Toys for Kids: Prep for Your Next Beach Getaway
Tired of the cold? Parents are finding ways to safely travel and head to warmer destinations to soak up some sunshine with the family. We know how complicated it can be to plan a family trip these days, especially with little ones. You have to keep your tots entertained somehow so you don’t have to spend all of your supposed-to-be relaxing beach day running after them. But vacay is hectic: between the plane ride and car rides, hotel or resort check-ins, and constant reapplying of sunscreen, kids are bound to get restless. That’s why we’ve got our top picks for toys to bring on your next beach getaway. We’ve even included some toys for bigger kids, because as parents, we’ve got the sometimes-impossible, sometimes-rewarding job of keeping everyone in our family happy while away. Check out our guide to toys for kids!
Beach Balls
We’re obsessed with some of these beach balls for kiddos. Beach balls are great, because kids of all ages love to toss them on the sand and in the pool or ocean. Check out the inflatable beach balls from Pottery Barn Kids and Amazon’s beach ball best sellers. If your kids love volleyball but can’t quite play with a real volleyball yet with the teens and adults, a beach ball is the perfect substitute!
Sand Castle Toys
Building a sand castle is a must on a beach vacay! It’s even a great activity for the whole family to do together. Whether your kiddos want to build a castle, a sand volcano, dig a huge hole in the sand, or bury each other in the sand, you’ll want to give them the tools to do so. We love this sand castle toy set from Target for little ones ages 18 months and up, and Lakeshore Learning has an all-in-one kit with scoops, shovels, rakes, buckets, and more. Beaches.com even recommends Animal Molds to play with in the sand, which are super cute and will surely keep your tots entertained on the beach.
Coloring-by-Number Printables
Beaches.com recommends no-mess coloring kits, and one of our favorites is Color-by-Number. Before you leave your home, print out a bunch of Color-by-Number sheets and pack some crayons or colored pencils. There’s a digital version too if you don’t feel like printing out the sheets: simply download the Color by Number: Coloring Game app on your iPad or iPhone. But now more than ever, we know how important it is to have tech-free time, so printables are a go-to! Color by Number will occupy your kids when you’re waiting in line at check-in or traveling in the car or plane.
Card Games and Matching/Memory Games
Board games are fun, but they’re not as easy to set up and play while on the go. Card games, on the other hand, are much more convenient! We recommend Old Maid, UNO, Go Fish, Crazy Eights, and War for bigger kids. Some of these card games may be difficult for younger kids to play, but matching/memory games are perfect. Beaches.com adds that many memory games have pieces that don’t detach from the game, so you won’t have to worry about losing pieces along the way. Check out some of the memory games for toddlers on Amazon!
Kid-Friendly Reads
Just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean that your little ones can’t practice their reading skills! Check out our round-up of books for kids of all ages and reading levels to purchase a few before you leave. We also have a list of anti-racism books for kids and teens! Books are great for those times when you won’t be able to set up a whole play space or game, like when you’re on the plane or in the car.
These are our top 5 picks for toys for beach vacays! Looking for more options as you pack your toy bags? Check out beaches.com’s guide to The Perfect Travel Toys for Toddlers Ahead of Your Beach Vacation.
