33 Beach Day Essentials Your Family Does Not Want To Forget

Want to know the beach day essentials your family needs to bring with on your trip to the beach? These are the must have beach items you cannot forget. 

Going to the beach is such a fun family activity. If you are anything like me you are preparing in advance to make sure the trip goes as smoothly as possible. As a mom of three little girls, I am giving you the beach day essentials that my family and I always make sure to bring.

You are going to learn all about beach day essentials like the best swimsuits for kids, portable fans to keep your baby cool, coins for parking and more!

After reading these beach trip items, you’re going to be extra prepared when heading to the beach this summer!

This post is all about beach day essentials you need to know about before taking your family to the beach. 

Best Beach Day Essentials For Your Family

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Baby / Toddler – Beach Day Essentials

1. Swim Diapers

If you plan to let your baby or toddler go in the water at all you will want to bring swim diapers along. You can either get reusable swim diapers or disposable swim diapers.

These diapers are different than disposables in that they do not absorb water so they won’t swell up when your little one gets wet.

2. Disposable/Cloth Diapers

In addition to swim diapers, you will also need plenty of disposable or cloth diapers to get you through the day.

As soon as your baby is out of the water you will definitely want to change them back into regular diapers. This is because swim diapers are purposely designed not to absorb so if your baby pees in the swim diaper you will end up with a soaked, unhappy baby.

3. Changing Mat

You will need a portable diaper changing mat to change your little one when you’re on the beach. I like this one because not only can you store your wipes and diapers but it folds up and is easy to carry.

4. Baby Wipes

Don’t forget to add baby wipes to your beach day essentials.

Baby wipes are very multi-functional. You can use them for changing your little one but they also come in handy when you need to clean sandy fingers before and after eating.

5. Bottles/Milk

Make sure you grab all the bottle pieces and milk you will need for baby while you’re gone. You’ll need to bring extra milk because your baby will be more thirsty in the hot sun and can easily get dehydrated.

6. Portable Fan

Keeping babies cool at the beach is so crucial so they don’t overheat.

I love this portable clip on fan to keep baby cool. It is chargeable and can last quite a few hours depending on the speed you have it on.

7. Baby Sunscreen

Protecting your skin from the sun is so important and even more so for your baby’s sensitive skin.

If your baby is over 6 months I highly recommend Blue Lizard Sunscreen and Badger Sunscreen. These brands of sunscreen are mineral-based sunscreen that my whole family uses and loves!

8. Floaties/Life Jackets

If your kids are not yet strong swimmers and are going to be playing in or near the water you may want to consider putting a life jacket or floaties on them.

9. Sun Hat

Since it is recommended that babies under six months not use sunscreen, sun hats like this one are crucial for protecting your baby’s head. This hat is great for protection because it has extra coverage around the neck.

10. Inflatable Pool

Bringing along a small inflatable pool like this is a fun way to let your baby or toddler join in on the beach day fun while also keeping them cool. Just inflate the pool when you get there and dump in a few buckets of water from the ocean and your little will get to sit and splash!

11. Spray Bottle

Spray bottles are very useful during your beach day. Not only can you cool everyone down by misting, but they come in handy squirting sand off hands before eating.

Kids – Beach Day Essentials

12. Beach Toys

Beach toys are a must if you’re going as a family. They provide your kids hours of fun in the sun.

Bring along buckets, shovels, sand molds, beach balls, frisbees, or anything your kids can play with while spending the afternoon at the beach.

13. Mesh Bag For Toys

A mesh bag or hamper can be used for carrying all the beach toys you bring along. The mesh will allow you to shake out all the sand before getting back in your vehicle and heading home.

14. Hair Ties

If your child has long hair or you have long hair yourself, you will want to bring along hair ties. Thankfully, these don’t take up much space and can be worn around your wrist.

You will be thankful you have them when the wind picks up and your hair is flying in your face.

Adults – Beach Day Essentials

15. Money/Coins

Don’t forget to bring a little money in case you want to purchase drinks, food or ice cream. You also may want to bring some coins in case you have to fill a meter for parking.

16. Ziploc Bags

You will need something to keep your phone protected from the sand and water while you are at the beach. They make waterproof phone bags like this, but personally I think Ziploc bags are just as good and a much cheaper alternative.

Everyone- Beach Day Essentials

17. Sunscreen

Protecting you and your family’s skin from the sun is so important, especially if you’re spending the whole day in it, so do not forget the sunscreen. I highly recommend Blue Lizard, a mineral-based sunscreen for the whole family.

It can be hard to remember to reapply every couple of hours but it is so crucial, so set some alarms on your phone to help you remember!

18. Beach Shoes

Make sure everyone has some sandals or water shoes like this for your family beach day! Sometimes the sand can be too hot to walk on, especially for little sensitive feet.

19. Swimsuits

You can’t go to the beach without packing swimsuits for everyone. If you have babies or toddlers it doesn’t hurt to grab an extra one in case of an accident. You can always leave the extras in your vehicle.

For your littles you may want to use a rash guard like this to protect them from the sun, especially if you have a baby too young for sunscreen.

If you have girls I highly recommend getting either a two piece swimsuit or a one piece that has the buttons. It will make it much easier when they have to use the bathroom.

As a mom of three girls trust me when I say, sliding wet suits on and off every time someone has to use the bathroom is not a fun experience.

Tip: Have your children wear brightly colored swimsuits or rash guards like this so you can easily spot them on a busy beach.

20. Towels

Make sure to bring along a towel for everyone plus one or two additional towels.

21. Wet Bags

While not a necessity, wet bags like this come in handy for putting your wet swimsuits and towels after you’re done at the beach to help keep the sand contained! I highly recommend.

22. Change of Clothes

If you do not want to sit in wet clothes on the ride home, you will want to bring a change of clothes for everyone.

We like to leave them in the vehicle until we are done and ready to change.  This way your clothes won’t accidentally get wet on the beach or filled with sand.

23. Sunglasses

Make sure you grab sunglasses for each member of the family. They will not only protect your eyes from the sun but also give you better visibility when the sun is bright.

If you’re looking for baby sunglasses I recommend getting ones that have the strap so that they stay put on your baby. We have these ones and they work great!

24. Snacks

You will definitely need food if you’re planning to spend the day at the beach. Here are some great snack ideas for your beach day essentials:

• Applesauce pouches
• Granola bars
• Pretzels
• Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
• String cheese
• Chex mix
• Goldfish
• Bananas
• Nut mix
• Ice Pops

25. Water Bottles

Make sure everyone has their own water bottle when you’re heading to the beach.

For the younger kiddos I like these Thermos water bottles because the straw is covered when not in use so it won’t get all sandy. They also are insulated so the water will stay nice and cold, which is a must on a hot summer day.

I love my Hydroflask Bottle and highly recommend it for older kids and adults. They keep the water ice cold which is so refreshing on a hot summer day!

Just make sure to use the lid without the straw while you’re at the beach so you don’t end up getting sand stuck down the straw.

26. Water

Packing water is one of the most important things you’ll need on your trip to the beach. If you plan to spend hours in the hot sun you will need plenty of water to stay hydrated.

I recommend packing gallon water jugs and just refilling everyone’s personal water bottles. You could also just bring bottled water for everyone but then you end up with a lot of empty water bottles you need to find a garbage for.

However you choose to bring water make sure you bring enough. When you think you have enough water pack a little more.  You do NOT want anyone getting dehydrated.

It may be a good idea to bring along some drink packets such as Propel to replenish any electrolyte loss.

27. Trash Bag

With all of the drinks and snacks your family will have, you are sure to have wrappers and bottles that will need to be thrown. Keep the beaches clean and bring along your own garbage bag.

Then you do not have to search the beach for a garbage every time you need to throw something away!

Gear – Beach Day Essentials

28. Beach Bags

You will definitely need something to carry all of your items in. They make fancy beach bags like this that are made of mesh and have compartments for all of your beach day essentials.

But if you don’t plan to make many trips to the beach this summer, I wouldn’t recommend investing in beach bags. Just use any bag you may have laying around the house, like that growing pile of reusable grocery bags will do just the trick!

29. Beach Blanket / Fitted Sheet

Beach blankets or fitted sheets are an awesome accessory to bring along to the beach. My family and I swear by this beach blanket.

It’s large enough for the five of us to sit, yet folds up into a small little bag for easy carrying. What I love most is that it is made out of a material that sand does not stick to so you can easily shake off all the sand before leaving.

If you do not have a beach blanket you could also bring a fitted sheet. Divide up your beach items and place them in the corners to keep the sides of the sheet up.

30. Cooler

Pack a cooler with ice to keep your food and drinks cold while you’re in the hot summer sun. If you get a cooler like this you can easily wear it as a backpack freeing up your hands for your other things.

31. Umbrella/Tent

You will want some sort of shade while you are at the beach either with a beach tent or umbrella.  

Many beaches have umbrellas you can rent for the day which can be really convenient. However, if your beach does not or you plan to make multiple trips to the beach this summer you may want to invest in your own beach umbrella or beach tent to save some money in the long run.

32. Beach Chairs

If you do not want to sit on the ground while you watch your kids play, you will want to bring along some beach chairs like this. Make sure the chair you bring folds up nicely and you can easily carry it because you will already have a lot of things to haul to your beach spot.

33. Wagon

If your kids are little and are not able to help carry the beach items and rather need carrying themselves, you will want to consider bringing a beach wagon to haul all of your things. If you only have a regular wagon it will work but speaking from experience, it will be very difficult to maneuver in the sand due to the small tires.

They do make beach wagons like this that are designed for pulling in sand however, if you do not plan to make many trips to the beach I wouldn’t recommend getting one because they can be pretty spendy.

Non – Essential Beach Day Items but Highly Recommended

1. Shell Bags

If you have kids who LOVE collecting shells you will want to get these awesome mesh shell bags.

Before getting these shell bags, I had been stuffing shells into our bags wherever there was room. As a result, there would always be broken shells when we got home and arguments over who found what shell.

With these super cute mesh bags, each of my kids can collect and take care of their own shells.

2. UNO Splash

If you want a fun game to play at the beach try Uno Splash. These cards are waterproof and come on a clip that keeps all the cards together and can attach to a beach bag making them super easy to bring along.

If you would like a copy of this family beach day essentials list feel free to download it below!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THIS FREE PRINTABLE

This post was all about the best beach day essentials to help you prepare for your next trip to the beach.

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