18 Helpful Beach Hacks for Fun in the Sun

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18 Essential Beach Hacks for a Day of Fun in the Sun

It’s beach season! North Carolina has some gorgeous beaches and this summer we hope to test out lots of them. 🙂 With kids, you have to be somewhat of a packing ninja to successfully pull off beach trips that are filled with fun and not tears, hunger, and sunburns. We’ve gotten it down to a science thanks to several beach hacks we use each and every time (hello, baby powder!) Here’s 18 beach hacks for tons of fun in the sun this summer, and I’ve included a few favorite products at the bottom for those ready to hit the beach ASAP!

beaches-turks-caicos-sand

A day at the beach would be miserable if you lost your keys *somewhere* among those millions of grains of sand. We use a carabiner clip to snap our keys to the inside of the bag so they’re safe, secure, and easy to find after a long day in the sun.

18 Essential Beach Hacks for a Day of Fun in the Sun

This post is an oldie but goodie– you don’t want to miss our beach bag packing list to make sure you have everything you need for your day in the sand. Bonus points if you laminate it so it’s ready to go each and every trip.

beach bag packing list

Store electronics in a Ziploc bag to keep them safe from water. You never know when one of your kiddos will dump a pail of water a little too close to your expensive smartphone!

store electronics in a ziploc bag

Bring a tent for the kids to play or rest in whenever they need a break. This is especially smart if you have little ones that still need naps. A tent will keep them out of the sun and wind and allow them to rest easier. You should make sure the tent is well ventilated and still use an umbrella above the tent to keep it from getting too hot inside.

bring a tent

If your kids enjoy popsicles at the beach (and who doesn’t?) take along some halved plastic cups to catch popsicle drips. Because, ya know, sticky popsicle drips and sand are a terrible combination.

popsicle drip catcher

Have a crawler on your hands? Crawlers and sand do not mix! You’ll see sand going into your baby’s mouth faster than you can say “seashell.” To contain little crawlers, bring an inflatable pool. You can even add some water and bath toys for baby to splash around.

kiddie pool for baby

I don’t know about you, but I’m never able to fit all of our beach necessities into most tote bags I’ve found. This oversized beach bag pattern will be a lifesaver this summer!

oversized beach bag

Aloe ice cubes go a long way toward soothing unexpected sunburns. We keep ours in the fridge, but I had never thought of freezing some before. Smart!

aloe ice cubes

Just in case you get too much sun, this DIY sunburn relief cream will come in handy.

sunburn relief cream

Make your own pillow towel for the beach. It’s comfier and more lightweight than many beach chairs, and it’s easily washable, too.

pillow towel

Carry a bottle of baby powder to remove sand from your skin after a day at the beach. Results vary with this trick… some say it works on wet sand, some say it doesn’t. We’ve had good results with it, though.

baby powder to remove sand

Need an easier way to corral the beach toys? This beach toy zipper pouch has a mesh section that allows you to shake out the sand before you put it back in your car. Genius!

beach toy zipper pouch

Fill water balloons with water and freeze them to keep your cooler mess-free while you’re at the beach. When the ice has melted, you can use the balloons to have a water fight.

freeze water balloons for cooler

Pack sandwiches for a crowd with no clean-up required. Add cold cuts, cheeses and condiments to King’s Hawaiian Rolls, and put them right back in the bag.

pack sandwiches for a crowd

Finally, commemorate your beach vacation with this ocean view shadow box. Sand and seashells go in front of a picture that you snapped of the water and skyline. How cool is that?

ocean view shadow box

Turn a flat sheet into the best beach blanket ever with a few simple modifications. That’s the perfect size for a family to sit on!

best beach blanket ever

You need lots of bags when you go to the beach for the wet clothes, wet toys and trash. Store them in an empty wipes container for easy access.

wipes container kitchen hack for plastic bags

We love the idea of this beach and boat tote. It’s much easier to access everything compared to digging in a bag to find what you need.

beach and boat tote

Last but not least, if you’re looking for some beach reads make sure to check out our favorite books of the year!

So excited to dig into this list of the best books for the year! From beach reads to mysteries to thrillers and page turners, these are this year's must-read books

And hey, I GET IT, sometimes you just aren’t in the mood to hack something. In that case, here’s a few of my favorite beach products– from Scout bags to the must-have tinted sunscreen I wear daily all summer long:

where to find supplies

Who’s ready for the BEACH?!?!?

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