Days at the beach build cherished childhood memories that last a lifetime, with the wide stretches of sand and sea creating a beautiful blank canvas for play. Here, sand can transform into medieval castles, dinosaur deserts, or treasure islands, while the shoreline becomes a pirate’s cove or underwater explorer zone!
From digging and building to collecting and crafting, the right beach toys can turn a trip to the coast into an adventure-fuelled day bursting with curiosity and creativity.
How to keep kids entertained at the beach?
To keep kids entertained at the beach, all you need is a few simple toys and a little imagination, then you can let the natural surroundings work their magic!
5 beach activities for kids:
- Become seaside scientists: Explore rock pools and examine each fascinating find
- Sand sculpture challenge: Pick a theme and see who can create the most impressive build
- Make a nature collage: Gather shells and other natural treasures, then arrange them into cool patterns
- Beach obstacle course: Use towels, bags, and beach toys and go head-to-head in a family obstacle course
- Build a water maze: Dig channels in the sand and watch the ocean fill them as the tide draws in
[Image source: PNW Production]
What toys should I bring to the beach?
Classic kids beach toys include buckets, spades, and sand moulds, but other great options include small world toys and craft activities for quieter moments on the picnic blanket.
Beach toy ideas:
- Beach bucket and spade
- Sand moulds
- Crabbing net
- Frisbee
- Ball games
- Toy boats
- Animal and dinosaur figures
- Craft activities (sticker books, colouring sets, busy boards)
- Sand trucks and diggers
- Kite
- Glider plane
- Pull-along wagon
- Magnifying glass
- Binoculars
- Beach skittles
What is the most popular beach toy?
Simple, versatile, and full of possibilities, the humble bucket and spade remains the ultimate beach toy. You can use it for all sorts, from building sandcastles and digging holes to collecting shells and transporting water. Its open-ended nature means kids can invent new ways to play every time they visit the beach.
Best Beach Toys For Kids
Discover some of our favourite toys for the beach, including sand play must-haves, creative extras, and eco-friendly alternatives.
Eco Bucket & Spade
A beach day essential, but make it sustainable! Our Activity Bucket is made from food-grade silicone, which is super lightweight and folds easily into backpacks and beach bags. Pair it with our Eco Spade (made from wheat fibre) for hours of sustainable seaside fun. Our beach buckets and spades both come in a range of different colours, so kiddies can choose their favourite.
OceanBound Submarine
Make a splash with Green Toys’ OceanBound Submarine, sustainably made from 100% recycled plastic collected from shorelines. This eco-friendly beach toy lets kids imagine deep sea missions, ocean discoveries, and submarine escapades, while inviting conversations around ocean conservation and protecting our seas.
Silicone Sand Moulds
Youngsters can elevate their sand creations with our Character Sand Moulds, made from 100% silicone. These flexible moulds include a turtle, fish, crab, and starfish, with five colours to choose from. Whether they’re building a beach town or decorating a castle, the moulds inspire little imaginations and creative play!
Flexible Flyer
A frisbee with a twist, the Flexible Flyer is made from 100% silicone, so it’s ideal for on-the-go adventures and beach games. You can roll it up and pop it in your pocket or squash it into your beach bag and it’ll bounce back to its original shape as soon as you take it out! Available in 12 colours.
Sand Play Set
Build a fort or dig for buried treasure with the all-in-one Sand Play Set from Green Toys. Consciously crafted from recycled plastic, these lightweight and durable sand toys include a bucket with a rope handle, as well as a spade, rake, and sand mould - all perfectly sized for little hands. Available in pink or green.
Stacking Cups
Brilliant for the bath or the beach! Our Silicone Stacking Cups are a versatile sand and water toy, designed for indoor or outdoor play. Kiddies can stack them up high, use them as sand moulds, or watch water sprinkle out of the patterned holes on each base, developing their fine motor skills and cause-and-effect understanding.
Green Toys Orange Wagon
A handy addition to any family adventure, Green Toys’ Orange Wagon is both practical and fun. Load it up with beach toys, gather shells, or use it for imaginative seaside storytelling! This sturdy wagon is sustainably made from recycled plastic and features a cotton rope handle so kids can pull it along with ease.
Telescopic Net
Young explorers can investigate rock pools and examine mesmerising natural finds with the Telescopic Net. Whether they’re searching for tiny creatures or collecting beach treasures, the net’s extendable design lets children take a closer look at their findings, before returning any wildlife to their natural habitat.
Beach Crafts
Beach days are often full of action, but sometimes slowing down for a mindful crafting activity can help kids recharge and refuel without the need for screens. Tiger Tribe’s all-in-one activity packs make portable play easy. For seaside creativity, its Sticker By Numbers sets, Busy Whiz kits, Colouring Sets, and How to Draw books are excellent.
Animal & Dinosaur Toys
Set up a prehistoric playground in the sand with a crowd of dinosaur toys, or create a wild desert landscape with toy lizards, snakes, and camels! CollectA’s highly detailed animal figures are crafted to look just like the real thing, so it’s a fantastic way to teach kids about the curious creatures of past and present.
More Beach Toys
The seaside adventures don’t have to stop here! Browse our full beach toys collection to discover more water activities, sand play toys, and ocean-friendly innovations.