The sun is shining, the weather is warming up, and it’s time to celebrate one of our favorite milestones - baby’s first trip to the beach! Figuring out what to pack for baby’s first beach trip sounds daunting, but with a few simple tricks for an easy day at the beach with your family, you’ll be having fun in the sun in no time!
Here are our favorite pieces advice for a family day at the beach:
Timing is everything.
For baby’s first beach trip, you’ll want to avoid the hottest parts of the day. Newborns and infants are still learning to regulate their body temperature, so keeping baby cool at the beach is essential. Plan your first trip for either early in the morning (before 11am) or late in the afternoon (after 4pm) to take advantage of cooler temps and calmer crowds!
Keep it short and sweet.
Long beach days can be fun, but they can also disrupt naptimes, meal routines, and leave everyone feeling a little overwhelmed and over it. For your first time to the beach with baby, keep the trip short - just 1-2 hours is plenty of time to introduce baby to the ocean, take some photos, play in the sand, have a snack, and head home before anyone starts to melt down.
Have an escape plan.
Let’s face it - not everybody is a beach person. And even though your little one is a very small person, they’re their own person, with their own preferences. In case your baby really isn’t feeling the beach, it’s a good idea to have an unhappy kiddo escape plan. Go to a beach that’s nearby, or close to a hotel room or family home, so you have a place to retreat to if the beach turns out to be more of a bummer than a summer joy.
Pack some shade.
Since sunscreen isn’t recommended for babies younger than six months, it’s important to bring a few options to keep baby out of the sun. A small, portable pop-up tent is an easy and lightweight option, as well as beach umbrellas, canopies, and wide-brimmed hats. Create a safe shady place for baby to play by adding a beach blanket and a few fun sensory sand toys!
Don’t skip the nap.
Rest is important, especially when your baby is experiencing something new. Though it might be tempting to wake your little one early, put them down late, or skip the nap altogether to make the beach day timing work out, don’t. Skipping the nap will only result in a sleepy, probably overstimulated, and likely grumpy little one - and parents who feel pretty much the same.
Freeze some squeeze pouches for teethers.
If you have a teething baby who is old enough for squeeze pouches of baby food, freezing a couple ahead of time can be a great way to offer a delicious cool-down treat on the go. The warm beach sun will thaw them quickly, leaving little one with a cold, refreshing way to soothe their gums and their tummies.
Use baby powder to remove sand.
It’s a simple trick that really works! To help get wet sand off of sensitive baby skin, sprinkle baby powder over the sandy areas. The baby powder will absorb the moisture in the sand, making it easy and painless to brush off of tiny toes and fingers.
We hope your first day at the beach with baby is full of magical moments and memories. We’d love to see your family beach day photos! Share them with us on social media by tagging @dadadababyusa or using #dadadamoments.
Happy summer!