Now that summer is here, families are starting to head back to the beach to spend some quality time in the sun. If you are looking for fun things to do at the beach with kids, here is a list of 25 activities to get this year kicked off on the right foot.
25 Fun Things To Do At The Beach With Kids – Family Beach Activities
My children vary in age. In fact, my trio has an 8 year age gap which means that each member of my family has different needs. When choosing beach activities, we try to come up with ideas that everyone will like. It’s only fair!
However, sometimes, we split into groups because my 15 year old might not want to dig a hole with my elementary schooler. Although… most times she does. We are all kids once our toes hit the sand, right?
Fun Things To Do At The Beach With Kids – Beach Fun
Ready to start making your list for your next trip to the ocean or sea? Here are 25 beach activities to include during your upcoming itinerary that will guarantee lots of beach fun!
- Beach Scavenger Hunt – Print out his free printable and put on your thinking hats. Can you find all these clues?
- Look for wildlife – Try to find dolphins in the water! Or maybe settle for some jellyfish.
- Go for a long walk – Looking for a great family workout? A mile on the beach does not feel the same as a mile in your neighborhood. Trust me.
- Build sandcastles – This is a classic and an absolute must-do when heading out for a day in the sun. When creating a list of fun things to do at the beach with kids…. a sandcastle must be included!
- Go fishing – Is there a section on your beach that allows you to throw a line? Bring your equipment and catch your dinner.
- Search for sea glass – We love to search for sea glass while at the beach because then we go home and make DIY projects using the pieces.
- Search for Mermaid Purses – This is my son’s favorite activity! We always comb the beach looking for intact mermaid purses. If you don’t know, they are really just egg cases for some breeds of sharks. But we like to call them mermaid purses because it sounds more magical.
- Marshmallow stuffing contest – I NEVER head to the beach without a full bag of marshmallows. The kids know that a day at the beach means we all get to shove our mouths with 3 or 4 at a time. They really look forward to it! IT’s a tradition at this point.
- Play a card game – While packing my beach bag, I always pop in a deck of cards for a quick game of WAR. There are so many easy card games to play with kids.
- Collect seashells – Some beaches won’t allow you to bring home the seashells, so be sure to check ahead of time. But it will still be fun to search for whole shells.
- Boogieboard – Grab your boogie boards and ride some waves.
- Play frisbee – Do you have a frisbee? Why not bring it to the beach and get a game going with a few friends?
- Bring a board game – Do you have any travel-sized board games? We have a Yahtzee one that we bring along to the beach and when everyone is resting under our umbrella and sitting in their kids beach chairs, sometimes we take a break and play it!
- Play with some sand toys – Grab a bucket filled with toys and start creating something fun.
- People watch – I think the adults will enjoy this more than the kids, but take a moment and just reflect on your surroundings. You could even pretend like you are narrating a movie using the characters around you.
- Swim – How could I have a list about fun things to do at the beach with kids and not include swimming? Get in the water and go for a swim?
- Walk the Boardwalk – Admittedly, not every beach has a boardwalk, but if you are lucky enough to have one nearby, make sure you take a stroll.
- Grab some ice cream – We pack most of our snacks, but always leave room for some delicious ice cream on the sand.
- Go on a photography walk – Let the kids lead the way.
- Have a BBQ – We have BBQs at our beach and can use them whenever we want. You just need to bring your own charcoal. There’s nothing like BBQing on the sand.
- Make new friends – See some kids playing by themselves? Why not join them? It’s about time we expand our circles.
- Listen to music – Everyone in your party should take turns choosing music to play, but please be mindful of the people around you. If the beach is crowded, maybe skip this one.
- Write a message in the sand – This might sound cheesy, but we always leave our mark at the beach by leaving a fun slogan in the sand with the year attached to it. We then usually take a picture next to it to capture the day.
- Play beach volleyball – Can I make a confession? I’ve never played beach volleyball before! There – I’ve said it out loud! But it looks like it is so much fun.
- Dig a hole – When I was younger, this is literally all I used to do with my friends. We would dig 6-foot holes. We would dig for hours in the sand. It was my favorite thing to do – better than going in the water!
Related: 8 Things To Bring To The Beach If You Have Kids
What activities can you do at the beach?
You know what your local beach looks like. Do any of these things to do at the beach with kids make sense for you?
Whether you want to take it easy and people watch or go for a hike with the people you love, I am sure your day by the water will be incredibly rewarding if you incorporate some of these beach activities.
How do you get a great beach day?
I think everybody’s interpretation of a “great day” is different. Personally, I am someone who just likes to sit back and watch my children play in the water.
I’m not someone who surfs or deep dives. Those beach activities will never make it on my list of things to do with kids.
Even though I don’t spend much time in the water, I have a fantastic time watching my children jump in and out of the waves.
My friends are much more active than me. We all choose to spend our hours in the sun very differently. Choose your time wisely.
These activities are really for both kids and adults! Truth be told, this list is only the beginning. You could fly a kite, bring a s’mores kit, go treasure hunting… and more. I feel like I could go on and on.
But the truth of the matter is, it’s all about spending time with your family away from electronics and reconnecting with nature. What better way to spend the day?