What to Pack when Going to the Beach with a Toddler

Going to the beach with a toddler can be quite the adventure. You never know what they will need and many parents tend to overpack. Going to the beach should be fun and a learning experience for you and your toddler. Here are a few items that everyone should pack when going to the beach with a toddler.

Sunblock- Sunblock is a necessity when going to the beach with a toddler. Try to make sure that you use the highest SPF that you can find. I like to use SPF 50 on my children. Sunblock should be applied to every part of your toddler's body that is exposed the the sun. Don't forget the tops of your toddler's feet, back of the beck and even the top of their little head, if they don't have a lot of hair.

Sand Toys- All children love to dig and play in the sand on the beach, so why not bring along some toys specifically designed for beach play? You can find inexpensive beach toys at tons of stores, like Wal-Mart and your local dollar stores. Your toddler will love lugging around their shovel and pail on the sandy beach.

Diapers- Swim diapers are very popular when going to the beach with your toddler. Swim diapers are designed to keep bodily eliminations inside the diaper, even when it's wet from the pool or ocean. When going to the beach with a toddler you should also bring along a few of their regular diapers. No toddler would want to be sitting in a soggy, wet diaper all day long. Also, when you get ready to pack up and leave it is a good idea to have some fresh diapers waiting for you to change your toddler into before they have to sit in their carseat.

Clean Clothes- Your toddler will be covered in sand after a day spent at the beach. So when you get ready to go home your toddler will greatly appreciate a nice, clean change of clothes to go home in. Bring along those clean clothes in a big plastic storage bag so that they will stay dry and free of sand.

Sunhat- A lot of parents forget about the sunhat. A sunhat should be considered a necessity when going to the beach with a toddler. Make sure that you get a sunaht large enough to shade your toddlers eyes and help keep the sun off of their face as much as possible. We all know how difficult it can be to keep a hat on a toddler who does not want to wear it, but be persistant.

Blanket- Always bring along a blanket, or very large beach towel, when you go to the beach with a toddler. If you plan to be at the beach for several hours you will need to have a nice place for your toddler to lay down for a rest. Even if your toddler doesn't nap any longer it is still a good idea to have a clean blanket for everyone to enjoy.

Umbrella- A beach umbrella is a good item to bring when you are going to the beach with a toddler. Actually, an umbrella is a good item to bring to the beach no matter who you are taking to the beach. Place the umbrella over the blanket in order to keep the sun off of the blanket and keep it cool to the touch so that your toddler will have a confortable place to relax without having to worry about the sun's harsh rays.

Clean Towels- Clean towels are a good idea to bring along to the beach for those moments when you just want to wrap your dripping wet toddler up. It will be hard to keep a towel clean so try to make sure that you keep it in a beach bag that zips. This will make it easier to keep the towels clean, unless you have to open the bag often.

Snacks- A toddlers will get hungry during a busy day at the beach, so make sure that you bring plenty of snacks and drinks when going to the beach with a toddler. Bring along snacks that are easy to open, especially with wet hands.

Water- You may think it seems rediculous to bring along water to the beach. This isn't water for drinnking, but water for washing sand off of little hands. Your toddler will be covered in sand. Use the water to clean off your toddler's hands when they want a snack or if you have a toddler, like mine, who absolutely hates having dirty hands.

Baby Wipes- Lastly, definitely bring along baby wipes. We all know that dirty diapers don't always happen on schedule. Better safe than sorry when it comes to diapering a busy toddler at the beach.

The most important item to remember to bring to the beach is your imagination and sense of adventure. Going to the beach with a toddler is definitely an adventure. Toddlers love running straight for the water, it's like a natural instinct to rush to the ocean, so watch those little people as closely as you possibly can. Enjoy their sense of adventure and their amazement with the world around them. Most importantly, have fun!