As a teacher, I have the privilege of spending the summers at home with my kids. I learned from their infancy that our summers are much more enjoyable when I plan daily outings. Living on the Seacoast, it’s natural that our number one outing is the beach! Whether we are spending the day at Fort Foster’s gentle shores, riding the waves at Wallis Sands, or floating a tube at Footbridge Beach in Ogunquit, the day is always much more enjoyable if you’re prepared. If you’re visiting with babies, toddlers, or kids – here are a few of my “essentials” I always pack from a day at a Seacoast Beach.
A Mom’s Packing List for Day at a Seacoast Beach
- Shade: For this one, choose your favorite. I’ve evolved through various stages: from a beach tent to an umbrella, and now a fancy sail shade. Understand that the kids won’t be spending all their time there, but it’s a good place to plant them for a snack, stash the food/cooler out of the sun, and steak a claim to your spot. Some of my favorite beaches (listed below) even have shady areas.
I loved using this beach umbrella with side panels for my toddler. - Wagon: Wagon’s aren’t necessary, but they sure are handy – especially if it’s a long walk from the car to the beach. You can store your stuff, pull a kid, and keep items stashed out of the sand. If you’re not bringing a wagon, that’s ok. Have some durable bags to hold everything, and be prepared to take multiple trips to and from the car.
- Beach blanket: I’ve tried a variety of blankets, but I find that an old bedspread or cloth picnic blanket works best. I’ve used this Walmart one for the past eight years. It’s easy to wash and store.
- Bags with: diapers (if you need them), wipes, spare clothes, towels, plastic baggies for trash and wet items. While I love a fancy bag, as mentioned above – I end up using Hannaford’s tyvek reusable bags. They are waterproof, can handle a heavy load, and are easy to clean. My fancier diaper bags can’t recover as easily from the sand, sticky trash, etc. so I keep those at home for the beach and bring these reliable shopping ones instead.
- Toys: Don’t go crazy! My kids have passed toddlerhood, but even now, I only bring like four things – a durable/sizeable shovel, a bucket (usually an old Easter one), a toy vehicle, and a kitchen plastic cup or pitcher. Remember, fewer toys can mean more imaginative play!
Don’t overdo it on toys - Life Jackets: Unless your child is a competent swimmer, they should be wearing a life jacket near water. Play it safe! There are a variety of options available, and they certainly don’t have to break the bank to do the job.
Life jackets/PFDs make ocean play safe for non-swimmers. - Cooler/Lunch box: Pack food and keep it cool. I use an insulated lunch box with ice packs for cool, healthy snacks. Be sure to avoid plastic pouches and snack containers that might leave trash on the beach: carrot sticks, grapes, PB&Js are all great choices.
- Iced water: Insulated water bottles with ice water are great choices for the beach. Keep cool!
- Sun protection: I used a combination of sunscreen, large sun hats, sunglasses, and SPF sun shirts or rash guards with my kids (as well as myself). My favorite brand of kid sunglasses are Minishades – they are safe, polarized, and come with a break/loss warranty! I’ve mentioned them as one of my favorite things for an active toddler.
Hats and sunglasses protect areas sunscreen can’t reach. - Shower: My solar camp shower has been a game changer. Before heading to the beach, I fill the canister with warm water. In the parking lot, I hose off the kids and all the beach items before putting them back in my car.
Have Fun!
Before you panic and go on a shopping spree, remember – I’ve accumulated this packing list over a long period because I go to the beach so frequently in the summer. It’s okay – and absolutely normal! – if it takes time to build this set of items. Also, as my kids have grown (they are now aged six and eight), so we’ve cut out some items and added others. For example, I don’t need the wagon anymore because my kids are old enough to help carry items from the car, but I’ve added inflatable tubes and boogie boards to our beach toy set. Lastly, if I’m only going for an hour – I might simply have one bag with a couple towels, water, snack, and shovel.
Favorite Beaches on the Seacoast
Seacoast residents are blessed to be within minutes to some of the most beautiful and kid-friendly beaches in the USA. Use our guide to the best beach for you or my post on where to go tide pooling on the Seacoast.
