Photo: Elena Stepanova (Shutterstock)
You may have already bought your baby an adorable sun hat and a bottle of sunscreen, but there are a few other considerations you’ll need to make to be sure baby’s first beach trip is a success. (To be clear, you still need the adorable hat and the sunscreen, though.)
Put your sunscreen in your beach cooler
In addition to the drinks you normally stash in your cooler, you’ll need to pack more stuff in that icebox. First, stick your sunscreen in the cooler. Kids need a lot of sunscreen and are notoriously difficult to apply it on in any amount, but cold sunscreen feels great on a hot day. (Per Tiny Beans, this will also entice older kids to dry off long enough for re-application, which is a must for all ages.)
Also great to add to your cooler: Freezer pops, yogurt, and a spray bottle of water to help keep them cool. Just don’t forget to reapply that cold sunscreen after getting them wet.
Set your phone timer for when to re-apply sunscreen
You have to reapply sunscreen to a child every two hours or so, plus any time they get sweaty or otherwise wet. In the heat or when they’re playing, you should also have your kid drink a little water every 20 minutes or so as well. Setting phone reminders timers will help avoid sunburn and dehydration.
Pack everything in a laundry basket
You may already know that a mesh laundry bag makes a great beach tote, but when you’re dealing with a baby or toddler at the beach you can also stick your cooler in a laundry basket on the way to the beach. Your baby can play or nap in the basket (though you need to make sure it’s in the shade and they’re not trapped in a tiny prison under direct sunlight), and it can help you keep them still when it comes time to re-apply sunscreen. It’ll also function just like the mesh tote: When it’s time to leave, sand will just fall out the holes. (To get sand off your baby and yourself, use baby powder. Bonus points if you keep that cool in the icebox, too.)
A parenting blog called Team Johnson also suggests this tip: Try turning a fitted sheet upside down and anchoring the four corners with something heavy to create a sand-free play area, if you’d like. (Your cooler and laundry basket can fill two of those corners.)
