25 Genius Mom Beach Hacks Every Mom Needs to Know
Are you heading to the beach with your little ones for a family beach day, but worried that it won’t be fun! Don’t be worried with these genius mom beach hacks. You’ll breeze through your beach day with ease, leaving you more time to enjoy the sun and make precious memories with your family.
Trust me! As a mom of four young children, and twins, we just had the most perfect beach day using these beach essentials and best beach tips.
Here are 25 mom beach hacks to help make your family beach day a success!
#1. Bring a wagon for all of the stuff
At most beaches the parking lot is far from where you set up your beach spot. To avoid multiple trips, especially with small children, or throwing out your back, bring a foldable wagon. Chances are you will end up needing a foldable wagon for sports and other events. Invest now if you don’t have one.
#2. Mesh Bag for Sand-Free Toys
Tired of finding sand in every nook and cranny of your beach toys? Use a mesh laundry bag to store them. As you leave the beach, shake the bag vigorously to remove excess sand, keeping your car and home sand-free.
What toys to bring: Sand buckets, shovels, beach balls, football, frisbee, body board
Same goes with your beach bag. Buy a mesh beach bag to store towels, books, and beach essentials to keep sand from coming home with you.
#3. Waterproof your phone
Use either a waterproof case, diy with your own plastic bag, or buy a waterproof dry bag so you don’t ruin your beach day frustrated by a damaged phone. Plus you don’t want to miss out capturing all of the wonderful moments from your successful beach vacation.
#4. Freeze Water Bottles for Instant Coolers
Instead of lugging around a bulky ice chest, freeze a few water bottles overnight and pack them in your beach bag the next day. Not only will they keep your drinks cold, but as they thaw, you’ll have refreshing ice-cold water to stay hydrated.
#5. Baby Powder for Easy Sand Removal
Sprinkle baby powder on sandy toes before leaving the beach. The powder absorbs moisture, making it easier to brush off sand, leaving you and your little ones clean and sand-free.
#6. Sunscreen Application made easy
This easy sunscreen application is perfect for young kids, babies and toddlers, who usually run away at the sight of sunscreen. Goes on tantrum free. Use the stickers to know when you should re-apply. With the sun’s rays and clouds, don’t forget to reapply every couple of hours.
Or, use makeup brushes to paint on sunscreen which is also a great idea!
Also, we always bring hats for our kids to wear. The sun at the beach, at least here in California, feels hot on the face.
#7. Small pop-up tent
Use a small pop-up tent to get a break from the sun, have a toddler or baby squeeze in a nap. Having a small pop-up tent is more ideal than a large umbrella. Definitely bring something to have a break from the sun, especially if you have toddlers or babies.
#8. Create a Sand-Free Area
Use a fitted flat sheet to create a beach blanket, and have a sand-free area. Simply anchor the corners with coolers or bags, and voila! You have a sand-free oasis for your family to relax and enjoy.
#9. Portable Changing Station
Create a portable changing station by using a shower caddy. Stock it with diapers, wipes, sunscreen, and other essentials, and hang it from your beach umbrella or chair for easy access throughout the day.
#10. Bring Drink holders
Drinks are quick to spill if you don’t have drink holders to put them in. Or, bring beach chairs WITH cup holders are also great to bring.
#11. Baby Pool Playpen
For little ones who aren’t quite ready to venture into the waves, bring a small inflatable pool to the beach. Fill it with a small amount of water and toys (bath toys), and your baby can splash and play safely while staying cool.
#12. Bring Puddle Jumper / Life Jacket
One of the reasons my husband was hesitant on going to the beach with younger kids, was beach safety. Having our kids wear either a puddle jumper or life jacket helped him get over his safety concerns.
#13. Wear Rash Guards or wet suits
Multiple reason to wear rash guards or wet suites. One, it helps minimize the amount of sunscreen you have to continuously put on throughout the day while out in the sun at the beach. And two, it helps with keeping sand from getting in those annoying places that end up bothering and scratching little kids. You will have a more enjoyable experience if you minimize the annoyances.
My four young kids wear rash guards with life jackets and it makes for a great day at the beach.
#14. Beach Bag Organization:
Use labeled zipper pouches or small containers to organize sunscreen, snacks, toys, and other essentials in your beach bag. This will make it easy to find what you need without rummaging through a messy bag.
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#15. DIY Beach Toy Wash Station
Bring along a collapsible bucket or large container filled with water for rinsing off sandy toys before packing them away. This will save you from bringing sand home and keep your car clean.
#16. Frozen Grapes as Snacks
Freeze grapes the night before your beach trip for a refreshing and healthy snack. They’ll help keep other snacks cool in your cooler so you don’t have to pack ice.
#17. Beach Tent Anchors
Ever had your tent blow away in the wind? The wind can come out of nowhere at the beach. Use gallon-sized zip-top bags filled with sand as makeshift tent anchors. Simply tie the bag to the tent’s ropes or poles to keep it secure in windy conditions.
#18. Mesh Produce Bags for Beach Trash
Basically, everything you bring needs to be a mesh bag. lol. Bring mesh produce bags to collect trash and food. Attach them to your beach bag or cooler for easy access, and dispose of the trash when you leave in the parking lot trash bins.
#19. DIY Sand-Free Beach Mat
Sew two towels together with the towel side facing inwards to create a sand-free beach mat. The sand will fall through the cracks, leaving you with a clean surface to lounge on.
#20. Inflatable Baby Pool as a Foot Bath
Set up a small inflatable baby pool near your beach setup to use as a foot bath. Dip your sandy feet in to rinse off before heading back to your towel or blanket.
#21. Beach Towel Pockets
Sew pockets onto the corners of your beach towels to keep them weighed down and anchored on windy days. Fill the pockets with sand or small rocks for added stability.
#22. Frozen Sponge Ice Packs
Soak a few sponges in water, place them in zip-top bags, and freeze them overnight. These DIY ice packs are perfect for keeping drinks and snacks cold without creating a soggy mess like ice as it melts.
#23. Seashell Identification Cards
Create laminated seashell identification cards for your kids to use while beachcombing. They’ll have fun searching for different types of shells and learning about marine life along the way.
#24. DIY Cooling Misting Fan
Fill a small spray bottle with water and keep it in the cooler until needed. On those hot summer days, give yourself and your family a refreshing mist to cool down.
#25. Sand Anchor for Beach Umbrella
Attach a screw-in beach umbrella anchor to the bottom of your umbrella pole to prevent it from blowing away in strong winds. It’s a simple yet effective way to keep your shade in place all day long.
Want to know the BEST mom beach hacks? Have Low Expectations.
Lower your expectations, increase your patience, and enjoy the experience even if it doesn’t go perfectly. At the end of the day, beach days can be some of the most magical days with your kids, so soak them up.
With these easy beach hacks, you’ll be able to tackle any beach day like a pro. Say goodbye to sandy snacks, sunburns, and tantrums, and hello to endless fun and relaxation with your family.
So grab your beach bag, slather on the sunscreen, and get ready for a day of sun, surf, and smiles!
To see some of these beach hacks in action, check out Shannon Doherty who went on Good Morning America, and has some of the best summer hacks of all time.
Want more genius mom hacks sent straight to you inbox? Are you a stressed mom who would love a mom tribe to help ditch the chaos and start enjoying motherhood even more?
Sign up for my newsletter and snag my Stress-Slaying Checklist and Calendar to help you get started calming the chaos in your own motherhood journey.
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