What’s in Your Beach Bag?
Summer’s here, and that means more frequent trips to the seashore. Whether you take day or weekend trips, or get to enjoy a longer vacation, there are a few staples that you’ll want to have with you. Obviously, there are the basics like sunscreen, bug spray, water bottles, beach towels, a first aid kit, and a variety of buckets and shovels. But I have a few more items that I like to keep handy on our beach days (and evenings).
Treasure Bags – For all the shells, shark teeth, and other beach treasures you find. We like the 1000 Hours Outside foraging bags. If we forget these, we just use pockets or plastic bags, but we always end up taking home more sand when we don’t use a netted bag.
Plastic Bags – We usually take several grocery store bags with us. One for collecting any trash we see on the beach, and another for wet shirts (when we’re at the beach in the evenings, my kids swap out their wet shirts for dry ones before we make the trek back to the car).
Vinegar – Hopefully something you won’t need but, if you get stung by a jellyfish, you’ll be glad you have it.
Tweezers – Again, for the sea jellies. If you can’t get the nematocysts (stingers) out with vinegar and sea water, you may need to pull them, and you won’t want to do it with your bare fingers. Here’s a good article about how to deal with jellyfish stings.
“First-Aid Water” – Nothing fancy, just a bottle of water specifically designated for pouring on a scrape or rinsing sand out of a child’s eyes.
Dusting mitt – This Norwex classic is one of the best things I’ve found for brushing sand off everyone before climbing into the van.
| Be sure to check the UV Index! If it’s in the Very High or Extreme Range, try to adjust your trip a little – even an hour or two can make a difference. If going out with a high index range is unavoidable, make sure you’re well prepared. Take hats and cover-ups for everyone in your party, liberally apply, and frequently reapply, quality sunscreen, and use an umbrella or beach cabana if possible |
Did I miss anything you consider a beach trip essential? Leave a comment and let me know what’s in your beach bag!
