Being from New Jersey, I spent nearly every summer during my childhood at the Jersey Shore. The beach is my happy place, and as the days grow warmer I'm already itching to hit the sand with my two kiddos. Both of them have been beach babies since before they could walk and now they're old enough that I can sit and actually read a book while they run and play and swim — with a lifeguard nearby, of course.
I've been packing kids up for family days at the beach for 10 years now, and to be honest, our beach bag is pretty minimal. We bring some chairs and towels or a blanket, a cooler with drinks and goodies, sunscreen and a few sand toys. Really, that's all you need. What I will say though, is that there are some totally awesome companies out there creating beach gear that is better than ever: more portable, more durable and more convenient. To help you get beach-ready, we're sharing 10 of our must-have items for a family fun day at the beach this summer.
Create-a-Castle Deluxe Sand Castle Construction Kit
Listen, we want to enjoy our beach day too, so we're all about anything that can help our kids achieve their best beachy goals more easily. This sand castle construction kit takes the guesswork out of sand play, which could mean minutes — or even — hours of content play.
The Picnic Cooler by Igloo
We are obsessed with the retro-inspired "The Picnic Cooler" by Igloo. It features a full-sized chest and handles that snap together for one-handed carrying, and the '90s body style and neon color scheme are just the best. Plus, it keeps items cold or even frozen for hours upon hours.
Bindle Bottle Vacuum Insulated Water Bottle with Storage
If you haven't already ditched single-use water bottles, you definitely should. We don't need any extra trash blowing around at the beach. Instead, opt for a nifty insulated, stainless steel water bottle that just so happens to have a secret compartment you can keep small valuables — like your keys — in. This one also has a generous 24-ounce capacity.
The Ice Cream Canteen
There's nothing like enjoying an ice cream on the beach. Now you don't have to get up from your spot on the sand or shell out a huge amount of cash to indulge. The Ice Cream Canteen is a super cool vacuum insulated container designed to perfectly fit any pint of ice cream to keep it frozen wherever you are, and be used again and again.
Larkly SPF 30 Mineral Powder Sunscreen
$32
from
Anthropologie
Applying sunscreen on kids can be a bear of a task, so we're thrilled to see companies coming up with new ideas to make it easier. Larkly SPF 30 Mineral Powder Sunscreen comes in an all-in-one, self-dispensing container with an application brush attached for the easiest, quickest application.
Lightspeed Outdoors 2-Pack Lounger Park and Beach Chair
The thing we love most about the Lightspeed Outdoors 2-Pack Lounger Park and Beach Chairs is how they fold up into a neat little package making them super easy to transport. When you have kids, walking all your gear across the sand is cumbersome at best, so anything that can streamline the process is awesome. These even have a storage pocket.
CGear Sandlite Sand-Free Beach Mat
These days, terry cloth towels are not the best option out there when it comes to a lounging surface for the beach. There are a lot of products that actually minimize the amount of sand you'll take home in your car, like the CGear Sandlite Sand-Free Beach Mat. It's super easy to remove sand from them at the end of the day and they roll up into a neat little package for transport. Plus, they're comfy.
Beach Juice
Nothing is more relaxing than sitting on the beach with a cold drink in your hand, and Beach Juice is the perfect option. These canned cocktails are made for the ultimate in refreshment, with flavors like Vodka Lemonade and Rosé Wine. They're sugar-free and just 100 calories per can.
Sony Extra Bass Portable Compact IP67 Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker
Whether you use it for audio books, music or podcasts, in 2022, a waterproof bluetooth speaker is definitely a beach essential. The thing is they're pricey, and when you are wrangling kids at the beach it's easy to misplace one or even leave it behind, so we love this affordable option from Sony.
Sand Cloud Beach Towel
$68
from
Sand Cloud
The really special thing about a sand cloud towel is how quickly they dry. These oversized, lightweight towels are made with 100% organic Turkish cotton, they're sand-resistant and come in a slew of cool colors and patterns. You will use them again and again.
