Green Child Magazine

Looking for the best beach gear for babies? We’ve got you covered with this freshly updated beach trip guide.

Summer is here! And after what has seemed like an eternal winter, we’re sure you’re ready to get out and enjoy a fresh whiff of ocean air. But if you’re a new parent, you might be wondering how to navigate a beach day with a baby in tow.How much and what do you pack? What baby beach gear do you actually need and what is just nice to have?

Not to mention that a lot of what we might think to take to the beach — ahem disposable water bottles, plastic umbrellas, even sand-soaked towels — could end up being unintentionally left behind. It’s really more common than you might think.

A Minimalist Look at What You Need for Baby at the Beach

The list below includes several “nice to have” items and a few luxuries. But here’s a quick look at the basics.

• Tent or umbrella – if you’ll be spending more than a few hours that include 10am – 2pm at the beach, you really need some shade to get baby (and yourself or any older kids) out of the sun.
• Towels – bring some to sit on and some for drying off.
• Wet bag – for wet suits, swim diapers, or anything else you don’t want dripping or leaving a mess behind.
• Rash guards – many sunscreens aren’t safe for babies younger than 6 months, so SPF clothing is essential to protect their delicate skin from sunburn.
• Sunscreen – learn everything you need to know about safe nontoxic sunscreen for babies and kids in this guide.
• Toys – a bucket and shovel can provide hours of fun for babies and toddlers (and give you a little bit of a break to enjoy the beach yourself!)
• The usual baby necessities – just like going anywhere with baby, you’ll need the usual diaper bag lineup like diapers or a swim diaper, wipes, bottles or sippy cups, and snacks.

When going anywhere with a new baby, it’s easy to forget and/or drop things here and there.

Our beautiful beaches are definitely places we want to protect as much as possible (especially from single use plastic, so when drawing up a beach gear list, it can help to opt for eco-friendly or sustainable options where you can. After all, every little bit can help lighten your environmental load.

Check out our baby beach gear that can set you and your little one up for some fun in the sun. Or perhaps shade is a better word in this case, which brings us to our first set of products:

THE BEACH BUNDLE

A low beach chair is ideal to give you a comfortable place to sit while you can still easily reach a little one playing in the sand. And trust us, your back won’t appreciate sitting on the ground to nurse a baby. Mama needs some support to hold a breastfeeding (and then most likely napping) baby.

Sunflow’s chair is the most comfortable beach chair we’ve ever sat in. It’s built-in UPF 50+ sun shade protects you and baby from sunburn, and their bundle comes with a drink holder, dry bag, plus a beach towel that attaches to the chair. They’ve really thought of everything, including 25 beautiful colors and patterns.

If you already have camping chairs or other portable seats, by all means, use what you have. The key to eco friendly baby gear is not buying more than you need. Be sure whatever you bring is lightweight and compact. You’ll be bringing more than you’re used to when going to the beach with baby, so it’s best to go as streamlined as possible.

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