If you’re heading to the beach with a baby or toddler, this printable set of checklists will make packing a breeze.
Here are the checklists that are included:
- Beach gear – Equipment you’ll need for the beach and a packing list for your beach bag
- For each person – Print one of these for each family member who will be going on the trip and use them while you pack suitcases
- Baby/toddler – A packing list specific to the little one in your family
- To do before the trip – A handy dandy checklist to keep you organized in the days leading up to your beach trip
- An empty notes page that you can use to making shopping lists, meal plan, jot down a brain dump… really anything else that you might need it for
Our beach favorites for babies and toddlers:
Here are a few things that we’re always sure to include when we travel to the beach with a baby or toddler.
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1. Beach towels
Of course! Turkish towels aren’t quite as cushiony as traditional towels, but they do take up less space in your beach bag.
| Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
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HAVLULAND Turkish Beach Towels,… |
$15.90 |
Buy on Amazon |
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PAMUKLU Cloud Oversized Beach Towel -… | Buy on Amazon |
2. Swimsuits / Cover ups
If you’re packing for a whole week at the beach, I would pack at least 2 swimsuits per person. That way you will always have a dry one to change into.
I love cute cover ups for me and rash guards for my baby and toddler. (These are basically swimsuits that are short or long-sleeved.) They cover up more of your baby which means more protection from the sun.
3. Sun hats, sunglasses and sunscreen
Sun hats are great for keeping little faces and ears shaded. Just look for one with an under-chin strap, because if your kids are anything like mine, they’ll constantly be trying to pull off their hats and throw them in the ocean.
For sunscreen, I like to include a sunscreen stick for little faces.
And they make the cutest little sunglasses with straps now!
4. Floaties
There are three different types of these that we love to use at the beach or pool. With all three of these, you definitely still have to watch/hold your kids while they’re in the water. But we like them because they give our kids a little bit more confidence and independence.
- Swim vests (like this one) are great for toddlers, especially when they’re running around in or near the waves.
- Puddle Jumpers are great for toddlers, too, as long as you get one that fits really well.
- Inflatables like this one are my favorite for babies. They can float around with their feet in the water, and they’re shaded from the sun. We used this more in the pool than the ocean because our babies were always afraid of the waves, but on a calm day, this would work well in the ocean, too.
| Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Gogokids Kids Swim Vest, Toddler Float… |
$24.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
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STEARNS Original Puddle Jumper Kids Life… |
$27.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
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SwimWays Baby Spring Float Activity… |
$24.78 |
Buy on Amazon |
5. Beach shoes
Every year I seem to forget that it is torture to walk on hot sand with bare feet. So if you expect your toddler to do any walking, make sure you’ve got some shoes for him or her, too. Water shoes are great because they can leave them on the whole time.
| Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Baby Boys Girls Water Shoes Barefoot… |
$18.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
6. Diaper changing supplies
Have an extra swim diaper and some wipes ready, as well as a wet bag or plastic shopping bag for dirty diapers or wet clothes.
| Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Huggies Little Swimmers Disposable Swim… |
$14.10 |
Buy on Amazon |
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Bumkins Waterproof Wet Bag, Washable,… |
$11.95 |
Buy on Amazon |
7. Shade
You’ll want to bring something along that will create some shade and give your little ones a break from all that sunshine. Here’s the lowdown on our favorite options:
- Beach umbrellas: Easy to carry, easy to set up. Not great for really windy days.
- Beach tents: Great for the really little ones. You can even get a beach tent with a little pool for your baby to splash in now. How fun is that?!
- We also have a huge canopy, which is pretty easy to set up (although you will need more than one person to do it), and gives you a huge, shady area to hang out. The downside is that, even folded up, it’s pretty big and very heavy to carry. Ours has wheels so you can pull it along, but you still have to carry it through the sand. Not that I know from experience, because my husband always ends of carrying it… but he says it’s very heavy! 🙂
| Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
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CROWN SHADES 6.5×6.5 Pop Up Canopy Tent,… | $84.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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KITADIN 6.5FT Beach Umbrella for Sand… | Buy on Amazon | |
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Alvantor Coolhut Beach Tent Beach… |
$42.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
8. A blanket and/or chairs
Just in case your baby/toddler gives you a little break and you get a chance to sit down. 😉 Here are the best beach-sitting options:
- A big blanket- Easy to pack, and your whole family can sit on it.
- Beach chairs- Chairs are really nice if you want to sit partially in the water with your baby on your lap. (My favorite way to enjoy the ocean!)
| Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Wekapo Beach Blanket Sandproof, Beach… |
$28.98 |
Buy on Amazon |
9. Toys
As soon as they were big enough to really play with toys, my kids loved buckets, shovels, kites, and sturdy nets for catching things. They also love to collect seashells, so a seashell collecting bag is a lot of fun.
10. A wagon
This is a great way to actually get all of your stuff to the shore.
There are also beach carts, which I’ve never used, but they seem to achieve the same goal- transport all of your gear across the sand without killing yourself.
| Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Mac Sports Heavy Duty Steel Frame… |
$99.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
11. Snacks and drinks
Don’t forget to pack a cooler with some snacks and drinks. There are even insulated cooler backpacks available now- such a great idea!
My favorite beach snacks are:
- Grapes
- Goldfish crackers
- Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
- Apples or peaches
- Sun chips
- Applesauce
- Dried fruit
- Beef Jerky
I make sure to bring along a cup or water bottle for each person. I’m a big fan of the Miracle 360 sippy cups. My toddler uses this one, and my baby uses this one.
Juice boxes aren’t a bad idea, either. Your goal on a hot, sunny day is to keep your kids hydrated, and some yummy juice (especially if your kids don’t usually get juice!) will definitely help you accomplish that goal.
| Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
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TOURIT Cooler Backpack 30 Cans… |
$36.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
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Munchkin Miracle 360 Sippy Cup,… | Buy on Amazon | |
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Nuby Thirsty Kids No Spill Flip-It… |
$15.99 |
Buy on Amazon |
12. A beach bag
Inside my beach bag, I pack a small toiletry bag with a few of my own essentials:
- Sunglasses
- A hairbrush and hair ties
- Chapstick
- Hand sanitizer
- Phone
- Keys
- Money
- A little first aid kit (Bandaids, Auro Dri ear drops, any essential medications)
| Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Mossio Hanging Toiletry Bag – Large… | Buy on Amazon | |
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Becokan Beach Bags for Women Large… | Buy on Amazon | |
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Auro-Dri Ear Drying Aid, 1 oz. | $7.09 | Buy on Amazon |
Pin Beach Packing List:
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