Spring is in full swing now and summer is on the way. Soon, residents and visitors alike will be flocking to the beaches and filling Ortley Beach vacation rental homes and rentals all over the Jersey shore. We though it would be helpful to give out some tips on taking kids and babies to the beach this summer. For any parents that want to enjoy the beach but fear it might be too much with kids, we’re here to help! Hopefully these tips will make it easier for you to get to the beach and enjoy it, even when you have the kids.

You Can’t Overpack When It Comes to Necessities

For babies and kids, two big necessities are food and water. It’s always better to have a little extra than not enough food. Make sure everything is non-perishable though unless you want a 100-pound cooler. Single serving snack containers are great for the beach. This way, every time someone sticks their hand in the pack, the entire container of food doesn’t get contaminated with sand. A tip for your water bottles is to fill them with a small amount of water and put them in the freezer the night before on an angle or on their sides, they’ll have an icicle to help keep your water cold at the beach.

SPF is Another Necessity for Ortley Beach Trips

One other thing you can never have enough of at the beach is sunscreen. Be sure to dress your baby in an SPF-proof suit, make sure they have a hat, and that you apply sunscreen regularly. Always get a layer of sun lotion on everyone before you leave the house so it will be effective by the time you’re settled on the beach. Those with older kids will love protective clothing that allows you to fight less with your kids to lather them up. Plus, these clothing items can protect kids with sensitive skin from getting super irritated from the sand and saltwater.

An Oversized Blanket or a Fitted Sheet is a Must

Towels are for drying, not for laying on in the sand. They just aren’t big enough. So be sure to invest in an extra-large blanket to bring to the beach. Better yet? If you have an old Queen size fitted sheet, you can easily fill the corners with sand for a stay-put solution for your beach area. This give the kids plenty of space to spread out and crawl around without being completely covered in sand. Plus, often in the summer, the sand can get very hot. Having a blanket or sheet down gives little feet some relief.

Toys Can Be a Welcome Distraction, Sometimes

Depending on how old your child is, toys can either be a necessity or a burden. There is nothing worse than carting a whole wagon full of toys to the beach for them to not be played with. The beach can be an overwhelming experience for some kids and the last thing they’ll want is more activity, sights and noises. For other kids, a bucket and a shovel are all they need to entertain them for an entire day. It may take a few trips for you to figure out what your child prefers. If you’re renting an Ortley Beach vacation rental, they may supply some for you!

Only Bring What You Need But You Won’t be Far From Your Ortley Beach Vacation Rental

Even though many of our tip’s sound like we’re telling you to pack a lot of stuff, you want to be careful not to overpack. Bring only what you can manage. Invest in some sand free bags for your beach stuff that will help to limit the amount of sand you bring home. One last tip we have for any beach goer is to bring some powder with you. A quick pat down with some powder and sand will fall off even the stickiest of kids. The travel size powders are perfect to throw in your beach bag. If you’re lucky enough to own a home Ortley Beach, you’ll be an expert at beach trips with kids in no time! If you’re searching for an Ortley Beach vacation rental, you can contact one of our agents today!