If you’re planning a family trip to the seaside and looking for the best baby beach gear, then you’ve come to the right place! There’s no reason why the newest addition to your family should miss out on, or make you miss out on, the many benefits of visiting the coast. There are, however, things you’ll want to pack for your children to ensure everyone in your family stays safe, comfortable and entertained throughout your day on the sandy shore.
Because the market is flooded with endless options of toys, gadgets, and convenience items for babies at the beach, we’ve created this guide to help you navigate what’s available- and what’s actually necessary. From baby beach tents and splash mats, to hats, aqua socks and more, we’ve gathered 5 essential products you’ll need when visiting the beach with your little one this summer:
Comparison Chart
Best Baby Beach Gear Reviewed
1. Monobeach Baby Beach Tent
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If you want to go to the beach with the newest member of your family, but need to keep them protected out of the sun throughout the day, the Monobeach Baby Beach Tent is ideal for providing shade and comfort. . This innovative child’s play tent allows your baby to get into the water while also offering protection from the sun and elements. It’s a great way to give young children the opportunity to experience the water, while offering parents some peace of mind about baby's trip to the seaside.
This unique product features a 3-in-1 design that can be used for a multitude of activities. It can be used as a mini pool, a sun shade, or a mini pool and sun shade combo. This is a 2-piece design that can be taken apart or put together based on your baby’s needs on the beach and in the sun. It features a quality and durable mini-pool design that is a few inches deep for comfort, while not deep enough to cause worry of drowning. You can put a small amount of water in it, place your baby inside, and watch as they have fun splashing around.
This versatile product also comes with a tent-like sunshade, which you can choose to set up on its own or in combination with the mini pool. Either way, pool or no pool, it offers ultimate shade for your child at the beach. With the sun shade up, this product provides up to 50+ UV protection. The rear of the sun shade features a mesh opening that can be opened or closed for added ventilation. If you want your child to get a bit of a breeze while they play, you can open it up, or when they’re chilled you can close it to retain more warmth.
The Monobeach Baby Beach Tent also comes with 4 stabilizing pegs so it will not blow away if there is a bit of a breeze. It can easily fold together and fit into the provided carrying bag for easy transportation and portability on the go. Ultimately, this shade and mini-pool combo is ideal for bringing your baby to the beach.
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2. SwimSchool Beach Baby Splash Mat
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If you’re searching for a small and fun activity area for your baby to play, this is a great product to keep them entertained throughout the day. With the SwimSchool Beach Baby Splash Mat, you can set up at the beach, the pool, or even just in your backyard. This product doesn’t need fancy features, or an intricate design, because it offers plenty of entertainment with a simple and minimal construction that will offer your baby plenty of fun. This splash pad is a fun and enjoyable beach activity for kids.
The mat itself is big enough for 1 baby to fit comfortably, and move around during play throughout your day at the beach. For ultimate comfort at the sandy shore, it features an inflatable backrest so your baby can sit upright with back support. Keep in mind that this mat is inflatable, so you will need to use lung power to inflate it before your baby can put it to use. This is, however, an added bonus for portability. Because of the inflatable design, it can be deflated after use on the beach and rolled up and stored with ease for use at a later time.
The SwimSchool Beach Baby Splash Mat is a great beach product if you want to introduce your baby to the sea. Simply inflate it, put some water in it, and place your baby inside for a day of fun in the sun. This splash pad features a variety of unique patterns and drawings to keep your child’s attention and make them highly visible on the beach. It also comes with a fun ring stacking game, something which should keep your child entertained for hours. While this particular product is durable enough for simple beach playing, it is not the most rugged item on the market, so it’s important to use it with care on the shore to ensure longevity for future use.
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3. i play. Baby Swim Hat
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Babies are especially susceptible to the effects of the sun. It doesn’t take much heat or exposure to UV rays for babies to become severely agitated or ill. The i play. Baby Swim Hat is a simple but effective sun hat for babies, and works great to keep the sun off of their sensitive skin throughout their day at the beach.
This beach hat fully covers your child’s face and head, and it features extra-large ear flaps, a large brim, and a long neck cover. All of these design elements work to shield your child from harmful UV rays, and protect their delicate skin on the sandy shore. The fabric used in this hat’s construction is specially designed to ward off harmful UV rays, which is ideal for use during a beach vacation.
This baby beach hat can also be used for swimming, as it’s also been treated to withstand water exposure and marine elements. Moreover, it can be machine washed after use, but should be hung up to dry to ensure longevity for later use. The i play. Baby Swim Hat comes with an easy-to-use drawstring so you can secure it to your child’s head comfortably and with ease.
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4. Thinkbaby Safe Sunscreen SPF 50+
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Parents want to make sure that their children are safe while they are playing outside, and the beach is no exception. But finding the best sunscreen that offers a high SPF protection, as well as a formula that uses very few dangerous chemicals can seem overwhelming. Thankfully, Thinkbaby has a sunscreen which is mineral-based, meaning there are no dangerous chemicals in the product, offering you worry-free protection for your child’s skin. Because this product protects against UVA and UVB rays, you’ll never have to worry about using two sunscreens for the best skin protection.
This child’s sunscreen is not only easy to apply and to rub in, but it offers non-oily and water resistant protection for up to 80 minutes before reapplication is necessary. This makes keeping your children, and yourself, protected in the hot sun at the beach a breeze. Unlike other types of sunscreen on the market that will quickly wash off in the water, this option from Thinkbaby does a great job of staying where you put it so that you don’t have to worry about reapplying after getting in and out of the pool or ocean.
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5. JIASUQI Baby Boys Girls Aqua Socks
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Water shoes are important when taking your child to the beach, the splash pad, the pool, or even to play in a local river. Without protection on their feet, it is very easy for a child to accidentally step on something sharp and get injured, which can quickly ruin the rest of the day. These aqua socks from JIASUQI are a great product for anyone looking for a cute and easy way to protect their child’s feet from injury. The flexible and comfortable fit will keep their feet and toes protected, comfortable and safe in a variety of environments.
Made of very high-quality materials, these aqua socks are stretchable and breathable so that little feet don’t get too hot when wearing them. The top of the aqua socks features a soft fabric, while the sole of the sock is made of a durable rubber for ultimate protection. These unisex shoes are great for both boys and girls, and come in a variety of fabrics and colors so that parents can choose the style that their child will enjoy wearing for many adventures to come.
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Buying Guide: How to Decide Which Baby Gear Essentials You Need for the Beach
Baby beach gear should be functional, increase safety near the water, entertain or keep your child comfortable, and feature a convenient and user-friendly design. Aside from these top 5 beach essentials for your baby, there are other items you’ll likely find essential for your visit to the shore.
From necessities for protection from the elements, to entertainment and beach toys to keep kids occupied, here we’ve collected a list of other beach essentials that are sure to add pleasure and comfort to your family's vacation seaside.
Here are other items you’ll want to pack for a beach trip with your baby:
- Beach Stroller
- Kid’s Beach Dome
- Beach Umbrella
- Family Beach Tent
- Cover Ups
- Beach Totes for Moms
- Beach Toys
- Medical Gear and First Aid Supplies
- Food and Water
- Cooler and Ice Pack
- Life Jackets or Floats
- Sippy Cups and Water Bottles
- Napkins or Paper Towel
- Beach Play Yards
Aside from knowing what beach gear exists for your baby, you’ll want to understand what products you’ll need for a visit with the newest member of your family. To determine what items you’ll need, ask yourself the following:
- Will we be at the beach long enough that I need to bring shade, like an umbrella or tent?
- Does my child need additional sun protection aside from sunscreen and shade?
- Will I need to bring a cooler with food and drinks for our time at the beach?
- Should I bring toys for my child, or will we simply be exploring the marine environment?
- What gear will I bring to protect my child from the elements?
- Where will I have food and water available for my child?
Use these questions to help you understand which beach baby products are necessary for your upcoming vacation, and to help prepare for this adventure with your newest family member at the seaside.
If you’ll likely spend a lot of time at the beach, and there are things you’ll need to prepare in order to keep you and your family safe, comfortable and happy. Aside from bringing plenty of sun protection like sunscreen and shade coverage, you’ll also need items like hats and aqua socks to protect their feet and faces, and flotation devices if they’ll be joining you in the water. Make sure to include plenty of towels in your beach luggage, and additional clothing in case originals get soaked.
Additionally, you’ll want to pack a cooler with plenty of snacks and drinks to keep your baby and the rest of your family well fed and hydrated throughout the day.
Final Thoughts
No matter which beach destination you and your family are traveling to, from the shores of South America, to the coasts of Northern California and more, it’s important to keep your child safe and occupied during your visit to the sea. Without packing beach essentials for the newest member in your family, you’ll likely wind up with a fussy child and need to leave the beach quickly. To remedy this situation, take the time to prepare a beach tote with all the essentials you’ll need for your everyone on the beach. Packing the items in this guide in your beach gear will allow you ease in ability to tend to your child’s needs.
Has this guide helped you to prepare a packing plan for your next beach adventure? Or do you have an upcoming trip planned which you’d like to tell us about? We invite you to share your thoughts and questions with the Seaside Community in the comment section below!
Megan Jones leads the editorial staff of Seaside Planet. They are a multidisciplinary team of outdoor adventurers, water sports lovers, and passionate beach goers. You can learn more about Meg and the rest of the editorial team here.
