It is one of those memories that never leaves us. Going to the beach as a child is something that we savor forever – and we want to recreate those memories for our own little ones.

However, while you might have glorious memories of yourself making sandcastles, life as a parent at the beach is somewhat different. Sure, it’s as rewarding as it gets, but at the same time it can be stressful.

Particularly in the current climate, this is one of the few so-called safe activities what kids can do. Whether you are in Bournemouth, or have taken the plunge to go abroad, today’s guide will showcase some of the best tips for that first-time beach visit with your little ones.

Apply the sun cream before arrival

If you’ve never visited the beach with the family before, here’s how it goes. The car journey is long with a lot of “are we nearly there yet?” questions, before immense excitement kicks in as soon as the sea is spotted. Ultimately, trying to catch your child and apply something as mundane of sun cream is out of the question.

As such, apply in advance (and then re-apply later through the day). This way, you’ll avoid the creation of sandpaper skin, and from a safety point of view you’ll ensure that the cream absorbs if they are heading straight to the sea.

Set up camp

Here’s something that should get everyone excited. As we all know, kids love dens. In the peak of summer, they’ll love refuge as well. Setting up a shaded den can work wonders for everyone and keep stress levels down to a minimum. Granted, it’s unlikely that they will resort back to it for a mid-afternoon snooze, but it can act as temporary rest bite against the sun.

Towels will be your best friend

If you’ve set aside a collection of towels ready for your seaside extravaganza, then double the amount. You’ll realize that you can never have too many; you’ll need some to lay on, others to act as a cover, while you’ll naturally need some for their main purpose of drying! The more you have, the easier the seaside is to manage.

Make sure lunch travels with you

Sandy sandwiches are not anyone’s choice of banquet, but by the same token the last thing you want to do is leave the beach halfway through your day. After all, you’ve probably needed a shopping trolley to cart all of your belongings there; going there and back multiple times in the same day just isn’t anyone’s idea of fun. Bring along a picnic and the kids will appreciate it, and you can stay based in one place.

Consider a sunsuit

Something that we have made a big point of through today’s article is shielding your children from the sun – for obvious safety reasons.

While sun cream can help with this, an even easier solution comes in the form of sunsuits. Sure, they don’t cover everything, but they do make it easier to re-apply sun cream and provide immediate protection for most of your child’s skin.

Also, for those who find the sea a little cool, they can make it a little easier to acclimatize to!