June 2018 - Page 7 of 7

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At this time of year, one of the most fun things to do with the family is head down to the beach and spend some time building sandcastles, swimming in the beach and eating cool ice creams.

Unfortunately, trips to the beach aren’t always so idyllic, especially when you have young kids in tow. Often they get too hot, tired and uncomfortable too quickly and what should be a great day descends into tears and tantrums. If you want to avoid that happening, and have a wonderful time in the sun, here are a few things you can do to make it so….

Dress the Kids Appropriately

If you want the kids to feel as comfortable as possible on your beach trip then dressing them right for the occasion is pretty important. First of all, you’re going to want to ensure that they have comfy shoes. For babies and toddlers, soft-soled shoes like these Olive and Bean Baby Moccasins are ideal because they are as comfy as they are supportive, or if kids are a little older, Crocs or even sneakers will be better. In terms of clothing, loose-fitting garments made from natural fabrics like cotton are best (although they might not be optimum for washing) because they will allow the kids to breathe. If their skin is going to be uncovered for any length of time, be sure to apply lots of sun lotion on a regular basis to avoid burning too.

Pack a Pop-Up Tent

Packing a pop-up tent or sun shelter is an excellent idea because they are lightweight and can be folded up into a small bag with ease, and they will ensure that whichever spot you pick on the beach, you will always have access to a cooler, shaded area where you can all sit if the heat is getting too much for you.

Pack Activities

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Although you might think the beach is all the entertainment you need, well apart maybe from a bucket and spade for building sandcastles, a lot of kids will get pretty bored with the sand and the sea before you’re anywhere near ready to head home, For that reason, it never hurts to pack some crayons and coloring books and a few small toys that you know they enjoy, so if they aren’t into paddling or burying dad alive in the sand, you have other options to keep them busy. Trust me, you’ll be glad of those crayons.

Bring Beach-Friendly Blankets

If you’re heading to the beach with really young kids who still enjoy their naps from time to time, you’re going to want to bring some washable blankets along, so you can male them comfy if they need to sleep. A well-timed nap will, most of the time, nip any tantrums in the bud, so this is one step you aren’t going to want to skip. It might also be useful to bring along a soft toy for snuggling if your child usually has one to nap with.

Pack a Cool Box

When you’re at the beach, it’s important that you keep everyone hydrated or they could start to get cranky or even become ill. A cool box which will keep everything chilled, filled with lots of water and juice boxes is ideal and will save you money because most of those beachside stores and kiosks are pretty expensive.

Go Early

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Heading to the beach earlier in the (say before 9 a.m.) is a good way of ensuring that you get the best spot for your family. After that, if it’s a really nice day, the beach will start to fill up and those prime spots that are close to the sea, near a little shade and close to the facilities, will be snapped up so fast. If you go really early, you may even have the beach almost entirely to yourselves for a little while.

Sit Near the Lifeguard

If you sit near the lifeguard, although you should absolutely be watching your kids very closely at all times, you won’t have to worry quite so much because you’ll know that should you get separated there will be a trained pair of eyes to alert you and intervene if necessary. So, don’t get in their way, but stay close by them if you can.

Plan a Treasure Hunt

Want to ensure the kids have fun and stay engaged enough that there are no tantrums? Plan your own treasure hunt and you can pretty much guarantee that you’ll all have a blast without any problems whatsoever. I mean, which kid doesn’t like finding the treasure hidden in the sand?

Have fun at the beach!

The school vacation days can be quite overwhelming for parents, can’t they? Weeks and weeks ahead, with no clue how to keep children of varying ages occupied and happily so. Sometimes, parents don’t get the chance to be out of work with their kids, so it’s up to summer camps and sitters to keep them occupied. The good news though, is that if you’re a parent that is fortunate enough to stay at home and take care of the kids, there is plenty that you can do to keep the kids occupied, happy and fulfilled in the many sunny weeks ahead of you all until you get to the new school year all over again.

What you need is a breakdown of things that you can do to give your kids the summer vacation that they will always remember. With the tips below, you can keep everyone in the family happy without busting your bank account to do it.

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Staying At Home

If you aren’t going to be getting out too much – whether that’s due to the weather or to funds – you need some ideas of what you can do around the home. You can do something nice with the garden to make it an appropriate and fun place to play, and you can use these ideas below for doing things inside.

Movie day – everyone grabs a duvet and takes turns choosing a film. You can also have someone nominate a snack, whether that’s flavoured homemade popcorn or rice crispy cereal snacks.
Cooking lessons – children don’t just learn at school, they learn with their hands at home as well. Have a few days teaching the kids to make their own recipes and give them total control over what they cook. It’s exciting, messy and they learn something new.
Build a den – get as many boxes and materials as possible with the kids and start a den-building competition. You could all be judges and choose to rate each den out of ten, before making one big super den!

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Going Out

You may decide to get out of the house as much as possible during the summer break, which means you are all soaking up the sun and getting a good amount of exercise.

Going away – book a vacation away with the kids for a few days if funds allow. You can sort this much earlier in the year so that the cost is spread and doesn’t take you everything that you have in the bank to make it happen.
Treasure Hunt – organise a treasure hunt in the back yard or the neighbourhood. You can rope in their friends, too, and organise a prize for those who solve the puzzle.
Camp out – just because your kids haven’t gone to summer camp, doesn’t mean you can’t have a summer camp in your own backyard. Pitch a tent, get a fire going and cook up some tasty s’mores. Where the weather doesn’t help, you can always migrate back inside!

Make this summer the most memorable yet!