet easier.
11. Long sleeve cover ups or water shirts
My kids are fair skinned and also get cold fairly easily, so I like to keep some long sleeved water shirts in my bag so they can cover up when they get chilly.
12. Wipes
Lots of baby wipes for sticky faces, hands and sandy feet.
13. Trash bag
I always bring along a big trash bag for collecting trash as we eat so we don’t have to walk back and forth to the trash can.
14. Beach bag
Of course I need a big beach bag and lately I have been loving my Thirty-One bags since they are so roomy and fit A TON! They are also easily cleanable and have my name on it.
If you are as excited for beach trips as I am, then you are in luck! Today I am giving away a Premium Beach Backpack Chair in Navy to one lucky reader! Follow the instructions below to be entered for your chance to win this awesome chair. Giveaway starts today July 12th and will end in one week. (18 years old and up and US residents only please) Good luck!
Disclosure: Thank you to Rio Brands for sponsoring today’s post! I received one chair in exchange for my honest review. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.
I keep hearing about the baby powder trick but haven’t tried it yet. Thanks for the reminder! Seems kind of like magic haha.
I love the beach, and this is a pretty comprehensive list. I have a white plastic tote that is sort of giant mesh for the toys, because I totally agree about wanting to rinse the whole thing off easily at the end of the day. I like my backpack chair as well. My kids never sat much in chairs when they were little, but now they do. With older kids, I like a pouch that you can put the iPhone into to keep it safe from the sand when they stretch out to listen to music.
We try to hit the beach once a week during the summer. Our favorite beach is Robert Moses on Fire Island in Long Island. So beautiful!