Going to the beach with young kids- absolute nightmare

[beahe]

Or is it just me ? On one hand, they do get busy playing with sand. That's probably the only time they've just been sitting and chilling playing all holiday.

But omg. The sand gets everywhere. My one year old has eaten a fair bit and my three year old has thrown it in his face constantly. She also decided to take a nap in the sand with a wet face and hair.

Then by the time we've dragged everything back to the car and got them in the shower to clean up, they're in absolute hysterics,

Is it worth it ? Any tips to make it more bearable ??

One and three! No that's a nightmare. I took my DC when they were 6 and 3...I was on my own with them, it was a boiling hot day. I've never been so stressed. Nearly dropped dead from exhaustion when I got home.

Sorry....not helpful at all!

Nope we are the same. Tried the beach we have a 4yr old and a 19m old.
Chaos.

Apparently filling a sock full of talc and using that to rub off sand works like magic.

Well, I'm glad we are not alone. It's just really really hard !

Don't do it to yourselves !

Oh christ anything involving sand with those ages is torture. You have an image of your kids on a beach and the reality is so far away its unreal. Much like most things involving kids

YANBU it's torture

Pebble beach is my best answer. We have family near Brighton so have always spent a lot of time there. No sand to worry about!

Choose resort with pool. Ignore the beach, mine are 12 and 14, it gets easier!,

I've lived by the sea all my life, I didn't even attempt it until mine were walking, potty trained and knew not to wander off 😂

Get a wagon, so you can chuck everything in it. Mesh bags for all your stuff, by the time you walk back to the car most of the sand has fallen out. Talc to get sand off of hands and feet.

I walk mine back to the car in their beach stuff and change them before we get in. Most of the sand has fallen off and put everything else in black bags 😂

Throwing rocks in the sea is as much fun at that age as building sandcastles. And you can generally swim there unless really high winds or something. You may need rock shoes if not used to walking on pebbles.

No it's awful. Still hate sandy branches even though mine are older now. Only tip was we brought water holder thin for the boots with hose attachment so could wash them off before getting in the car

Anything below 2 and a half is a nightmare. Swim diapers, eating sand, running away. No thanks.

I don't see sand as a problem, you just embrace the mess with young kids. Love seaside day trips. Dcs are 4 and 1, they love playing in the sand and paddling, and the funfair rides and ice cream and the playground. Haven't done a seaside trip yet this year but looking forward to a few once the summer holidays get underway.

I've never had this issue and I had four children.

Pick your breach and spot carefully. Near the loo but not too close. Take a damp flannel or two to freshen children up. A bucket of seawater for rinsing years is useful too. Get off the beach to eat until they are older. Always take shelter, something with built in sun protection. One adult to each child when they are little. Amuse them ie games, looking in pools etc, don't just expect them to have fun because you're at the beach. Hydrate.

I think brushing off dry sand is easier than washing off as wet sand sticks. Hamman towels are easier than normal beach towels for the same reason, dry quickly and easy to brush off sand. Dh absolutely hated the beach with little ones, never really bothered me, whatever you do when they’re that tiny is exhausting, they’re constantly mucky, at least the beach keeps them amused for quite a while.

Sand getting everywhere is part of the deal. It does not bother me in the slightest however the shower at the end of the day is usually hard going when they are dirty and tired.

Absolutely horrendous. Hate the beach. Only thing that makes it vaguely bearable is talc and an IKEA bag to stand them in to peel the wet, sand encrusted clothes off.

I’m so glad it’s not just me. We took our toddler to the beach. After 1 minute he declared he wanted to go home.

I've taken mine at various stages of toddlerdom. In my opinion the worst stage is when they just want to relentlessly run towards the sea

We spent almost an entire day trying to find a beach in San Diego that wasn't full of cigarette butts and metal bottle caps. We finally found one at Del Coronado. We put down our towel. I had put sunscreen on the lower part of DD's face. She immediately face planted in the sand. Hysterical screaming that wouldn't stop. We had to pack up and leave after about 5 minutes on the beach.

I did start taking them to the beach on my own when they were 2 and it went better although
DD: Is the seaside the ocean
Me: Yes
DD: Will there be a shallow end
Me: Yes
DD Will there be sharks
Me: The sharks won't be in the part we are going in, it's too shallow for them
DD: After you are dead we will give your body to those sharks.
Me

YANBU - absolute carnage

The trick is to not give a fuck about sand, after all its just sand. We love beaches

YANBU it was mayhem, the little buggers tried to scatter everywhere, one making sandcastles, one wanting to go in the sea, one wanting donkey rides all at the same time and the sand get's everywhere. We'll go back when they're much older and not before!

We are on holiday at the moment- 40 degrees some days. It's so bad. It just makes it so much worse and harder. And of course they're so hot too. Both are hysterical when showering / being hosed down etc.

We've just been putting them in the car covered in sand. Then get home and shower them. They scream while showering as if they're being tortured. But it needs to be done.