Looking for ideas for beach fun with young kids? I’m sharing my favorite tips for having fun in the sun with your toddlers!
We recently returned from a beach vacation with our 19-month-old toddler. We visited the scenic Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, and WOW, it was beautiful!
I’ll be honest, I was a bit hesitant to take our little one to the beach. I thought she was too young for a lot of the classic beach activities.
My ideal beach day includes sitting in the shade reading, swimming in the ocean water, and walking the shoreline at sunset.
I assumed that most of the day would be spent chasing her (like it is at home), but I was pleasantly surprised that that was not the case.
Sometimes, as a toddler mom, I wonder, “What should I do with my little one?”. Before our beach outing, I was a little nervous we would run out of things to do before she had a complete meltdown. I made a mental note of some fun activities to try out and brought as many beach toys as possible.
We are from Missouri, so this was her first time going to the beach, and I felt simultaneously that I had too much to do and not enough to do.
After our trip, and talking to other moms about their experiences, I compiled this list for you! If you are also wondering, “What should I do with my little one at the beach?” then you’ve come to the perfect place. This list will help you have a safe, and enjoyable day with the whole family.
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1. Build Sandcastles and Use Sand Toys
Most of us have great memories of building sandcastles as children. Your toddler can participate in this beach classic too! They’ll enjoy filling up the small bucket, and even helping you dump it upside down. There are beach toys at most stores now, and we like that this set comes with shovels to help dig holes, and a little dump truck to play with as well.
2. Collect Seashells and Paint Them with Watercolors
I was most excited for this activity! Simply collect sea shell along the shore and then paint them with watercolors. It’s a great way to practice fine motor skills! My little one is really into art right now and loves identifying colors.
Seashells are beautiful shapes, and adding a splash of color makes them even more stunning! Afterwards, it makes a fun memento for the vacation! This watercolor set is really affordable.
3. Roll or Kick a Beach Ball
Toddlers love kicking, throwing, and playing with beach balls. It’s a fun way to incorporate a walk up and down the beach. Here is a pack of beach balls (in case the wind takes one of them).
4. Draw Shapes in the Sand (with a Stick or Sand Toys)
This is an easy, no prep beach activity for your fun-filled day. Simply find a stick or other “writing utensil” to draw pictures in the sand. My little one did this for a long time!
If your little one isn’t nervous with the sand, you can also make sand angels!
5. Digging Holes and “Pools” in the Sand
This was my toddler’s FAVORITE activity at the beach. We dug a shallow “pool” a little bit away from the ocean, where the sand is still wet sand.
She liked being away from the waves but still in the water. Bonus points that it kept her cool on a sunny day!
6. Tide Pool Treasure Hunt
If you don’t want to dig your own little pool, turn exploring tide pools into a mini treasure hunt! Let your toddler look for hidden “treasures” like tiny sea creatures, shells, or sand dollars.
It’s a fun activity that feels like a little adventure.
Bring a small bucket and let them collect their favorite finds. This is a wonderful way to spark curiosity and enjoy some sensory play right by the water’s edge.
They can even make a little sensory bin inside their bucket to play with back by your beach towels.
7. Sand Roads for Little Cars
You can dig a long, windy “road” in the sand for a toddler to drive cars over. It can be a slight divot in the sand, or wide, decorated roads with sea shells. These little monster trucks are easy to clean sand off, and come in some fun colors!
8. Kite Flying
We forgot how windy beaches are, and we were sad to miss out on this fun beach activity. But we saw many families of all ages flying kites all day long. Check out these fun kites shaped like octopuses, perfect for the beach!
9. Floating in the Ocean
Don’t forget the ocean water on your list of things to do when you get to the beach! We stayed in the shallow water parts, but many families ventured out a bit further to experience more of the waves.
We recommend researching good flotation devices for your child’s exact age, as the recommendations vary greatly, even within a few months.
And a reminder to never leave your child unattended in a flotation device, even for a moment.
10. Beach Scavenger Hunt
For older kids, you can make a list of items to try and find on the beach, like this one from Amazon , or you can go for a walk and play a fun game of I Spy.
For younger toddlers, take a walk with your bucket and talk to them about things that they are collecting! My little one learned a whole new vocabulary during our trip!
You can also adapt this to be a beach treasure hunt and hide small toys or shells for your child to dig for and collect.
11. Beach Picnic
Picnics at the beach are so fun. Bring food with you to the beach and set out a picnic under your umbrella for an awesome break from the sun.
If it’s too much for you to bring all of your lunch, you can still bring tasty drinks or popsicles in a cooler for a smaller picnic. We’ve loved using this beach blanket! It’s so easy to clean.
Overall, our beach trip turned out to be more enjoyable and less stressful than I had imagined. With a little planning and flexibility, we were able to create some beautiful memories together.
From building sandcastles to collecting beach finds like seashells, the activities we tried kept our little one engaged and happy.
If you’re heading to the beach with your toddler, don’t worry about keeping them entertained—use the list as a guide, but remember to embrace the simple joys of the day.
Sometimes, the best part of a trip is experiencing the wonder through their eyes and discovering it all for the first time, together.
We’d love to hear how your beach trip goes with your toddler!
>If you’re looking for the perfect bathing suit to wear as you’re chasing your kids around, don’t miss our favorite swimsuit picks!