Beaches For Kids

Sun, sand and the ocean, sounds like a recipe for fun to me. A day with the kids at the beach can be a perfect way to spend a lovely weekend (or weekday if you’re lucky). However, it can quickly become dangerous if you are not careful, and you don’t want to take any chances with your precious little ones. In order to make your day great without any hassles, here are some musts for a fantastic day out:

• Sunscreen – your kid’s skin is thinner and more sensitive than yours and as a result of this should be covered by either shade, clothing or sunscreen at all times. Hats and umbrella’s are also worthwhile additions to your nappy bag. The sun can also damage your little one’s eyes, so get a pair of sunglasses with UV protection.
• Beach Toys – for most children a simple bucket and spade will do. To help you remember your day out, you and your kids can collect shells and cool rocks as souvenirs to take home. Balls and chairs can also make your day a little more fun and comfortable.
• Drinks and snacks – splashing around and building sand castles can be hungry and thirsty work. That’s why you should always bring heaps of water and snacks to keep your kid’s energy levels up so they won’t get cranky.
• Timing – you should try to avoid taking your little ones to the beach between the hours of 11am and 3pm when the sun is at its hottest, or you risk your kids getting sunburnt, dehydrated and irritable. Instead try to time your visits for the early morning or late afternoon, when the temperature is a bit cooler.
• Extra stuff- make sure you bring a change of clothes for your children to the beach, so they don’t have to go home in wet clothes which can cause chaffing and even a cold. You should also invest in a nice pair of comfy sandals for your child, so they don’t burn their feet on the hot sand.

You can even incorporate some arts and crafts for a day out with the kids at the beach. A really nice idea is to get your child to create their very own beach in a bottle. You need to get a clear plastic jar (an old peanut butter or jam jar will work perfectly) and get your child to fill up about a third of the jar with sand. Then go for a walk with your little one along the shoreline and pick up pretty and interesting beach bits and pieces, like beautiful shells, cool, smallish pieces of driftwood and other fun mementos and put these things inside your jar. When you are ready to leave, close up your jar and take it home to remind your kid about their great day they had at the beach. Before you do this, check the beach isn’t heritage listed – you won’t disturb the wildlife and natural surroundings.

Building sand castles is a time honoured tradition. If you go to the beach with a few friends why not instil some friendly competition and get all the kids to compete in a sand castle building contest and judge the winners (it might be nice to make all participants winners i.e. one winner for best walls, another for tallest, another for widest etc). A really nice activity you can do with your kid’s is to write messages in the sand. These messages are always fun to create, and if you have a camera handy, you can take pictures and print them out so your child can save a copy of their handiwork. If the beach is a little windy why not unveil that kite you have been threatening to fly for months, kids love kites and flying it with you is bound to make their day.

Best Beaches for kids in Australia

Australia has some great beaches and a couple of these beaches are perfectly suited for kids. Here are some of the best kids beaches in Australia:

• Eastern Beach, Victoria – this beach has a great ocean pool, complete with a water fountain to splash around in
• Cottesloe Beach, Western Australia – crystal blue waters and a sheltered cove, what more could a kid want
• Glenelg, South Australia – not only is there a magnificent beach, but right alongside are water slides and amusement rides
• One Mile Beach, New South Wales – a safe beach with very gentle currents and a slope that makes getting into the water easy
• Main Beach, Queensland – Gentle waves and heaps of other families make this a great beach for kids

Byokids and Holidays with kids have some great information about fun beaches and holidays for kids.

As long as you have planned and prepared for your day, you’re sure to have a safe, healthy, fun trip to the beach with your kids.