We recently spent a week at the beach and as a Mom of 3 I’ve learned a few things over the years that have literally been life savers when it comes to spending more than just 30 minutes at the beach without the kids whining about being hot, tired or hungry!
This year I thought I would share some of my favorite Beach Hacks Every Mom Needs to know!
BONUS: Download our Ultimate Beach Checklist to help you pack and make sure you don’t forget a thing! It’s completely free when you sign up for our Weekly Newsletter!
One of my Favorite Beach Items for Moms are these Simple Coverups you can get on Amazon for around $10-$15 They are great for playing with kids on the beach without getting too hot or worrying about ruining your nice clothes.
These are also another Favorite of mine! They come in 7 different color all for under $10 shipped and they are great for walking to and from the beach!
10 Beach Hacks for Moms
Bring Along the Lavender
Anytime we are in the sun I always bring along my lavender, this is one of my favorite oils for healthy skin and my go to oil when we have had a long day at the beach! It’s great for relaxing the kids at bedtime and you can also make this After Sun Lotion to help keep their skin refreshed & healthy!
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Invest in a Tent!
While this doesn’t seem necessary at times this has been one of our favorite investments, especially when you are doing the beach with younger kids. You can buy a Small Inflatable Pool to go under the tent so little ones can play in the water in the shade, or just throw out some blankets and it’s a perfect place for a picnic or snack out of the sun. Our little guy would nap every day on the beach under the tent so it was a huge lifesaver that allowed us to spend more time at the beach as a family.
At first I was a little uncertain about investing in a tent, I thought they were expensive but the cost to rent an Umbrella and 2 chairs where we were was $30 per day, we paid just $90 for our tent at Sam’s Club (Similar to this one) and since we spent 7 days at the beach we actually SAVED money and had more room for everyone!
Bring a Wagon for all your “Stuff”
Let’s just say 3 kids and 2 adults drag a lot of stuff to the beach! Since we have a little one that had to be carried to the beach & 2 other little ones there was no way one person could carry everything we needed so this Wagon was a lifesaver!
One tip: Invest in the wagon with All Terrain Wheels, these are much better for pulling the wagon on sand because the wheels tend to go down into the sand so the larger wheels are great on surfaces like sand.
Use Baby Powder to Remove Sand!
This is one of my favorite beach tips! Bring along Baby Powder to use when you’re removing sand, I don’t know how this works, but it does! Just rub the baby powder on your arms & legs and the sand falls off. It’s Crazy & Awesome all at the same time!
Pack Individual Snacks!
I’m normally not a fan of pre-packaged goods because they are more expensive than the larger family size bags, but I can’t stand when one person puts sandy hands into a bag and then the entire bag is ruined! SOOOO this is one of the few instances when I really prefer the pre-packaged snacks! It’s also an easy way to save money and avoid paying for expensive snacks you buy on the beach.
Note: You can also take the family size bags and divide them up into individual servings but this is a vacation ;) I do purchase these at home and bring them with us so that I can stock up when I find a good sale and I don’t have to pay full price at the destination. Planning ahead for items like this is another great way to save!
Keep Chocolate in the Ice Chest
On hot summer days the chocolate will melt fast, bring along another Ziploc Bag and stash that chocolate or anything that will melt at the top of your ice chest.
Freeze Your Water Bottles & Use as Ice Packs
Throw your water bottles in the freezer at the condo the night before and use these as Ice Packs in your Ice Chest, as the water thaws you can drink the bottles and you save yourself a little space to pack more drinks (or chocolate :) See above)
Skip the Juice Boxes & Buy Pouch Drinks
I’ve learned the hard way that you can quickly ruin juice boxes in an ice chest. The Cardboard boxes just aren’t made to withstand sitting in melted ice water all day long, but these 100% Capri Sun Juice Pouches are the perfect alternative. These can last all week in an ice chest and they don’t have the added sugar that most pouch drinks contain.
Make Capri Sun Slushies
Freeze Your Capri Sun Drinks overnight, then once they are half thawed Cut off the Top and eat with a spoon! These are a PERFECT Icy Treat for the beach that’s not complicated and it won’t cost you a fortune! My kids love doing this even when we are at home.
Wash Sandy Hands in Buckets of Water
With little ones that are always playing in the sand it can be hard to get those hands clean. We fill up a few buckets of water and let the kids rinse their hands before sitting down to eat a snack. That way they don’t end up with sand in their mouth :)
Bring Bath toys from Home
You don’t have to invest in a ton of beach toys that will only get played with once a year. Some of my kids favorite beach toys are actually bath toys! Look around your house and see what Cups, Bowls, & Bath Toys you have that you can bring along. I typically find my kids love just about anything they can fill or pour when we’re at the beach it doesn’t have to be fancy.
These Measure Up Cups by Discovery Toys (Fisher Price makes some similar too) have been a favorite of all three of my kids!
Use Reusable Shopping Bags as Beach Bags
One of my FAVORITE Finds at T.J. Maxx are their Reusable Shopping Totes, these typically sell for just $0.99 and they come in a bunch of adorable styles. These bags are a plastic material and really well made, they are great for using as beach totes and you don’t have to worry if they get sandy or messed up since they won’t cost you a fortune.
You can also buy these super cheap on Amazon, The fabric ones wash really well in the Washer or with a water-hose so they are great if you end up getting sand in them, which let’s face it you probably will since this is the beach :)
Bring Along Your Own Beach Toys
I actually hit up discount stores like Big Lots, Dollar Tree and Deals before we left on vacation to stock up on Beach Toys! They are so much cheaper when you aren’t in a tourist city and if you buy new they are normally packed really small so they travel well! We picked up some Tubes, Body Boards, Sand Buckets and more for just a few dollars each! My kids were in heaven and I didn’t have to spend a fortune.
Use Ziploc Bags for Electronics
Never underestimate the power of a Ziploc Bag :) You can use them for just about everything including keeping your electronics, cash and keys dry! I always stash an entire box of bags in our car before we leave so that we don’t run out!
Make Homemade Sunscreen
There have been a lot of reports lately about the chemicals used in sunscreen. If you’re worried about chemicals then try making your own Homemade Sunscreen using Zinc Oxide, I’ve got 2 different recipes you can use here!
Keep a Cooling Spray in your Ice Chest
Place a spray bottle filled with Green Tea in your ice chest! Then pull it out and spray on your face or body when you need to cool off! This is also great in a spray bottle with a fan on it. Just fill a spray bottle with water, Place 2 tea bags in the bottle for a few hours and place the spray bottle in your ice chest to chill!
You can also try making this after sun spray and keeping it in your cooler! This is just another way to use tea to help cool off your skin after you’ve been in the sun!
Make Your own Beach Waves Spray
Skip the expensive stuff at the drugstores you can make your own Beach Waves Spray with only a few ingredients! Check out this recipe here for a quick and easy Homemade Beach Waves Spray!
I would love to know what your favorite Beach Hacks are! We’re always looking for new ones so I’d love for you to leave a comment below!
Also, don’t miss my post on 10 Ways to Save Money on a Beach Vacation for More great tips for hitting the beach with kids!
I take rinse free bath wipes like you give sponge baths with. You find them where medical supplies are in the store. We use these to really wash off with the out door showers to feel cleaner before doing another activity or getting something to eat. When taking 5 grand kids to the beach it is easier for me then dragging everyone back to the room, everyone taking a shower, new clothes, fixing hair and for the teen make up. When we get to the car we use the left over water bottles to rinse feet and/or baby powder if not real bad.
My mother in laws beach must have, us a two liter bottle of Water in the trunk to clean your feet before getting in the car. Also I love to have a chapstick in my beach bag!
Take extra mesh laundry bags with you to the beach. The inexpensive ones in the laundry or ironing section at most stores will do just fine. They are great for traveling with and storing beach towels. Just grab the whole bag when headed down to the water. Also, they are fantastic for beach toys. You can dip the whole bag in the ocean to rinse them. Then carry them back with you clean and ready for the next day.
great ideas! I have to ask, is that siesta key beach you all were at? looks familiar ;) thanks for the tips
No, Destin area.
We have several young grandkids who love the beach! But we didn’t always want to chase them around the waters edge. So we bought a large piece (8’ x 10’) of painters high grade plastic and took it to the beach. My son dug a shallow square smaller than the plastic and we lined the area with the plastic allowing for about 12” of overhang. We put sand on top of the overhang to weight it down so that the plastic would not fall into the “beach made pool”
Then we made a game out of getting buckets of water and filling up our beach pool. The kids enjoyed playing in the pool for hours! When your done for the day, pull up the plastic rinse it off and fold it up for another trip to the beach!
It has been such a hit that we have had to cut a larger piece to accommodate more kids and friends. Even the bigger kids get in on the action.
Cheap, fun and totally doable!
Hi, I signed up to receive emails so I could get your Ultimate Beach Checklist. It directed me to your page of recipes for $5, but no checklist. Am I doing something wrong?? Thanks so much.
Maybe check your spam.
If you want to keep your blanket under the tent to have less sand then take a fitted sheet like full or queen, and just put the corners underneath the legs of the tent and the fitted part will wrap up the side of the leg and create a little “play pin” kind of thing so that sand doesn’t blow in, it has worked well for me and my family.
ENTER YOUR COMMENT ERE
i use a pop up mesh laundry hamper to put the kids beach toys in…..just shake the hamper when finished playing and the sand stays on the beach….then when u get back to the house just hose off he toys he hamper and the sand and water will go right through and they will dry in there as well and will be at for next time!
my beach hacks (with a toddler): I use tarp instead of towel/blanket. its waterproof and can easily (bring small brush/broom) brush off the sand. Towels/blankies will just get wet from wet clothes and sand will stick on it.
I bring 1gallon plastic tank sprayer ($10) filled with water and leave it in the car. Instant shower to rinse off dirty feet or sandy toddler right infront of your car.
Awesome idea
Love this! from THIS “glamma”, I wish I would of had these tips back-in-the-day but I do NOw for my little lovelies! I’m passing it on to my daughter, & mom aged friends. Great ideas!!! Thx so much!
Wow, I can’t believe people bring this much crap with them to the beach! Doesn’t that defeat the point of having a relaxing day?
sure….if you are single
These are such great ideas! Can’t wait to use them. do you have any advice or great tips for a place to stay…right on the beach? (Without spending an arm and a leg?).
Thanks for the tips.
hello! loved all your ideas by the way what brand And where did you buy the wagon? Ive seen many diferent Brands And different ones… thanks!
Nifty. And a load of great nifty comments too! I’m a mother of 7 (his, her’s and our’s)… We pretty much always brought an umbrella or tent, towels to dry off with and thin, cheap blankets to relax on. Lotion never stays long on my kids, but I still put it on whomever stood still long enough to get tackled! Always brought waters. Never froze them since we had a 24 pack typically, and warm water absorbs better into your body. Used our cooler for sandwiches and mayonnaise based salads (potato salad, macaroni salad)… Brought chips; rarely brought meltable items.
Thankfully, the beach we go to, Old Orchard Beach, Maine is next to Palace Playland {amusement park} where my husband works, and we typically get huge discounts for food — and all locations give free cups of water now {save your cup for some locations}…
Tip: put Quarters in an empty medicine bottle, so it’s at hand for meter filling.
We don’t do the beach often any more, but the younger kids {2 left} and I go to the local swimming hole often. I use many of the same techniques and tricks listed, as well as what we did at the beach… Plus I bought a chair, as I’m allergic to the algae in fresh water, so can’t swim for long {bummer}; and an umbrella {huge 9 foot across bohemeth} ~ the kids sit on towels under the umbrella. I sit and read a good book, and snap pictures at times for them to remember their days or adventure!
Also bring along the Meat Tenderizer!! It helps a TON with jelly fish stings!
I like to freeze a wet washcloth in a ziplock bag. Toss it the cooler and you have an instant cold compress or a clean cloth to wipe salt water away from a small scrape or your face.
All of your ideas are so great! I would love to know where you purchased your beach blankets :)
ENTER YOUR COMMENT HEREsueBEST idea EVER: Bring a shower curtain liner and a good quality shovel. Dig a round “pool” in the sand, put shower curtain liner in to form a “pool”, weight edges down with sand and fill with water. Toddlers will love their own pool on the beach!!
My advice as a Floridian: I have never in my 30 years of life been to the beach with much more than a towel, a bottle of water, and sunscreen. As a child, I didn’t always have a bucket and shovel, so I used my hands to build or dig in the sand. I chased birds and crabs. I swam. I got salt in my eyes and sand in my mouth. I hunted shells and drift wood. I napped. It was great! For me, the simplicity of the ocean is the draw. Being weighed down by a bunch of stuff takes away from that. And what better way to save money than not to buy anything in the first place?
Be sure to dilute that Lavender Essential Oil before using. (in a carrier oil or lotion)
Carry a bottle of vinegar, regular white vinegar for those oh so ugly jellyfish stings. Works wonders.
For beach toys we have used two systems. 1- a mini plastic container for storage with lid, we rinse off our toys a little and then throw them in the bucket. When we get back to where we are staying we get the water off the container from the wet toys.
2- Our most favorite way is a super sized ikea bag (the blue ones, $.59). Those bags carry so much and if they get dirty you can always wash them with a spray hose. Sometimes we take two, one for dry things, other for wet things.
We bring a couple of plastic grocery bags for garbage so we make sure we leave no garbage behind or mixed with our things.
Day at the beach calls for sandwiches so we either make them before heading to the beach or just grab a loaf of bread and order some lunch meat and cheese from the deli.
I already do the iced water bottles thing. Isn’t that awesome? I was so happy with myself when I thought I should do that a few yrs ago and have been doing this ever since.
My husband loves that the kids wear brimmed hats so ears and necks are covered.
Thanks for the great tips!
Skip the wagon and invest in the folding chairs that also double as backpacks.
Rebecca, there was really no call to be so rude. This was a mom posting ways to help other moms. Negative comments like that are just useless.
On a side note. The caprison pouches, or any pouch drink actually contain a lot of bacteria. My daughter complained hers tasted nasty and there wasn’t much drink in there,but it was brand new. I cut the top off and was disgusted by what we found. A molded blob of gross was inside. I contacted the company, but have yet to hear back from them. Just be careful!
Stop with all the waste. Reduce reuse recycle. I see a lot of added trash for no reason in this post. Tupperware. Desirable drink containers. Appreciate the beach and the experience. If you want to eat sand free food – Don’t eat on a beach.
LOTS of great ideas!
I would like to comment on the tent…excellent idea, especially as a family with too many skin cancer scares. HOWEVER I try to live a life of treating others the way I want to be treated and blocking the sun and view of my beach neighbors may not actually be so neighborly. Umbrellas are bad enough…..
Thanks for the opportunity to share one girls opinion
That looks like Siesta Key sand!! Love it!
Love all your ideas! But as a Mom of 2 peanut allergic kiddos all your peanut products make me cringe. Remember all those peanut allergic kids when packing lunches Mommas especially for the park and theme parks. We have left in ambulances several times from coming into contact with invisible peanut residue in public play areas. No Fun.
I love the beach, but I can’t stand when I go to lay on my beach blanket or mat and the kids running around have kicked sand all over it. So a fitted sheet is the answer. Use a fitted sheet and put coolers/bags at each corner and pull the fitted sheet up and around the object in each corner. This will hold the 4 sides of the sheet up off the sand and then blocks all the sand being kicked around and covering your blanket or mat with gritty sand! Don’t forget to dust your mat or blanket with a bit of baby powder so the sand that comes up through the blanket doesn’t stick to u!
These are great ideas. The only one I would caution about is bringing a tent to the beach. Check the rules/regulations of your destination first. We took our E-Z Up canopy to North Myrtle Beach last year and discovered they were not permitted on the beach. We ended up running to the nearest WalMart to purchase a beach umbrella instead.
Set the alarm on your cell phone to remind yourself when to reapply suntan lotion.
Always bring benedryl cream.
Fruit is my go to for portable snacks. Apples, pears, peaches, bananas, blueberries, even grapes, though sandy hands usually transfer to grapes, so wash in your water bucket first. Watermelon is good too if you have it prepped before hand
I live a 3 minute walk from the beach, so I’m there a lot with kids. My best tip? Skip the salt! You can get dehydrated so fast while on a hot beach. Pack a ton of fruit and vegetables. You’ll get hydrated from that as well as from water and corn syrup free drinks. Water is ALWAYS best, though. Save the salt for when you’re hydrated and in an air conditioned building. Your body will thank you.
Great tips! However, check with the beaches in the area you’ll be visiting on their restrictions for tents. I’m in Surfside, SC and they don’t allow them, anymore. They interfere with the siteline of the life guards. Umbrellas are permitted, though.
I live near the beach and my go to is filling gallon milk jugs with water. Leave them in the car then sit everyone down just before getting in the car and use them to rinse off their feet and beech shoes. Keeps the car and the house sand free
thats a great idea thanks…
Buy the cheap red and yellow ketchup and mustard refillable bottles at the Dollar Tree. Fill with water and use to squirt one another, write words or draw in the sand, and wash off sandy hands. My kids love them, and you can get 2 for $1!
Haven’t heard of that one. Great idea!
What is beach waves spray? Never heard of it.
I always buy beach toys at thrift stores kus they are way cheaper that at t dept store and u could find some better quality.
Fill up a water bottle that squirts to clean those sandy bottoms before a diaper change.