Everyone loves a day at the beach. After all, what better way to enjoy the warm summer weather than soak up the rays coast side? A beach vacation is a great way to sneak in some fun for the whole family.
You and your spouse know how to make a beach day relaxing, but what about those jacked-up-on-popsicles kids of yours? Fear not. It’s easier than you’d think to survive a beach day with the kids.
Food & Drink
To start, make sure that you have enough snacks and water for everyone. Pack healthy snacks like fruit and vegetables which are full of water, which makes them refreshing on a hot day. Try bringing something a little different than the snacks at home to make them feel extra special.
You can make “ants on a log” by putting peanut butter and raisins on a stick of celery or freeze grapes for a bite sized cold treat. If you will be there all day, make sure you’ve packed sandwiches or something a little more substantial for lunch. Also, make sure you’ve packed enough water for everyone in your family to have at least eight ounces of water every hour.
Keep Them Busy
Keep the kids busy by sending them into the water with a boogie board or inflatable device. Make sure that they stay in your sight by giving them a board or device that is brightly colored. When possible, send them out to the water in pairs, or go in with them.
It’s best to start the day off with wave riding and other more physically demanding activities because it will tire kids out early on and leave them ready for some relaxation during the later part of the day. You can also come up with funny castle themes and have the kids engage in a sand castle building contest. See who can build the best silly castle, and remind them that they can use rocks, feathers, and sea shells for decoration. They can then spend time exploring for these items and then build their sandy paradises.
Avoid Sun Burn
Stay protected from the sun. Excessive heat and sun exposure can bring about an abrupt end to even the best beach day. Safeguard from the sun by making sure everyone has plenty of sunscreen, and, if possible, a hat and sunglasses.
Set up chairs and towels under the shade to create your family’s “home base” bring an umbrella or shade canopy that will act as a bastion of cool shade that the whole family can escape to in between bouts of splashing and running in the sand. This is also a great way to keep your cooler and any other food items away from the sun.
Reading Material
Bring reading material for the whole family. Younger kids can even color or read picture books, and summer is a great time to get older kids interested in the joys of reading for pleasure. Just don’t forget to bring something for yourself! You deserve this beach day just as much as anyone else does.
Kellie Swaim is a beach vacation expert from her time working with Quik Shade, makers of instant canopies http://www.quikshade.com for more info. Keep up with Kellie by connecting with her on Google+.