Best Kids Beach Toys
Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside! If you're spending a scorching hot day at the beach with the kids, here are some helpful hacks and beach toys to make sure your ‘buoys’ and ‘gulls’ have a ‘fin-tastic’ day out.
Things To Know For A Family Beach Day
Before we get to the beach toys, we thought we’d share some top tips for a stress-free family beach day, so you can focus less on the preparation and more on making special memories!
What should kids bring to the beach?
Follow our Family Beach Day Checklist with all the beach bag essentials you’ll need for some fun in the sun.
- Sun lotion: Look for natural, mineral-based and reef-safe sunscreens that protect your child’s skin while also saving the ocean from nasty chemicals and pollutants.
- Water & cool bag: Pack some reusable water bottles in a cool bag or box and keep your tots hydrated throughout the day to avoid heat exhaustion.
- Swimwear: Choose kids swimwear that has high UV protection (UPF 50+), such as long-sleeved sun-safe suits.
- Hat & beach shoes: Pick a hat made from breathable materials, like cotton, as it may better the chances of your kiddo keeping it on! Beach shoes are also great for protecting their toes from sharp rocks, shells and pebbles.
- Sunglasses: Children are recommended to wear sunglasses that block at least 99% of UVA and UVB rays.
- Beach towels: Microfiber towels are perfect for the beach as they are super lightweight, sand-resistant and quick-drying.
- Sand & water toys: Silicone beach toys are an excellent choice, as they are kinder to the environment than plastic toys and you can fold up them up small, so they take up very little space in your beach bag.
- Snacks: Food that’s easy to eat is your best bet to avoid the sand! Things like pretzels (the sand will just fall through the holes!), dried fruits and granola bars are great energy-boosters to keep your kids going for the afternoon.
- Mesh bag: These are ideal for storing the day’s rubbish in, or you could even use one to do a mini beach clean together as a family.
- First aid kit: It’s a good idea to keep a first aid kit on you as it can help to treat minor beach injuries, such as cuts and scrapes, jellyfish stings and sunburn.
- Change of clothes: A fresh set of clothes is not essential, but it might be handy if the clothes your kids arrived in get wet, sticky or sandy.
- Umbrella or beach tent: Prop up a colourful umbrella or beach tent to create some shade. This also works as a marker to help your kids find you if they’re old enough to play on their own.
What are 3 activities for kids at the beach?
1. Create a seaside scrapbook
Collect some treasure from the beach, such as driftwood, shells and unusual pebbles, print off some photos from your day out, and save your memories in a family scrapbook.
2. Make a mini Jurassic Park
Place some realistic dinosaur toys in the sand to set the scene for imaginary play! This is a fantastic sensory activity and a brilliant way to keep dinosaur-mad tots busy at the beach.
3. Play beach games
Have a laugh with some fun family games. Grab a frisbee or find a stick and draw hopscotch or naughts and crosses in the sand. Happiness lies in the simple things!
How do you keep kids safe at the beach?
Last year, we chatted to our local lifeboat station at RNLI Littlestone-on-Sea to talk all things beach safety.
These were some of their recommendations:
- Find a lifeguarded beach
- Get acquainted with your surroundings
- Read the signage for potential hazards
- Avoid inflatables when it’s windy
- Cover up and drink plenty of water to avoid heat stroke
- Take advantage if a beach has a tag wristband system
- If you see a child in danger, call 999 and ask for the coastcard
To find out more, read our blog on How Can Kids Stay Safe At The Beach?
Top 7 Beach Toys For Kids
Explore 7 of our favourite beach toys to enjoy in the sunshine.
Silicone Beach Toys Bundle
Your kids will have everything they need for a day at the beach with this 3-piece set of Silicone Beach Toys. Youngsters can build mighty fortresses and sandcastles with their Activity Bucket and Eco Spade, and learn how to throw and catch with the Flexible Flyer. The bundle comes in 12 different colours, so your tots can pick their favourite.
Green Toys Seacopter
Explore on land and at sea with the Green Toys Seacopter. Made from 100% recycled plastic, this snazzy seacopter has been designed with big, stabilised fill-and-spill pontoons to help it stay afloat in the sea. It also comes with a pilot bear figure in the cockpit.
Butterfly Kite
Let’s go fly a kite! Imagine the smile on your littlen’s face when they watch this colourful Butterfly Kite soar above the sand and sea. This metre-long kite looks beautiful when gliding through the sky, and it’s made with durable rods and a solid frame to withstand years of summertime play.
Sand Moulds Set
Craft a spectacular sand mural with our unique Sand Moulds, featuring four cute sea creatures (a turtle, starfish, crab and fish). A gentler alternative to plastic, these sand moulds are sustainably-made with food-grade silicone. They’re also temperature and stain-resistant, so they won’t melt in the sun or get ruined by marks.
Tide Pool Set
Green Toys’ eco-friendly Tide Pool Set is crafted from 100% recycled ocean-bound plastic. This 7-piece water toy set features a starfish, jellyfish, squid and more. The seaweed bag safely stores the toys away and the holes allow for easy water drainage and drying. Ideal for a day out at the beach!
Sand & Water Mill
Get stuck into some water and sand play with Gowi’s Water Mill Toy. Pour water or sand into the funnel and watch the coloured cogs spin, while the tipper filters the load! Interactive water play toys are excellent for boosting children’s motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
Stacking Cups
Our 7-piece Silicone Stacking Cups are more than just a stacking toy! Each cup features patterned holes on the base, so dunk them in the sea and the water will flow through them like a waterfall. These Stacking Cups are also perfect for sensory sand activities.
