Summer is beach time, and beach time is a blast — but as a parent, it can also be a huge hassle, especially when the sand that’s so soft and nice to build castles with turns into in inescapable nuisance that won’t go away and even follows you home.
Fortunately, whether you’re trying to find a single sand-free corner of the towel to dry your toddler’s face, or a way to reapply sunscreen without giving his skin a rough sanding, other moms have been here before, and they have figured out all the tricks. These hacks will help you enjoy all the best of the beach, and hopefully avert any meltdowns.
Leave The Sand At The Beach
The first tip is for your own sanity, and will help minimize the amount of sand you have to vacuum out of your car and house after vacation is over. If you’ve ever carted a beach bag or tote full of toys to the ocean and home again, you know how much sand you dumped out of the bag afterward, and how it stows away in the corners and seams so that no amount of shaking and dumping ever seems to get it all out.
That’s why this mom suggests you replace the beach bag (or at least augment it) with mesh laundry hampers. The pop-up kind can fold super small, but their big advantage is that sand and water just run right through the mesh, and it’s got great air flow, so it’s not just perfect for sandy toys, but for wet towels and swimsuits too — and at home, it goes straight to the laundry room.
Ready To Rinse
Here’s an alternative that’s also really great for toddlers who might be overwhelmed by the ocean but still want to play in the water. It’s also an answer for the great dilemma that occurs when your kids run to the ocean to rinse the sand off, but are covered in a fresh layer by the time they run back up to the parking lot.
This mom says she carries the beach toys in a plastic tote with a lid. Once she dumps the toys out, she fills the tote with water for her toddler to splash and play in. When it’s time to leave, the tote contains her rinsing-off water, and the toys can be sealed inside to protect against mess in the car.
Skin-Saving Sock Hack
At some point during a beach day, whether it’s leaving time or lunchtime, you’re going to want to get all the sand off your kids’ skin. If you have toddlers or kids with sensitive skin, you may find that they spend the entire day alternating between wanting to play in the sand, and wanting to have sand-free skin.
When a rinse isn’t the answer, baby powder makes a great alternative. It dries out the sticky sand, robbing it of its clinging power, so you can just wipe the dry sand away. There’s a special trick to doing this with less mess, though, and it involves bringing along a clean, soft sock to fill with powder. Then, you can use the sock to wipe away the sand less abrasively.
Sweet Sheet Oasis
The older kids are splashing in the water and having a blast, and nobody’s ready to leave, but you and the baby or toddler need a little break. It’s hard to nurse a baby in the sand, and if the little one needs a rest, you’ll definitely want a less-sandy place for it.
One really popular beach hack for this involves a fitted sheet. Stretch it out on the sand and use your shoes, bag, cooler, or other items to weigh down each corner. Add a bucket of water outside for rinsing feet, and a towel inside for drying, and you have a place to step away from the sand without heading home or back to the hotel!
You can even position your beach umbrella or canopy to provide some shade! (Please remember to keep yourself and your babies hydrated when staying at the beach for extended periods of time!
Sunblock Hack For Less Fuss
You know your baby’s delicate skin needs protection, so you’ve brought along lots of good sunblock, and set your timer so that you don’t forget to reapply it frequently. Unfortunately, your toddler has other ideas. She doesn’t like how the lotion feels, and she doesn’t want it rubbed on her skin. Now, you’re in an hourly battle of wills.
Fortunately, you know that one of the best tricks in your parenting toolbox is to make a necessary task more fun, and moms have figured out a hack to make application of sunscreen both fun and efficient. Just use a makeup brush or blending sponge. Your toddler will be intrigued, and you may just achieve the most even application of sunblock yet!
Give these summer beach hacks a try, and enjoy vacation with your babies!