9 Beach Tips and Hacks For The Best Summer Fun!
Let’s face it, a trip to the beach should be tons of fun, but the reality is going to the beach with kids is a lot of work!
From packing the car full of gear to be safe and have fun in the sun, to preparing appealing snacks and drinks to keep everyone full and hydrated, going to the beach can be exhausting. Then there’s the sand, which inevitably gets on everything and is impossible to remove. Whew!
With decades of beach-going trips behind me, I thought it would be fun to share some of my tried and true tips so you can enjoy your next family beach trip as much as possible.
To help make your trip easier on you, I have some great beach hacks that will help make your next family beach trip a breeze!
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Baby Powder
Baby powder is a must for a family fun day at the beach. Just sprinkle some on a beach towel or in your hand, then brush your kiddo’s hands and feet. The sand magically disappears!
Baby powder works to remove moisture from the skin, making it difficult for the sand to stick in the first place.
Pro Tip: Sprinkle baby powder on feet and legs right before getting in the car after your beach day. Then, brush powder and sand away with your hands or a dry towel. This way, you’ll leave the sand at the beach and not bring it home with you.
Fitted Sheet
Forget battling small and scratchy beach towels during your time on the sand. The best option for lounging on the beach is a fitted sheet turned so the fitted ends face up.
Just position four heavy items in the corners and pull the sheet up and taut. When you’re done, you should have four short walls around you to prevent blowing sand from invading your space.
Pro Tip: Use deep pocket fitted sheets and use the pockets to help keep small items from getting lost in the sand.
Balloons
Water in the ears can be an annoying, and sometimes painful reminder of a fun day at the beach. Help get the water out by having the affected kiddo’s (or adults) blow up a balloon. This is a great way to get rid of water inside your kids’ ears because the jaw movement and pressure help open the clogged Eustachian tubes.
Just toss a few small balloons in your beach bag in case someone’s ears get plugged with water after taking a dip in the pool or ocean.
Pro Tip: Use thick, harder to blow up balloons and blow s-l-o-w-l-y.
Freezer Bags
Freezer bags do triple duty at the beach. They hack your cooler by replacing melting ice with a few frozen bags filled with water, and they’ll hold your wet gear after the water melts.
Pro Tip: Place electronics inside extra freezer bags to help prevent them from getting wet while still being able to use the touchscreen.
Rash Guards
Avoid the need to wrestle with your little one whenever it’s time to reapply sunscreen to your kids’ shoulders and back with this simple beach hack.
Rash guard swimsuits protect the most vulnerable part of your children’s skin without the need to reapply sunscreen every time they get out of the water.
Pro Tip: Long sleeve rash guards can protect the entire upper body and help save everyone’s sanity by reducing the need to frequently reapply sunscreen.
Vinegar
If you’re at a beach that is home to stinging jellyfish, bring a small spray bottle filled with vinegar. The vinegar will take the sting out if anyone accidentally gets stung.
Pro Tip: Vinegar has many uses! If sunburn occurs despite your prevention methods, Apple cider vinegar helps reduce the pain and swelling.
- Soak washcloth or towel in vinegar mixture (2 parts cool water, 1 part apple cider vinegar.)
- Place the soaked towels onto your sunburned skin for 15 minutes.
- Repeat until pain diminishes.
Laundry Basket
Haul your gear to the beach in a laundry basket, then line it with a soft, fluffy towel after everything is unloaded. The basket can contain a little one during play time and will also work as a make-shift bassinet.
Pro Tip: Laundry basket turned mini-pool for the baby! When your baby is still too small for safe play in shallow, warm and still water, a laundry basket is there to help! Not only will it keep all of the toys within easy reach, but it can also help your child sit upright out of the water.
Sunscreen
This simple beach hack will help you cool everyone’s skin while reapplying sunscreen. Just toss the sunscreen in the cooler to chill it in between coats.
Pro Tip: Storing sunscreen in the top section of the cooler will help keep it from becoming runny and separated on those hot summer days…and keep it cool!
Valuables Hiding Spot
A disposable diaper is the best place to hide your valuables. Before heading out to the water with your kids, wrap up your cell phone, money, and keys in a diaper, making it look like it’s been used. No one will suspect a thing!
Pro Tip: Yes, a diaper. It sounds disgusting, which is why it works. Valuables are the last thing anyone would expect to be hidden inside. No one will touch it; there could be baby poo in there! The only thing you have to worry about is someone throwing it away. In that case, leave it under your towel and/or far away from a trashcan.
Have you tried any of these hacks? Share how they worked for you in a comment below. If you have any to add, please share those too!
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You just made like this summer with two little ones so much easier! I always find myself avoiding the beach (even though they love it) because I don’t like the clean up.
Fantastic! I’m glad you found my summer beach hacks useful and I hope your family enjoys the time at the beach!
I can not wait to try your fitted sheet trick and the baby powder trick! So excited!
I love the fitted sheet hack myself!! With the corners anchored down with the heavier items, it’s like a mini four-walled open fort. Great for keeping that pesky sand from blowing all over you when people walk by!
I’ve always heard about baby powder but never tried it!!
The baby powder hack really works! If anyone is worried about the talc in the powder, there are updated powders that don’t contain any talc that work just as well for removing sand.
Great ideas! I didn’t think about the vinegar. Rash guards are great. My kids hate sunscreen and it helps protect them since they’re always running away from sunscreen. Thank you for the tips = )
Shire, You’re welcome! I’m a fan of rash guards too and wear them myself!
Great tips for summer travel! Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome! I hope my hacks help you out when you go to the beach!
I don’t have kids but I am always looking at people with kids on the beach and wonder “how do they manage to not go crazy?” This article helped me to understand that you have to know the right things and to be organized to succsed the vacation with kids!
Thanks Monica! It can be a struggle….I have six(!!!) kids so our beach trips had to be organized!
Thanks for sharing. Some great tips!
Thank you! I hope you found a useful hack or two!
I knew the baby powder, but didn’t know about the balloons! Thanks for the tips.
Balloons are a must-have to help get rid of that pesky water that is sloshing around in the little one’s ears.
I didn’t know the balloon trick! I also take coconut oil as it works as antisceptic, bite cream and after sun!
I love that one! My husband tried it a couple weeks ago when his ears were clogged after our return flight from Ireland. It worked for that too!
I love the tip about the balloons! I’ve never heard that one before! I’ll have to remember to pack some balloons in my beach bag the next time I head to the beach!
I love the tip about the balloons! I’ve never heard that one before! I’ll make sure to pack some balloons in my beach bag the next time I head to the beach!
Balloons are a must have if your little ones are susceptible to getting water in their ears and cannot get it out easily.
These were so helpful thank you
I’m glad I could help!
Oh my goodness! The diaper hack is hilarious! – great tips!
I love the diaper hack too!!
I don’t have small kids but many of your tips we can still use on our vacation this summer!
Excellent! I hope you found something useful in my post so your next trip to the beach is easier.
Oh, my Goodness! These tips are awesome! My two favorites are the fitted sheet, and the baby diaper! I totally LOVE it, and will pin it to re-read again later! Great post! 🙂
Thank you!!
Great tips! Sunscreen is a must for me. I burn so easily!
Me too!!! I used to be a sun worshipper when I was much younger and not aware of the dangers of sun exposure. I know better now thank goodness!
These are such great tips for enjoying the beach! I love the baby powder and fitted sheet tips…very cool.
Candi, I’m glad I could help!
I love the beach, even though I live in Missouri. We are in Florida now, and we’ll be at the beach in a few days!
Have fun in Florida Stacey!! Enjoy the beach!
I love the rashguard shirt, I don’t need to worry if they need to reapply sunscreen after few hours in the water.
Rash guards rule!!
These tips will make summer so much easier.
Thanks Rae!
I don’t have kids, but these are great tips!! Love the beach, it is my happy place. 😍
I love the beach too Amanda! Keep theses tips in mind if you ever have kids. 🙂
These are great. I live at the beach and had never heard of the baby powder trick. Thanks!
You live at the beach? I’m jealous! Enjoy!!
These are GREAT! We are heading to Lake Tahoe this summer and all of these will come in handy. Thank you!
Have a great time Ginger!
I love these ideas! I would have never known about the baby powder. Definitely doing that one!
Glad to help!
Great hacks, I did not know about the balloon one so I’ll definitely carry a couple in my bag.
I’m glad I could help!
This is so great! We live in a beach town and these ideas are perfect!
I’m jealous that you live in a beach town! You can enjoy the water whenever you want…sweet!
I just found out about using baby powder during the summer months! Such a great trick! These are all very practical tips for having a smooth summer, thank you!
When my husband and I walked on a beach in Ireland, I said these exact words as we were walking back to the car, “I should have brought baby powder with us!” 🙂
I’m so glad I saw this post! I’m ready to hit the beach now!
Ohhhh, have a great time!
These are such great ideas, especially the baby powder and fitted sheets. I love it, and I’m passing this information on.
Thank you!
I’d never heard of that balloon trick. Very interesting!
Katy, I hope you find it useful if you ever need to get water out of little one’s ears.
Great tip with the balloon! Will definitely try that out!
I hope it works for you Gail.
Great tips. I may have to cover myself in baby powder. The diaper hack is hilarious but might look weird if I don’t have a kid. 😂
Ha! It’s been a while since my kids were wearing diapers. You know what’s funny? When I was looking at diapers recently as research for this post, I found dog diapers! So funny, but I guess some dogs need them.
We’re headed to the beach next week and I cannot wait! So many fun things to try from this list.
Have a great time Janine! Don’t forget the baby powder!
Great tips! I can’t wait to try them out.
Christa, I’m happy to help.
I never thought of a fitted sheet or vinegar for sunburns! Great info, thank you!
Thanks! I’m glad I could help.
That’s so smart bringing vinegar! You never know when you’ll get stung!
Great tips! I never forget the sunscreen – I burn so easily.
I didn’t know that about vinegar and jelly fish. Thanks for the tips!
Gail, vinegar works for many things, and I always have some in a small spray bottle in my beach bag.
These tips are amazing!!!! I’m saving this for our next trip to the beach this summer. Thanks for sharing!
What neat tips!! & I never knew anything about the baby powder and the sand be gone!! Seriously that is one of the most annoying things at the beach and getting in a car or something!! I need to use this for next time!
Thanks Tiffany! I love that trick too!
Thanks for the tips – now i need to get to the beach 🙂
Yes, you do!! I grew up not too far from the ocean in Maryland….Ocean City was an annual destination. After I got older, I lived in Virginia Beach. After many years of beach living, I figured out a few helpful tricks and just had to share.
I always get a sun burn every time i expose myself in the sun. The tip on apple cider vinegar is a big discovery! Great article ! And enjoy summer 😊
Erik, I’ve had to use that tips a time or two myself!!
thanks for sharing this helpful post. such a great list!
Thank you! I hope you found it useful for a future beach trip.
These are absolutely genius!! Seriously life changing, sand drives me nuts so these will really stop grouchy mum in her tracks!
Thank you so much for sharing. Watch out beach here we come!
Great tips! I especially love the balloon idea. Even as an adult, water can get stuck in the ears. Thanks for posting!
I love your post. I’ve never though of how useful some of these things could be. I especially like the baby powder. I can’t wait to try it. Keep on giving out those great tips!