5 Baby Beach Essentials Reviews
Aveeno Baby Continuous Protection Sunscreen
Applying sunscreen on a beach can be an absolute nightmare. Sunblock can quickly become a sticky mess, creating the ideal surface for sand to adhere to your hands and your baby’s skin.
However, compared to the damaging and potentially harmful risk of sunburn, sunscreen is ultimately the most important baby beach essential.
This Aveeno Baby Continuous Protection Sunscreen comes with two travel-sized 3-fluid ounce tubes of sunscreen lotion. I like the size of these tubes, because it means you can have one in your bag at all times without taking up too much space.
This is especially true for taking your baby traveling, as the tubes are TSA-friendly!
The best parts about this Aveeno sunscreen lotion are the performance and the ingredients. This is an SPF 50 sunscreen, providing the best possible protection from harmful UVB and UVA sun rays.
As babies have notoriously sensitive skin, you should accept an SPF rating of anything less than 50.
Speaking of sensitive skin, the formula of this product derives from 100% naturally-sourced ingredients, including zinc oxide and soothing oats. This formula is hypoallergenic, non-greasy, and free from parabens, phthalates, and fragrances.
The mildness of this formula is imperative for your little one’s skin, as the sunscreen works to lock in moisture without irritation. Plus, it is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes!
Pros
- Travel-friendly bottles – Two travel-size lotions to take up minimal space for day trips, road trips, and traveling
- Gentle formula – Made from natural, hypoallergenic, and tear-free ingredients
- High SPF – SPF 50 offers the highest protection from sun rays
Cons
- Thick sunscreen – Thickness means patches of white can linger on the skin, particularly on hairy areas for adults
Playieer Pop Up Beach Tent
Unfortunately, sunscreen alone won’t protect your baby from harmful sun rays. Another baby beach essential is some sort of protective shade to allow your baby to comfortably play or rest out of direct exposure to sunlight.
Sure, you can use a big umbrella, but I prefer to bring a pop-up beach tent, like this Playieer one!
Pop-up beach tents are more versatile than you might think. If your baby is new to beaches, odds are they might have a certain opinion about the texture of sand. They might not like the coarseness of the grains, or how it gets all over their toys.
Of course, they might not care at all, but a pop-up tent provides a mostly sand-free area for your baby to play, eat, and nap without the risk of sand getting in their eyes, nose, or mouth.
This Playieer pop-up beach tent can comfortably fit 3-4 people, so it’s a good option for going to the beach with a small family.
It is made with an eco-friendly silver coating designed to block 98% of UV rays, thus providing more protection against the sun. On the flip side, the rigid structure means the tent is resistant to wind and rain.
The structure itself is made of 190T polyester stretched across a strong frame, allowing for total durability.
Plus, with 360° ventilation from large mesh windows and an open entrance, there’s little chance of overheating as a constant air flow breezes through the tent.
Pros
- Extra protection from sun – Tent provides shade and a protective coating against harmful UV rays
- Versatile – Useful for naps, breastfeeding, storing personal items, changing diapers, and more
- Resilient structure – Made from durable and breathable materials and frame
Cons
- Requires practice – Folding the tent up can be tricky at first
F-color Beach Bag
Beach essentials for baby = beach essentials for mom. It’s no secret that the key to traveling with a baby is convenience and having everything you need in one place, which is why I highly recommend investing in a beach bag.
This F-color beach bag is ideal for taking your baby to the beach! This bag has a surprisingly large storage space, with the ability to carry around 4 beach towels amongst all the other baby beach necessities.
These necessities can include: sunscreen, extra clothing, water bottles, milk bottles, toys, sunglasses, hats, food, baby powder (to remove sand from skin), and diapers (unless you’re bringing a separate diaper bag).
Read More: Best Beach Bags for Moms & Families
With 8 large mesh pockets and 1 zip pocket, every item can be held in a designated space without cluttering the bag up. The bag itself is made entirely of strong mesh, which is ideal for preventing sand from gathering at the bottom of the bag.
Plus, the mesh means you can see directly into the bag rather than rummage everything around in the hopes of finding that pesky sunscreen lotion.
While this product is lightweight to hold when empty, the weight will vary depending on what you put inside it. Just remember that you’ll be holding a baby or pushing a stroller at the same time as holding the bag!
Pros
- Convenient pockets – Keeps everything stored in a designated and organized place
- Extra large storage – Lots of space for baby beach essentials
- Durable mesh material – Easy to see what’s in the bag and allows sand to fall through
Cons
- Mesh bottom – While useful for letting sand fall out, the mesh bottom provides little barrier between the inhabitants of the bag and the ground (such as sand or wet patches)
Fisher-Price On-The-Go Baby Dome
No products found.Choosing the best baby beach essentials doesn’t get more convenient than this.
Your baby is going to need a place to nap and play without getting sand absolutely everywhere, and if you’re not planning on bringing a tent, then you should definitely bring a portable baby dome.
This Fisher-Price On-The-Go Baby Dome is an ideal baby beach essential. With the ability to fold flat when not in use and then pop up into a sturdy dome structure, this product is great for traveling or going to the beach for the day.
Once in its dome structure, it is equipped with an adjustable canopy to allow for vital sun or wind shade for your baby to nap without overheating.
This canopy has a UPF rating of 20 and can cover the entire dome to provide complete shade.
We all know how inconvenient sand is, especially when you’ve got a little one who wants to put everything into their mouths.
Instead of leaving their toys amongst the sand, you can keep the toys in the dome to prevent your baby from swallowing (or choking on) the grains.
Plus, this product comes with two hanging toys for your little one to play with from above – great for encouraging eye tracking and working on dexterity!
What’s more, this dome comes from the reputable brand Fisher-Price, making for a reliable product and customer service.
Pros
- Easy to fold – Folds simply into and out of dome structure for easy transportation
- Place to nap and play – Good size to allow baby to nap or play while at the beach, in the backyard, or in the office
- Adjustable canopy – Canopy provides protection from the sun and can cover the entire dome
Cons
- Not small when folded – While still convenient, this product won’t fit into a suitcase when folded
Upandfast Baby/Toddler One Piece Swimsuit and Hat
This might seem like an obvious baby beach necessity, but if you’re planning on taking your little one into the sea for the first time, they’ve got to be dressed accordingly!
Dressing your baby in a swimsuit isn’t just adorable – it’s an essential clothing item that works to protect their skin from harmful UV radiation in the water.
This upandfast product comes with a zip-up one-piece swimsuit and a matching hat.
Both pieces of clothing are made from a soft, high-quality fabric with fully lined crotch and front parts, allowing for a comfortable fit that doesn’t chafe against their sensitive skin.
The material is equipped with a UPF grade of 50+, allowing for the ultimate protection against harmful UV rays that would otherwise penetrate through cheap materials.
As it’s so easy to get sunburned on the beach, let alone when exposed to saltwater, this is essential for the health of your baby.
The additional hat is useful for keeping your baby’s head protected from the sun, though I always recommend applying sunscreen for extra protection, too.
Plus, this swimsuit and hat combo comes in a variety of colors and patterns to suit your little one!
Read More: Our Favorite Rash Guards for Babies
Pros
- Good introduction to water – Take your baby for a paddle in the sea without using regular baby clothes
- UPF grade 50+ – High protection against harmful UV rays
- Hat included – Additional hat to provide extra protection from the sun
Cons
- Unreliable size guide – Sizes are said to run slightly small
Buyer’s Guide
How To Pick Beach Essentials With Baby
After so many years of traveling with a baby (and then a toddler), I have become a self-proclaimed expert about how to pick beach essentials for babies. Here are my top tips on what to pack!
Naturally, over time, you will pick up other essentials that you find helpful to your situation.
Sun Protection
Above all else, keeping your baby (and yourself, of course) protected from the harmful sun rays must be your top priority.
Babies have notoriously delicate skin, which means they are far more prone to developing sunburn or heat stroke compared to adults.
As heatstroke can be highly dangerous to babies and toddlers, it’s vital that you consider all forms of sun protection. These include (but are not limited to):
- Sunscreen lotion (water-resistant and with an SPF of 30 minimum)
- Baby hat
- Sunglasses
- Adequate shade (tent, umbrella)
- Mat to prevent hot sand from burning your baby
- Lots of water
- Portable fan
- Ice packs (if you bring a cooler)
Bringing a tent or an umbrella might not be an option if you are traveling with a baby. If you can’t bring even a portable pop-up tent, your chosen beach or hotel might have umbrellas to hire.
Cleaning Supplies
When you’re at the beach, you’ll be away from the comforts of a clean restroom, baby changing table, water, and soap.
As babies require a sense of routine when it comes to cleanliness, you’ll have to adapt to the new beach environment and bring all the necessary cleaning supplies with you! These include:
- Hand sanitizer (alcohol-free)
- Baby wipes
- Diapers
- Baby powder (to get rid of sand)
- Towels
- Tissues
- Bottle of water (for messy accidents)
- Plastic bag (to hold your trash)
I find that bringing a diaper bag or large beach bag will help to hold all these items.
Food And Drink
Your baby (as well as everyone else) will need to stay hydrated during your time on the beach. Saltwater makes everyone thirsty without knowing it, not to mention the heat of the sun.
If you plan on breastfeeding your baby, I recommend either bringing a nursing blanket (or using the cover of a tent) for some privacy.
I also recommend bringing a small portable cooler to keep drinks and food cool, plus coolers can hold ice packs for any emergencies!
Speaking of food, you’ll need to prepare some sort of way to feed your baby without a high chair. Sure, you can bring a small portable travel high chair, but these can be tricky to carry around if you’ve got enough stuff as it is.
You might need to get creative with molding a “chair” out of towels.
Toys
The beach is an entertaining place for any kid, but for the sake of distraction and making sure your baby has the best time possible, bring beach-appropriate toys!
Anything that can dig up and move sand is great for fine motor skills (particularly if you have toddlers, too). I recommend bringing one or two of your baby’s favorite toys so they have some kind of familiarity if they’re going to the beach for the first time.
Read More: 25 Fun Beach Toys for Toddlers
Extra Clothes
Never fall into the trap of thinking one or two outfits will be enough for your baby. It’s always safer to bring extra clothes when taking your baby to the beach, trust me.
There are so many reasons why your baby might need a change of clothes, such as food spills, messy accidents, endless grains of sand, wet swimsuits, and far more.
Your baby’s physical comfort is paramount to their mental comfort, and it’ll make your life so much easier when they are cozy and comfortable.
Stick To Routine
Like I mentioned before, babies require routine. This means that when it’s time for a nap, they will need to nap on the beach. When they need to eat, they’ll need to eat on the beach.
To try and stick to your at-home routine as best as possible, I highly recommend bringing a portable pop-up tent. This will act as your own tiny portable home for your baby for napping, feeding, and diaper changes.
Research The Beach
Unless you know what the beach is like, it’s always worth researching the beach before you take your baby there. Otherwise, you could easily end up going to a beach that you’re not prepared for.
The supposedly sandy beach could be covered with hard pebbles, or the once-quiet beach might be packed with tourists.
Understanding the quality of the sand or pebbles is also useful for preparing the stroller, because some strollers simply won’t be able to be pushed on certain surfaces.
It’s also worth researching whether the beach has any rental equipment (like umbrellas or sun loungers), restrooms, baby changing rooms, and nearby cafés.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Bring My 3 Month Old To The Beach?
There are no set-in-stone rules about when you can take a baby to the beach. It all comes down to whether you are prepared to take your baby to the beach at such a young age, and if your baby is physically healthy enough to go.
If the answers to those queries are “yes”, then you can absolutely bring your 3-month-old to the beach!
The general rule of thumb is that you shouldn’t allow your baby to be exposed to dirty water (such as seawater) until they are at least 2 months old.
This is to allow the baby’s immune system to develop enough to handle “normal” bacteria and germs that they will undoubtedly pick up at the beach.
As we all know, parenting is a matter of trial and error. You’ll never know how to successfully bring your baby to the beach without actually doing it.
Odds are, you’re going to forget a lot of things on your first visit, which is why I created this guide of absolute baby beach essentials to make your baby’s first trip to the beach a bit easier for you all!
How Do I Keep My Newborn Cool At The Beach?
There are several ways to keep your newborn baby cool at the beach! Here are my top tips:
- Apply (and reapply) water-resistant sunscreen
- Bring adequate shade, such as an umbrella or tent
- Bring a mat to cover the hot sand
- Put sunglasses and a hat on your baby
- Make sure your baby wears light clothing (and avoid dark colors)
- Bring a portable fan or a misting fan to provide cool moisture
