Spending time at the beach is magical in so many ways. Having a solid set of beach activities for kids takes the magic to pure bliss! The sound of the waves crashing, the salty smell and the feel of the sand in your toes are only a few of many senses that help make our hearts feel happy. People and GIFS on Instagram talk about Vitamin Sea all the time, but the older I get the more I realize it’s not just any old Instagram sticker, it really is a thing! 
This summer we spent time at several different beaches in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Living in Atlantic Canada we’re fortunate to have an ocean playground almost literally in our back yard. That said, taking advantage of the beach and the various types of beaches takes some creativity when small kids are involved.
I love going for walks on the beach so encouraging a collection of something (sea glass, shells, rocks, sticks, etc.) has always been my go to while trying to convince my little ones to walk with me. Coming up with activities while taking kids to the beach can be a little tricky, but I have a few ideas to share with you that I think will help and require nothing more than some Dollarama sand toys or left over red solo cups.
- Start a Collection – As I mentioned I love going for walks on the beach and am always amazed at what the kids find. Little Dude in particular always finds the best pieces of sea glass… I guess his eyes are closer to the sand for a great vantage point?! If you want to take it a step further have some beach art projects in mind and collect accordingly.
- Sand Mazes – find a stick and start drawing. You can make the maze as simple or as complicated as you would like, but have fun by making “blocks”, arrows that point in the wrong direction and various ways to get to the finish marker. Enjoy the maze, race through it or simply keep drawing new ones.
- Build a Sand Village – I’m sure you’ve thought of building a sand castle… consider a village next time. It will keep the kids busier to construct multiple structures while adding volcanoes, mountains, ponds, roads, barriers, etc. Let their imagination run wild without the stress of trying to end up with something that resembles a castle.
- Long Jump – Our staycation neighbours were doing this with their littles and I thought it was brilliant. They drew a line in the sand, instructed the little guy to run and jump as far as he could. He did it over and over again trying to beat his previous long jump marker. Brilliant!
- Get Dirty – by far my least favorite suggestion and one that has taken me a while to comes to grips with but the truth of the matter is the messier or dirtier the project the more the kids seem to love it. From sand villages and jelly fish stew to running from waves, splashing, spitting out salt water and running through sand bards… doing and enjoying all the things beaches are meant for.
Do you have more suggestions to keep kids entertained at the beach regardless of the season? I’d love to hear them!
xo Jenna
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