We have been taking kids to the beach for the past 10 seasons, and in that time I've come to know and love certain things. Some are old standbys and some have changed over the years, but for right now, here are my personal beach essentials:
Belly Jelly
If your kids are anything like mine, the abrasive effects of sand, salt water, and swimming trunk linings can wreck havoc on their delicate skin. We have struggled with this for years and finally found a solution. This stuff is like a miracle cure for any abrasion and prevents "boogie boarding tummy". Belly Jelly is worth it's weight in gold.
Baby Powder
You may think you will no longer need this once your kids are out of diapers, but if you plan on eating lunch on the beach as we do, you will need baby powder. Use it to get all the fine grains of sand from the kids hands before eating. If you rinse in water, somehow in the journey back up the sand they will be covered again. Goodbye gritty sandwiches!
This Portable Beach Umbrella
It stands up on three legs instead of poking it into the ground and folds up into a bag. Bonus! You can move it around with you as you follow the tide near the water to watch your kids.
A Beach Blanket that zips into it's own carrying case
Oh, and as I looked through my beach photos, I realize I'm in exactly one picture:
And I took it myself...sigh...such is the undocumented life of a mother...
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