Your family beach vacation with kids is coming up, and you’re looking forward to spending quality, fun time together. Aside from saving, paying for accommodation and travel on time, and ensuring your travel documents are ready, you also need to pack all the essential items.
Below is a look at an all-inclusive packing list for the best beach vacation with kids. You want to balance bringing what you need and over-packing. Create a packing list for the items you need before putting the luggage together. It ensures you remember everything and makes organization much easier.
Packing List for the Best Family Vacations With Kids
The number of items to pack for kid-friendly beach vacations depends on how many days you will be away on the trip. Below is a sample packing list for a seven-day beach vacation with kids. The items indicated are per person/child.
Clothes
Bring comfortable clothes for use outside the beach. Pack a variety of casual clothes for lounging as follows:
- 3-5 bottoms, like skirts, shorts, pants, jeggings
- 7-10 tank tops, shirts, or t-shirts
- 1-3 dresses or rompers
- A light sweater or jacket for the evenings or rainy days
- 1-3 pajama sets for adults and kids
- Undies, including panties, boxers, bras, etc. — pack at least 1 for each day
- 1-2 pairs of socks if you are bringing sneakers
- 2-3 pairs of shoes – 2 pairs of sandals and a pair of sneakers
Beach and Swimwear
You will use your beach wear a lot throughout your family beach vacation, whether for sunbathing or watersports. Therefore, you want to bring your essentials. If there is a swimsuit you have been putting aside for your next beach vacation, this is your perfect opportunity to bring it out. Here are the beach and swimwear essentials to pack:
- 2-3 swimsuits per person/child. You want to have enough swimsuits for all activities at the beach. Although swimsuits generally dry fast, it is a good idea to have an extra pair for each person in case of spills or accidents that may cause the swimsuit to tear. Women can pack swim bikinis as well as one-piece swimsuits. Pack swimming trunks or one-piece swimsuits for young girls. For boys and men, swimming shorts and a swim vest will do. However, some boys and men prefer long swimming trunks. Pack the appropriate clothes if you are engaging in watersports such as kayaking, surfing, and snorkeling.
- Swimsuit cover-up. A cover-up will come in handy when taking a break from the beach. For example, you may want to take a short break to go to a restaurant or a souvenir shop nearby. You can also wear a dress or romper as a cover-up.
- Water shoes, e.g. flip flops, sandals, or closed-toed shoes to walk around the beach. Although some people prefer to walk barefoot on the beach, the sand may get too hot or there may be sharp objects on the ground. Wearing shoes protects your feet. Wear closed-toe water shoes if you find flip-flops too slippery when they get wet, and pack light athletic shoes if you will be engaging in activities such as volleyball, jogging, or hiking during your beach vacation.
- Beach towels. If you are staying at a hotel or VRBO for your beach vacation, the property may provide beach towels as part of your accommodation package. Most rentals may require you to bring towels. Therefore, pack a light and easy-to-dry beach towel for each child and adult.
- Wet bag or Ziploc bag. It provides a convenient way of storing and carrying your damp beach clothes as you head back to your room.
- Disposable swim diapers for kids below three years.
- Beach tote. You will need a tote bag to carry your items to the beach. You can have one large one for everyone. Or, medium-sized ones for you and drawstring bags for the kids to carry.
- Beach blanket. For laying or sitting over as you hang out on the beach.
- Reusable water bottles. You will be spending a lot of time under the sun and engaging in various activities. Bring along reusable water bottles to ensure you keep hydrated.
- Beach toys. Kids will enjoy playing with toys at the beach. There are various cheap beach toys on Amazon, such as Frisbees, buckets and shovels, balls, or kites.
- Snorkeling set for kids and adults who know how to snorkel or want to learn how to snorkel.
- Swimming goggles.
- Inflatable floaters. They are easily portable and enhance the kids’ safety in the water. You can use an inflatable donut inflatable, puddle jumper, life vests, or arm floaties.
Optional Items to Bring to the Beach
- Portable cooler. If you are driving to your destination, consider bringing a portable cooler. If you are traveling by air, there are some easily portable collapsible coolers or mini cooler bags on Amazon.
- Snacks and food. If you have room or prefer to, you can bring this from your home. Otherwise, you can buy at a grocery store or convenience store near where you will be staying.
- Napkins
- Bottle opener
- Plastic bags for trash
- Beach chairs. If there are no beach chairs or the beach is too congested, you can bring your own beach chairs. Beach spreads or blankets are a good substitute if your chairs are too bulky.
Sun Protection Items
- Sunglasses with strong sun protection and anti-glare features. When choosing sunglasses for kids, ensure they are scratch resistant.
- Sun hat. Large straw hats are both functional and fashionable for female adults. You can pack baseball caps and brimmed beach hats for kids.
- Lip balm with SPF to protect your lips from the sun and prevent dryness.
- Sunscreen. You require sunscreen for both kids and adults. Bring enough full body applications for the entire time you are at the beach. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends SPF 30 or higher for both adults. You should reapply the sunscreen after every two hours when spending extended periods outdoors. Buy the sunscreen before the trip and try it out on you and your children to ensure it applies well and does not cause irritation. Go for a sunscreen formulated with zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, or both. It should protect both UVA and UVB rays. The Aveeno sunscreen is an excellent option for both kids and adults.
- Beach umbrella to provide shade as you lounge by the shoreline
- Beach tent for sun protection and privacy
- Optional: UV shirts or UV suits, rash guards, and swim vests help to protect the kids from the sun.
Personal Hygiene
- Hairbrush and combs
- Lotion
- Deodorant and/or perfume
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Soap
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Hairdryer
- Hair cream
- Nail clipper
- Feminine products
- Makeup bag
- Hair ties
- Accessories such as earrings, bracelets, and necklaces
Documents
- Government I.D such as driver’s license and passport
- Travel insurance
- Travel documents
- Cash
- Credit cards
- Kids’ birth certificate
Medication and Hygiene
- Disinfecting wipes
- Hand sanitizer
- Painkillers for adults and kids
- Vitamins for adults and kids
- First-aid kit, e.g., band-aids, antibacterial ointment, sunburn treatment such as aloe vera gel, bandages
- Bug spray
- Sea sickness medicine if you will be taking boat rides
- Drying ear drops to get water out of the ears
Entertainment and Technology
- Cellphones
- Waterproof pouches for cell phones
- Waterproof camera, e.g. GoPro
- Selfie stick
- Power banks to keep your devices charged up at the beach
- Device cords and chargers
- Books. Bring a book to read at the beach if you love to read. Similarly, if your kids love to read or to be read to, bring some books for them too.
- E-reader. Alternatively, you can pack your e-reader to access your books digitally.
- Headphones to enjoy music or watch videos without disturbing others.
- Portable waterproof speakers to listen to music at the beach or in your rental.
- Kid’s tablets
- Board games
- Deck of cards
- Notepads, pens, and coloring pencils
Travel Essentials for Young Children
If you have an infant or a toddler, bring the following:
- Car seat or booster
- Stroller
- Baby carrier
- Sun tent
- Baby wipes and baby powder
Conclusion
The above is an all-inclusive packing list for a beach family vacation with kids. Use it as a guide when packing and adjust it according to your needs and preference. You may remove some items or add others. An excellent way to ensure that you have carried everything you need is to think through what you will need for every entry in your itinerary. Create a packing list and tick things off as you put them in your luggage.
Other ways to ensure the best family beach vacation include choosing kid-friendly beach vacation destinations and booking accommodations at kid-friendly beach resorts. The resorts will have essential amenities for hosting kids, such as baby cots and kid’s menus. They also have a wide range of facilities for fun kids’ activities, such as swimming pools and playgrounds.