tips for 1st trip to the beach with LO

Re: tips for 1st trip to the beach with LO

• rubride

  June 2011

  This age I find it pretty easy. I take sand toys, cooler w/ drinks/snacks/lunch and lots of towels. If you don't have access to a pool, you may want to consider a v. small blow up pool to fill up so LO can splash around safely w/o having to worry about the waves. We've been having a blast with LO this year @ the beach, but we've been the Carribean which has reef protected waters w/ no waves. Will be interesting to see the difference in July when we go to a beach w/ waves.

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• vtkgirl77

  June 2011

  We took DD on a beach trip when she was a year old. The biggest surprise (which I just hadn't considered before) was that she went to bed around 7:30pm and we were stuck in a dark hotel room with nothing to do. So, I would bring some things to do after LO's bed time. Like if there's a balcony, bring some wine and cards or some ideas of things you can do on the balcony. Or, if you like movies, bring a laptop with movies and two sets of headphones. I'd also bring a flash light for getting to and from the bathroom.

  Other random thoughts - when you take off the swim diapers, either rip them on the side or bring blunt-nosed scissors and cut them off.

  You'll definitely want an umbrella so I would check to see if you can rent them or consider buying one.

  I can't really think of anything else. Have a great time.

  

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• flamencogal

  June 2011

  Good advice from pps.  Also, we try to travel with a nightlight to make tip toeing around the dark hotel room less challenging when LO is asleep.

  Kim
  
  

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• doggylovr

  June 2011

  be careful with which bathing suit you wear, a suit that works well for you lounging around in a chair is not necessarly condusive to playing in the sand with a toddler or having to move quickly.....

  yes i learned this the hard way, had to jump up quickly to chase after DH adn "the girls" almost fell out...... 

  

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• MrsPhilDunphy

  June 2011

  How long do you plan to spend on the beach each day? We go to the shore pretty often, but only spend about 2-3 hours on the actual beach per day, so what we pack is pretty minimal - towels, beach toys, water. If we're going to spend any longer than that, we'll bring an chairs, umbrella and/or a pop-up shade tent for C and a cooler with drinks, etc.

   
  

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• I_love_cupcakes member

  June 2011

  We just got back this weekend and I agree that an umbrella was the #1 thing to have. DH and I didn't even sit under it, merely set it up so DS could play in the sand under it.

  We ran into a problem with the swim diapers/swim trunks.  During diaper changes on the beach, and I guess from playing in the sand and water, he got sand into the crotch of the diaper. He ended up with these raw patches on the insides of his legs where the diaper rubbed the sand against his skin, and it was pretty painful.  I had to smear it in neosporin to get it to heal up quickly, and even then, getting the swim diapers back on him the following days was a task.
  

  I also agree that a more supportive suit was much easier to deal with DS.  Especially when I turned my back for a minute...he booked it to the water's edge and I had to sprint to catch him.

  He didn't really have the attention span to spend ALL day on the beach.  We ended up going early before it got oppressively hot, played in the sand and water, then went back to the house for lunch and nap.  In the afternoon we played in the pool or did other outings to keep him entertained.

   Oh, and one more helpful hint....to keep sand from getting in the way during reapplications of sunscreen or in the mouth during snacks, I'd pat him dry with his towel, then use baby powder to dry up the skin.  It absorbed the extra moisture and the sand fell right off. It also helped with getting dry clothes/pull ups on before leaving the beach.
  

  

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