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Little Toddler Beach Bums
Tips for a Successful Trip to the Beach with a Toddler
By Beth Hering
Jeremy Braccio of Scottsdale, Ariz., discovered a toddler-pleasing way of avoiding the hottest hours of the day when vacationing by the Del Mar City Beach in California. "My daughter Sophia loves to have a picnic at the beach at sunset," she says. "It was what she talked about most later on."
With your little one slathered in sunscreen and safely by your side, what do you do now? Enjoy yourselves, of course!
"My kids love to stand or sit at the shoreline and have the waves crash up against them," says Melissa Durante, a mother of three from Bartlett, Ill., whose family likes to visit the Glencoe Beach.
A few simple toys can enhance the beach experience (and give parents a break from chasing). Give your toddler a bucket and a shovel and let him enjoy digging or making sand castles. Bring along a toy dump truck to fill with sand or drive over kid-created sand hills. A book or two (preferably hardy board books) to read under a shady umbrella can be a great way to rest when toddlers need some down time. Keep with the theme of the day by reading A House for Hermit Crab (Aladdin, 2005) by Eric Carle or The Ocean Alphabet Book (Charlesbridge Publishing, 2003) by Jerry Pallotta and Frank Mazzola, Jr.
All the activity can stir up some hungry tummies, so don't forget to pack some snacks. "We like easy, take-along snacks like fruit roll-ups, granola bars, chips, rice cakes and goldfish crackers," Durante says. Think twice before bringing foods that melt easily, need to be kept cold or require utensils – they may be more trouble than they are worth.
