Thursday 8 November 2012

Burleigh Heads - Rock pools

i used to love visiting the beach as a child with my family & exploring all of the rockpools in low tide. it seemed only fitting then that as soon as Ebony could walk we would share this experience with her. it was wonderful... to see the intensity on her face as she foraged through pools of water to pick up shells, chase seagull's on the shore & to haphazardly wander through sandcastles made by older children was bliss. not to mention how well she slept that night!


 
 





what i hadn't considered when i was younger & even up until now, was how much planning actually goes into a 'simple' trip to the beach, with bubs in tow... there is always so much to pack when going out with a toddler!

the last thing we wanted to be doing was carrying a whole heap of gear when navigating our way across the sand to find a perfect 'spot'. for those of you that have tried to push a pram through sand with beach bags on top know that this is near impossible (**pulling a pram is always easiest or try leaving the pram in the car, depending on how lucky you were with a park!**) after all wasn't the whole idea of going to the beach to relax with the family and have a stress free day?

so how much  gear do you actually need to take to the beach?? or more importantly WHAT do you need to take to the beach with a toddler?

our Top 10 things to pack when going to the beach with a toddler
 most importantly, pack light.
 
  1. first of all you will need a large beach bag. a bag with dividers & pockets will make finding the smaller stuff later on alot easier!
  2. sunscreen - an all natural, preservative free sunscreen is a good idea.
  3. towels
  4. water & sippy cups, if your child uses these (keep an eye on your toddler & the sand with the cup!)
  5. Food & snacks
  6. Hat & swimming clothing + dry clothing after a swim
  7. nappies - swim nappies are very popular for toddlers - wipes & tissues 
  8.  Bucket & spade or some beach friendly toys - a ball can be quite fun. I picked up a balloonball at Mathildas Markets' which has proven to be a great purchase. we fold up the cover for the 'balloon ball' for easy packing & blow the balloon up when we get to our designated play area.
  9. Umbrella/ sun tent
  10. Camera! I can't believe how quickly they grow...
 
Balloon Balls move a lot slower in the air than standard balls, making them easier for younger children to learn the basics of catching, kicking and bouncing, and are safe for babies and toddlers as they conceal the inner balloon and reduce the risk of swallowing small pieces of popped balloon. when the balloon goes down, you just need to insert a new one and inflate it to keep re-using.
 
i'd love to hear what other families take to the beach, drop me a comment below x

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