Some of my favourite outdoor activities for children in summer are done on the beach. So today I’m going to share the best beach activities for children. These are my go-to activities for family beach days.
There are ideas for all ages, all group sizes and all weathers. Yes, we even go to the beach on days when the weather isn’t hot and sunny. There are still lots of things for the whole family to do at the beach on a grey day.
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Beach activities for kids
Are you planning a family beach day out? or perhaps you are camping with kids near the beach. A day at the beach is often a free or very low-cost day out which is an added bonus in the summer months.
Here are some ideas for things to do on the beach with kids. You’ll find some traditional beach activities as well as some hopefully new ideas too. So grab a bag and pack some beach toys and head off to your favourite beach.
Get your free printable beach scavenger hunt
Beach treasure hunts are so much fun for kids. Can they find seaweed? something that doesn’t belong on the beach or 3 different kinds of shells.
There are lots of interesting things to find on beaches. A beach scavenger hunt is always a great way to spend a walk on the beach in any weather. I’ve put together this beautiful one with a list of things to find on a beach.
If you want some ideas for how to use it and how to extend the learning opportunities too, head over to this post Printable beach scavenger hunt.
Build a sandcastle
Let’s get the obvious ideas out of the way first. Is it even a trip to the beach if you don’t build sand castles? We never head to the beach without our kid’s buckets and spades. I can only imagine their reaction if we did!
You can pick up plastic buckets and spades quite cheaply at the beach but please take them home with you. I’ve seen them abandoned on the beach before and if they don’t find a home with another family they’ll end up adding to the plastic in our oceans.
How cool are these * collapsible buckets? Fantastic when space is short, such as in our campervan.
All children from toddlers upwards will enjoy building sandcastles. Don’t be surprised if young children enjoy knocking them down just as much though! I promise they will grow out of it.
As children get older your sandcastle designs can get bigger and more elaborate. Can you add a moat and wait for the tide to come in and surround your castle? This is a great activity for older kids. Find loads of Sandcastle ideas here.
Dig a really big hole
Why not grab a spade and see who can dig the deepest hole or perhaps the widest hole.
Collect shells
My girls love collecting shells. There are so many things you can do with them at home like seaside themed play dough or make a shell necklace or a sea shell wind chime.
Find more Nature activities for kids here.
Paddle in the sea
Kids love water so a paddle in the sea is a must for any beach trip. Even in the colder months, we paddle in the sea in our wellies. Don’t forget to pack a towel and a change of clothes. Someone in our house always gets far too wet!
Fly a kite
Flying a kite is a childhood classic. Grab your kite and head to the beach on a windy day. This is a fun activity for pebble beaches where it can feel like there are fewer fun activities to do.
Go rock pooling
Rock pooling (or tide pooling) is great fun for kids. See what you can catch with a net in a rock pool. Here is a great guide to some of the creatures you might find – Rock pool identification guide. Make sure to be careful with the creatures and always put them back carefully.
Stack pebbles
This one is fun in all weathers. Look for some pebbles with flat sides. See who can stack theirs the highest.
Try crabbing
Pick up a * crabbing kit and see what you can catch from the pier or harbourside. Perhaps you’ll find hermit crabs or common (shore) crabs. Either way, crabbing is a great activity for kids of all ages.
Slide down sand dunes
Kids love exploring the sand dunes. The best bit is sliding down them, particularly on a sandy beach.
Collect pebbles and create sand art
Can you find a funny shaped pebble? some flat ones for stacking? how about a few that you can take home and paint.
Let your children show their artistic side at the beach. Can they make a picture using the pebbles and shells? Perhaps older children could make a sand mandala pattern.
Skim stones
Collect some small pebbles and take them down to the waters edge. Who can skim their stone the best? Always fun.
Play frisbee
Frisbees are lots of fun to throw around on a beach.
Play a beach game
There are lots of games that make fun beach activities. If you have enough people what about running relay races? Perhaps you could set up obstacle courses for the kids (or better yet, see if they can set one up). Fun ideas are to include beach chairs as posts for running around and crawling under a large beach towel. I bet you can think of loads more ideas. If you’re lucky enough to have found a quiet beach, you can set this up over a big area.
Many of these Picnic games for kids are perfect for the beach.
Play a ball game
On a quiet beach where there is plenty of space, ball games are plenty of fun. How about a classic game of football, rounders or beach cricket? Pack a beach ball, some tennis balls and a bat for loads of different options.
Find ideas for other outdoor games for children. Many of them are perfect to play on the beach.
Write in the sand
Grab a stick and write your name in the wet sand.
Go surfing or bodyboarding
If your kids love the water then they’ll love to learn to bodyboard.
Even younger kids can join in by learning to boogie board. Some beaches even have surf schools where your older children could have lessons or even the entire family. Beaches on the Atlantic ocean coast are some of the best for surfing.
Learn about the wildlife
Why not talk about the local wildlife you see on the beach or how about learning about tides or plastic pollution in the oceans. We love this * National Trust beach book for learning about the beach.
Blow bubbles
Young children love bubbles. You could keep a small bottle in your beach bag with your sand toys so that your little one can watch or chase bubbles on the beach.
Older kids can still enjoy bubble blowing with the giant bubble kits you can get. We have this set from * Dr Ziggs and it is fantastic fun at the beach.
Go on a beach tidy
Sadly litter on public beaches is not a rare sight. Perhaps you could teach your children to respect our planet by tidying part of the beach on your next trip. You could also join an organised beach clean which happen frequently in some areas of the country. My children love using litter pickers.
If you’re heading to the beach this summer, here are the best beach hacks for families.
More beach-themed activities for kids
- Find 9+ super fun beach science activities for preschoolers here.
- Find Beach theme printables to use at home or at the beach here.
Best beaches to visit
- Find the best beaches in Anglesey here.
- If you’re in South Wales, you need to visit Three cliffs bay. Find out how to get to three cliffs bay here. It’s worth the effort.
Ad- Kid’s summer activity pack
Plastic in the oceans is one of the topics covered in this summer activities pack. Find out more here.
Find more seasonal activities for kids here.
More outdoor activities for kids
- Find more summer outdoor activities for kids here.
Every month I publish a post packed full of seasonal activities for kids and ways to celebrate the various holidays and events. Here are my posts for the summer months.
Find more outdoor preschool learning activities here.
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