Getting the
family together for a day out can be a pain to organise, and making sure that
you remember to bring everything and that the kids don’t kill each other in the
process of getting everyone in the car and on their way can be a feat within
itself. Thankfully, if you do a little planning and preparation beforehand you
can avert most disasters and ensure everyone is happy and having fun.
Before you set off
Do a little
research into the beach you’re visiting. There’s nothing worse than heading out
for a day at the seaside to find that there are no facilities, or the beach is
too crowded and there’s no room for a towel!
You’ll
probably know a lot about your local beaches, but look up where other beaches
are further afield. If you’ve in the East, you could check out Hemsby or
Summerfields on the Norfolk coast – they’re only a hop from some great family holiday parks.
Most council
websites have details of the facilities available on the beaches and websites
like the Good Beach Guide also list the water quality of the
beaches and any potential safety hazards. Another thing to consider is parking
as many popular seaside resorts have expensive or limited parking on the sea
front.
Don’t tempt
fate and drive around for ages having arguments with your significant other
because all the spots are full. Parkopedia is a convenient site to check and
lists parking on a map by price and type of parking.
Things to bring with you
Once you’ve
decided on where you’re going to spend your family day out at the beach make
sure you bring a good supply of essentials with you.
It goes
without saying that you’ll need sunscreen, however don’t use the same sunscreen
you use on yourself on your children. Kids need a high sun factor sun cream
usually SPF 30 and above, and babies and young tots need a higher SPF as their
skin is thinner and more sensitive to the sun. Don’t forget to protect yourself
too – there’s nothing worse than going home looking like a lobster at the end
of the day!
Get a cool
box and a good supply of water to take with you too. Beach-side food and drink
is really expensive, so it will save you money. In addition to this, having a
cool supply of ice and water to hand can be useful if anyone overheats. A first
aid kit is also vital at the beach, with hazards such as broken glass, stings
from insects and bumps and grazes all very likely if you have accident-prone
children.
Keep everyone entertained
The first
thing your kids will be bugging you about is a bucket and spade so make sure
they each have their own one – they won’t want to share one between them!
Balls, inflatable rubber rings and Frisbees are also a good way of keeping them
happy for five minutes.
For a
long-term way to keep them occupied a scavenger hunt is a good idea. You can
award a prize once they complete the list and it can also be educational if
they have to look for things that they have never heard of before. Websites
such as Mumsnet and other parenting sites are always
a good place to get a list of items from.
Bring a
reference guide along too. The internet can be unreliable on the beach, so
having a book with a clear guide to animals and wildlife on the beach means you
can show your kids the delights of the ocean without having to rely on
Wikipedia loading up!
Encourage the
kids to collect some of their favourite shells and pebbles too. They’re great
for art projects and are also a reminder of the day at the beach.
Practical advice
Beaches are
great fun but come with some annoyances such as sand getting everywhere and
water making everything wet. If you combine kids and pets into the picture then
everything is going to be pretty messy at the end of the day!
Invest in a
waterproof money pouch so you can keep all your valuables on you and go in the
sea with the kids at the same time. You can also purchase waterproof cases for
your phone, so even if you don’t go in the water your valuables will be
protected from any unwanted splashes.
If your local
beach is pebbly then buying some swimming shoes can prevent your kids from
complaining about walking on the pebbles barefoot, one of the things that most
people hate about going to stony beaches.
On the other
hand, if you’ve spent the day at a sandy beach it can be pesky getting rid of
all the grains of sand and you’ll undoubtedly find it in your car for months
after. Keep a big bottle of water in the car with a clean towel and clean off all
your family members’ feet before getting in the car. It might not get every
grain off but it’s an effective way to ensure that you won’t be making
sandcastles in the back of your car for weeks to come.
Most
importantly have fun, keep safe and you’ll have a day out at the beach that
you’ll remember forever. Just don’t forget your camera!
This is a guest post but I have NOT been paid to host it.
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