For as long as I remember, summer has always meant long days at the beach. As a child, we would often arrive as early as 8 am and leave well after the sun had set and campfires had burned themselves out. Now that The Texan and I are living on Cape Cod, I want the same memories for The Boy. But, surviving a day at the beach with children can be as tough on the parent as it is on the kid!

A great thing about Cape Cod, is that we don’t have to carry our belongings from the car through a hot parking lot down to a crowded beach. We have a large SUV and we’re able to let the air out of the tires and drive over the sand to a nice, fairly quiet spot on the beach away from the crowds. As we shop for new vehicles, I think a smaller SUV like a Kia would be a great replacement for the sedan that I am driving. Having a smaller vehicle, I know that I would drive out to the beach on weekdays while The Texan is working. {Ssshhh! Don’t tell The Texan!}

Surviving a Day at the Beach with Children

Sunscreen. It goes without saying that you want to protect your little ones from the suns harmful rays. Everyone in your family should be wearing sunscreen every day, regardless of where in the country you live. Remember to apply before leaving home and reapply several times during the day.

Bring buckets, shovels, and water toys. I know, that seems like a no brainer, but adults don’t generally dig in the sand and build huge castles. Those are easily forgotten items, keep them stacked near your cooler and you’ll never forget them.

Bring Your Kid’s Potty. If you plan to spend the entire day at the beach, there is no way to avoid the need to pee. So, bring your own potty. For children learning to toilet train, it’s more comfortable for them to have their own potty – and less germs, too!

Pack Extra Towels and Clothing for everyone. Having at least two towels per person ensures that you’ll have a dry towel every time you come out of the ocean. You’ll want extra clothing to change into for the ride home. Often, I’ll put The Boy in his pajamas for the ride off the beach and home. He’s usually so wiped out that we save the shower for the following morning.

Pack Two Coolers. Separating your food and drinks into two coolers is a great way to ensure your food stays cool all day. You’ll be eating more than one meal at the beach, try to pack the items you’ll eat for dinner on the bottom of the cooler, with lunch items, condiments, and snacks placed on top. Keeping juice, water, and adult beverages in another cooler will also keep those sandy hands off your food!

Windscreens and Umbrellas You’ll want an umbrella or pop up tent to shade you (and your food) from the hot summer sun. Windscreens are great – not for just blocking the wind, but also for creating an area that your children can play. Set up a guideline that they must stay between your two windscreens and everyone will be happy. Especially your beach neighbors!

Baby Wipes. Before becoming a mother, I honestly don’t know I lived without a supply of baby wipes. Baby Wipes are perfect for cleaning sand off your hands, messy faces and hands, and are great for getting that salty feeling off your face.

Trash bags Please bring a minimum of TWO trash bags with you. One for trash, the other for your recyclables. Don’t leave your litter on the beach, it’s harmful to the wildlife that lives there.

We keep all of our beach supplies together in the corner of the basement. Beach towels are washed and dried as soon as we get home and are immediately returned to the tote bag. Being organized and ready-to-go helps make the loading of the SUV quicker and cuts down on arguments among grown ups!

Do You Have Tips on Surviving a Day at the Beach with Children? What items are on your must-have list?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.