Friday 5 & 5 Tips for the Beach with Toddlers

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Friday Thoughts

  1. #Goals! I’m so excited this week. It’s been a huge month for hitting my goals with Binkies & Baubles. We were published on Red Tricycle TWICE! Here & Here. The other goals are small, but they got little check marks all the same. I’ve been so caught up with my growth as a business and brand I almost missed them… There were opportunities I almost turned down that were on my old vision boards. I had to give myself a reality check. They might not have come when I wanted them, but they CAME TO FRUITION! That’s still huge. Set bigger goals ladies. Dream BIG!
  2. I got to go to that amazing event with Evivo Health last week.  I met some of my blogging peers in person and learned so much about breastfeeding and gut health. In celebration of National Breastfeeding week next week I blogged all about it here!
  3. Bexely decided she wanted to sleep in a big girl bed. She climbed out of her pack n play while at Grammy’s last weekend and then climbed out of her crib when she got home. This little girl is always so determined. She is going to be a challenge to tame, and I’m not sure I want to. I can’t wait to see her determination and independence at work as she grows into her little person self!
  4. I went to Target last weekend with Cora to get a gift for one of her little buddies birthday parties. While I was there I got stuck in the Who What Wear collection and walked out with a bunch of new blouses for fall!

 

 

We’re spending the morning at a favorite beach spot. It’s an outdoor water play place and we’ll be joining some of our buddies from our mom club. It’s never easy going to the beach with kiddos. Toddlers and babies especially. In the past 3 years, I’ve developed a few tricks to make the trip a little less stressful.

Before you go

  • Pack the night before! Put some water bottles and Capri Suns in the freezer, have a lunch ready to grab from the fridge. Put the towels and toys in the car.
  • Put the swimsuits on the kids before you leave the house (except a swim diaper – they don’t absorb, learned that the hard way).
  • Sunscreen before you go! No sand to get in the lotion and it takes the sunscreen 15 minutes to fully absorb anyway. Set a timer for reapplication if you are going for more than an hour.

What to take

  • Make sure you don’t leave without the obvious things. Diaper, dry clothes, sunscreen, sunglasses, water, bottles, hats, toys, towels, and snacks.
  • Bring a bed sheet! If you have a fitted sheet, they are the best. You can use your heavy objects in the corners to create a little play pen in the sheet and it helps keep the sand off the sheet. Sheets also stay cooler than blankets and are more lightweight to carry with all your other baggage.
  • Don’t forget the baby powder! The talc in baby powder absorbs any moisture left in the sand stuck to the skin and the sand will flake right off! Great for feet and hands, little faces and of course, baby bums.
  • Cash! Always bring a little cash for an emergency, ice cream trucks, and change for parking meters.

What to invest in

  • If you plan on going more than once you will want a wagon. One with wheels for sand. Strollers don’t drive in sand, but if it’s all you got, load it up and walk it backwards through the sand. And by walk, I mean drag…
  • An umbrella is a “get what you pay for” item. Don’t settle for the cheapo at the drugstore. You’ll be chasing it down the beach as it blows away, not sitting pretty in the shade.
  • Water shoes for the kids and yourself. The sand can get really hot, and you just never know what’s under the top layer. We love our Crocs and our Play Phibians!
  • A cooler. Yes, it keeps food cool, but it also keeps it safe from the pesky seagulls. Nothing worse than returning from the water to find those a-holes stole your lunch.

Beach hacks

  • Ziplock bags. Bring a sandwich bag to keep your phone dry and sand free. Use a gallon freezer bag to store wrappers and small trash. Fill them with sand to use as corner holders for your sheet.
  • Bring a small inflatable pool to make a wading pool for the babies.
  • Keep your personal items out of sight by hiding them in an empty, unsuspecting container. Like a Pringles can or an aluminum to-go coffee cup. No need for a purse.

Have fun!

  • My oldest loves to collect shells and rocks. It keeps her busy and she enjoys it so I let her. When it’s time to go she gets to pick 3 to bring home and put in the yard.
  • Hunt for mermaids or invisible pirate ships. You may not see them anymore but they will!
  • Tic tac toe and pictionary make great sand games! The fun isn’t always in the water.
  • Don’t buy expensive sand toys. Many household items prove to be just as much fun. Plastic cups, wooden spoons, sifter, and a hair comb all offer sensory play in the sand. Use the empty plastic water bottles to fill with sand and water and shake.