Beach essentials for a day trip

[Debbie0045]

I’m starting to plan what we can do this summer if the weather is nice on the weekend and I want to go to the beach more. Its a 1hour drive to get there with two adults, three children 6/6/1.

Aside from the obvious towels and spare clothing, what are your absolute essentials for going to the beach for a day with 3 children?

Im looking at:

Picnic set (seen a backpack on Amazon)
Seating (Have no idea?)

What else can you not live without for a day at the beach?

UV tent plus tons of cream, especially for the baby

Little tent

Camping chairs for seating, plus a blanket

An old air mattress to blow up and use as a floating bed/toy/surfboard (endless opportunities, super cheap and we get way more use out of it then any other beach toys!)

One of those net bags for the sand toys, so you can give it a good shake/rinse in the sea as is and then don't end up with sand caked everywhere

A big bottle (5l) to fill from the sea and use to rinse off when you get back to the pavement

Cool bag
Waterproof sunscreen

Towel ponchos are useful for the dc to change under and to warm up in.
Waterproof beach shoes/crocs, especially if you're going to a beach with stones or a lot of shells.

Waterproof giant picnic blanket that folds up small to sit on
game changer

Jesus, no, you don't use an inflatable in the sea here, certainly not with such young children and a Mum tied up with a baby, unless you want to feature on a 'Rescued at Sea' type TV programme!

Large rucksacks to carry everything in, so hands are free to carry bodyguards.

Oodies are fab for kids when getting out of the sea, for warmth and changing.

Xl picnic blanket, beach tent, air lounger.

Sunscreen and hats.

Bucket and spade.

Carrier bags for rubbish and wet kit.

Hammam towels are fab for space saving.

Flask of tea and packet of biscuits.

Talc, it's really good at getting sand off

A carrier bag for your rubbish, especially if you use baby wipes. I'm on the beach every day and you wouldn't believe how many wipes are discarded.

A fitted sheet to make a sand free area

What an amazing idea!

Big packet of anti septic hand wipes.

A large IKEA bag or similar to dump all the wet and sandy stuff in and sort out at home in the garden.
Chairs you can fold into a bag you can carry
Something you can put the baby in safely like a travelcot or pop up tent
picnic backpacks are great, take bags for dirty plates/mugs/cuterly though
I use frozen water bottles as ice packs to save space and have a cold drink.
Enough bags to take all your rubbish home.

I've got one of these and it's fabulous as it folds down really small, and you can peg the corners so it doesn't blow away.

https://amzn.eu/d/bGD2VQS

Take a picture of each of the children when you arrive if it's a busy beach just in case they go missing so you can show people they look like and what they are wearing rather than trying to describe. Also if it's likely to be busy one of the little flagpoles with a colourful windsock, or at least have very colourful chairs or towels so the kids can easily find you.

Check tide times.

We live near the sea. Used to take the kids down after school and have tea there. So if it's possible why not do something else in the middle of the day and head for the beach about 3-4 pm? It will be emptier, the sea warmer as the sun will have been on the sand and sea all day. Have a tea-time picnic and head home about 7pm once the crowds have gone.

You have many great ideas.
I add bright arm or vest floaties for the baby, just as a precaution. If she runs away she can reach the waves before you catch her, so floaties gives you extra useful seconds to see her on top of the water.
Hats, sunscreen, shade.
A pull along trolley/cart.
A whistle, a bucket per child, and balls.

I was going to suggest the fitted sheet but I am too late.

Talcum powder, it gets wet sand of feet easily.

UV swim wear for the children. Waterproof sun cream. Get a couple of zinc sticks - you can apply a funky pattern which you can tell they need to reapply all the cream.

Relatives in Australia used to mark their kids if they went to the beach or pool, so family A would have a blue stripe and green dots, all children marked the same, family B have pink circles. Probably more useful with older kids.

Sun glasses for all.

Depending on the beach plastic shoes for rock pooling.