Beach Essentials For Moms of Littles

We all love a beach trip, but going to the beach when your child is not yet kindergarten age can look much different than when you went with your spouse alone. Before hubby and I headed out for our first beach trip with our 14 month old, I searched high and low for a list of beach essentials for moms of littles. There were ideas here and there but I could not find an entire list. That experience gave me the motivation to  gather some tips that are sure to make your beach trip as painless and enjoyable as possible. Below is a list of beach essentials for moms of littles. 

FYI: I learned so much from trial and error this summer and found some specific products that I LOVED. I’m sharing links to them just to give you an idea of  where to find these things and to show just how affordable the items can be! 

• Sunscreen: We used this one for our sons face and it worked better than the regular tube sunscreen. It was also much less of a hassle to put on him and covered his face evenly. EXTRA TIP: Try not to use the spray sunscreen on littles.  They can have a chemical in them that causes a reaction in the sun and has actually made the sun worse for some people. You’ll want to find something that has fewer ingredients. I recommend this one we found that is mostly Zinc based. 
• Hat: Our 14 month old prefers a regular ball cap much more than a typical sunhat with the chin strap. I opted for something that he would wear without fuss instead of worrying about complete sun coverage and him not actually wearing it. We got this one, but made sure to lather his ears in sunscreen to keep them protected.
• Sunglasses: Most stores carry sunglasses, but we found our perfect fit at Target. 
• One Piece Rash guard: I was so surprised to learn that you can’t  easily find these kind of rash guards in stores. They work MUCH better at keeping the sun AND the sand out than shorts and a shirt, and dried faster too! I should have gotten 4 of these simply because they were that much more convenient! EXTRA TIP: Bring more than one rash guard/swim suit!!  If you’re not going the disposable swim diaper route, be sure to have multiple of those on hand as well. We only had one of each and ended up putting a semi-wet swimsuit on our little man during the day. ?
• Umbrella and Beach Chairs: We always try to stay at a place that offers these for free at our condo. This makes it much less of a hassle trying to bring along chairs and umbrellas. We only have to bring our cooler, toys and beach bags! We are guaranteed a spot on the beach, everyday, and this trip even got to pick a spot on the end so our son had plenty of room for activities! He was way too mobile to take a kiddy pool or beach tent, but many moms with littles that aren’t yet mobile swear that having a beach tent for your child is essential for keeping them out of the sun. Here is a link to one that was recommended by some friends. 
• Fitted Sheet: You’ll want a sand free area to picnic while hanging out! Put coolers and bags on each corner and you have yourself a little blanket that won’t fly away! 
• Baby Powder: Use this to get sand off your dry skin. DONT try this if you’re still wet, it makes a mess! 
• Battery Powered Spritz Fan: We found one here and it was great for keeping us all cool. 
• Towels: You can’t forget your towels! 
• Snacks: If you’re taking a cooler, instead of ice packs use frozen treats like popsicles or fruit to keep everything cool. You’ll have a nice cold treat and a lighter
  cooler when you head back inside. 
• Water Bottles: Hydrate! 
• Beach Toys: We just took a shovel and bucket and our little man was content. We found this set that was perfect!
• Diaper Bag Essentials: If you have a really little one, don’t forget an extra change of clothes, diapers, wipes, bottle, etc.

BONUS INFO: To keep from getting too much sun and to also accommodate naptime, we went down to the water twice a day. We usually got up, had breakfast and immediately went down to the beach for a couple of hours before it got too hot. In addition, we came up to the condo during midday and went back to the beach after nap time when it started to cool down some. It made the trip more enjoyable for everyone! 

Do you have other tips or tricks for making a beach trip easy and fun? Drop them in the comments!