Meet my maritime munchkin, Emma, who always giggles with delight touching the wet sand at the beach. Building sand castles and making memories with babies is the accomplishment of joy. Besides this, you are worried about their first beach trip, right?
Chill out! If you stay in a landlocked area like me, you just have to be extra vigilant in taking your baby to the beach. To some extent, it really needs to be well-prepared to keep babies at the beach and keep them cool and hydrated.
As a new parent, to kick things off, you should know when to take your baby to the beach. When you find it’s the perfect time to enjoy the sun, sand, and salty water with your baby, then it comes to their safety, including how to keep the baby cool at the beach.
Let’s check the most impactful and functional hacks to keep the baby cool on a beach trip. Good luck with being over the moon with blissful memories at the beach with your little one.
How to Keep Baby Cool at the Beach – Six Tips
Well, you want to spend a relaxing day at the beach with your baby. These great tips are approved by parents and recommended by pediatricians. Check the most effective ways to keep babies cool at the beach.
Proper Planning
1. Create a Checklist for Beach Day
It’s crucial to create a checklist for all the necessary baby beach gear, such as diaper bags, swimming diapers, dry towels, and water safety equipment. There are a lot of baby accessories that you need to keep cool on your beach vacation.
Nothing vital should be left at home. It makes your vacation stress free. Load up all the baby beach essentials in a beach bag or stroller organizer. For sand toys, pack a mesh bag.
2. Take a Short Beach Trip
A shorter beach trip keeps your baby less fussy and bored. To avoid sunburn, it is crucial in order to save their delicate skin. Limit the beach trip to 2-3 hours.
3. Plan your Outdoor activities Sensibly.
If you intend to spend a beach trip with a toddler, keep a schedule for your outdoor activities. Don’t interrupt their regular activities as normal nap times. Don’t go out at the sun’s peak time. It’s wise not to go for a beach trip between 10 Am to 4 Pm. Choose whether in the morning or evening time to ensure extra protection.
4. Select a Suitable Stroller for Beach Visits
You have a jogging stroller; wondering about taking a jogging stroller to the beach? Don’t fret! Definitely, you can use a jogging stroller at the seashore. A jogging stroller ensures high quality, top-notch suspension, sturdy, and larger air-filled wheels. This stroller also can manage loose or wet sand.
If you have an all-terrain wagon, here you are getting push and pull both options for taking the baby to the beach. A wagon also ensures proper ventilation inside it. It helps your baby to stay cool at the beach. If you don’t have any, check here for the 10 Best Stroller For Beach Sand.
Clothing and Accessories
1. Pack Light Clothes
A breathable fabric for your baby is a must to keep them cool. If they wear a few layers of clothes, they will absorb sweat and make a rash on their body. That’s why you should choose light clothes that are made from cotton or bamboo fabrics.
Take a big laundry basket and put all of the clothes there. Remember, don’t forget to pack backups like extra towels, a diaper bag, etc for extra protection.
2. Wide-brimmed Hat and Baby Sunglasses
To protect from direct sunlight, you must pack a wide-brimmed hat for your baby. Baby’s head and baby’s neck remain covered from sun rays by wearing a hat.
If you buy a hat that has SPF protection and ensures extra safety for sensitive skin. Pack sunglasses based on their favorite color to keep their eyes from sun rays.
3. Long-Sleeve Rash Guard
To protect them from harmful sun rays or keep the sand off the body, you should pack a rash guard in case you have to stay on much sun exposure.
4. Beach Chair
Bring a compact and easily collapsible beach chair. Emma doesn’t like to take her food without sitting on this beach chair. I bought it for her when she was 9 months old. Till now, she needs this every time.
When you take your baby to the beach, she/he needs to take a rest to take food. You can’t offer food to them in direct sunlight. To make them more comfortable and have proper ventilation, you need to carry a beach chair.
5. Beach shoes
Beach sands are extremely hot for babies. As they are not used to this environment, you should pack beach shoes if your baby can walk. Beach shoes not only save them from heat but also protect their tiny feet from any sharp rocks or shells on the sand.
6. Pack a Lightweight and Breathable Baby Carrier
Choose a baby carrier that is made from a breathable material, which ensures proper air circulation around the baby.
Cooling Equipment
1. Stroller Fan
I know how difficult it is to keep a baby cool at the beach during hot summer days. Your baby can experience heatstroke by overheating.
To soothe the baby with a gentle breeze, you can attach a portable fan to a stroller, beach umbrella, or beach chair. If you invest in a misting fan, that would be far better to keep them cool.
2. Fill Water Bottles with Water and Make Them Freeze
It’s a very good way to keep the baby cool in the cheapest way. Place these water bottles on the seat of the stroller. Then put a water-resistant blanket over it.
It’s one of the baby beach hacks. This way, your baby remains cool inside the stroller. Your baby can drink the water when they become thirsty. Don’t forget to bring the water near to normal temperature.
3. Use Spray Bottles with Water
The other beach baby hacks are to bring spray bottles with iced water and spray it on the baby’s face and body. Emma gets flushed skin when she remains sun exposure. I maintain this technique to keep her cool at the beach. Spray the water frequently. Believe me, and it’s really effective.
4. Portable Cooler Bag
Emma, my 2-year-old baby, loves frozen yogurt so much. Wherever she goes, I have to buy it for her. I packed 5 yogurt tubes in a cooler bag on our beach vacation.
If your beach bag is designated with a cooler then you don’t need to invest in a cooler bag. If not, then definitely go for a beach portable cooler bag. You can put pre-freeze snacks, milk, formula, and water in that bag.
5. Pack Cool Washcloths
Cool washcloths are made from absorbent material that is really helpful to wipe the face and body. At the same time, your baby is getting relief from the sun’s heat.
Beach Safety
1. Buy an Inflatable Baby Pool
Your ocean outings might not be appropriate for your baby as the waves can be rough for your new crawler. Don’t worry! There’s a way to enjoy salty water for your baby.
Choose a shady area and dig out a shallow hole in the sand. Then put an inflatable baby pool inside the hole, and fill it with some ocean water.
If you forget to bring a baby pool, no matter what, your baby can still be adventurous in shallow water. There’s a great alternative. Just bring a shower curtain liner, and put it in the hole. It’s ready!
2. Provide Sand-free Play Area to Play with Beach Toys
Sand remains so hot on summer days. You don’t want them to rub off the sand on their face and body which can cause burning and itching sensations. No, I am not telling you to leave them stroller.
You just have to take a fitted bed sheet to create a sand-free play area. Put some items propped in on the four corner sides of the fitted bed sheets. It’s done!
3. Apply Sunscreen and Baby Powder
Of course, you don’t want a sunburn, rashies, red swollen, or fussy skin on your baby. Before heading to the beach with your baby, you must apply sunscreen for sun protection.
Try to choose a baby-friendly sunscreen for their delicate skin that contains at least SPF 30. Don’t apply sunscreen if your baby is not more than six months old. It gives your baby UV protection from the sun. As sunscreen reflects UV and heat at a time, that’s why it keeps the baby cool.
Reapply the sunscreen within 2 hours intervals. Baby powder is essential to remove sand from the body that may cause uncomfortable sensations. So, apply baby powder to absorb moisture so that sand doesn’t stick to the baby’s skin.
Creating Shade
1. Using a Small Pop-up Tent
Providing shade and making babies cool is an important baby beach hack. The tents block UV rays and provide good ventilation. A baby beach tent is a great way to ensure a comfy place in sunny weather to stay cool.
It is also the best place for a quick nap. You can give him/her beach toys to play with. Here there is no need to chase babies every second. This way, the baby stays cool on a hot summer day.
2. Big Beach Umbrella
You will find an adjustable baby beach umbrella with a wide range of styles. If you are enjoying a beach vacation with young babies you must be concerned about skin irritation due to extreme heat. Invest in a beach umbrella that is designated with soft fabrics, is water resistant, and keeps your baby safe.
Monitoring the Baby
1. Prevent overheating
Overheating leads to heat stroke when the body heat increases a lot. There are numerous risks of overheating for a baby. It is recommended not to go outside with a baby if the temperature is over 80 degrees.
If you want to put your baby in the stroller while on your beach vacation, make sure you use the canopy and provide good ventilation. Learn more here about how to keep cool in the stroller. You can use a sheepskin stroller seat liner for extra protection that is air breathable. Offer them fluids frequently to avoid overheating and keep them cool.
2. Keep them hydrated
If you are at the beach with older kids, then inspire them to drink liquids and fruits frequently. On the other hand, if you are with younger babies, then offer them fluids regularly, as they can’t tell if they are dehydrated.
3. Watch the Signs of Overheating
You should be aware of the signs of overheating as it leads to life-threatening. Monitor them frequently. Check the signs of overheating below. If you see any of the symptoms in your baby, consult with a doctor immediately.
- Redde skin
- Fast breathing
- Warm skin
- Flushed skin
- Lethargy
- Cranky
- Dry skin
- Restlessness
- Vomiting
Final Words
I know it’s nerve-wracking and exciting at the same time to take a baby to the beach for the first time. Recap the helpful tips to ensure optimum safety. Taking these little preparations, you can ensure that they will remain cool and revive. Don’t wait to see your crawler’s reaction to the sands and waves.
More resources:
Hiking with a Baby: When is the Right Time to Hit the Trails?
How Old Should A Baby Be To Stay Overnight With Grandparents
Can You Bring a Stroller on a Disney Cruise
Can You Bring a Stroller on a Cruise
My name is Olivia Brown, and I’m a New York-based blogger and stay-at-home parent. Former business executive enjoying retirement and time with kids Lily and Max. On my blog, I review things for kids and offer my honest thoughts and insights to other parents who may be having the same or similar experiences.
