Must have beach gear
Going to the beach with kids is can be a lot of work. Here is a list of my favorite gear to make it easier.
Stroller:
A good jogging stroller is a must have. The beaches are full of Bob strollers but you don't have to break the bank. We love our baby trend expedition jogger. It's a fraction of the price and works just as well. We have had ours for 7 years and still use it for our 2 year old. Even when our son outgrew the need for the stroller we still found it easier to lug our gear in than the wonder wheeler. We load it up. Towels/cooler in the under carriage. Chairs on the handles. Beach toys clipped to the side.
The front wheel locks which helps once you get on the sand. As soon as you hit soft sand flip the stroller around and wheel it backwards on the two back wheels.
Put that stroller to use...
Grab some large carabiner clips! I like to clip all the beach toys so the sand and water can drop as we ride. I also have a few extra ones hanging on the stroller. I use these extras for the kids to hold onto if they want to walk instead of riding in the stroller. It keeps them close by and your hands free to push the stroller.
Umbrellas:
For short trips we like to just use this small handy umbrella. Clips right to the stroller and provides just enough shade for the kids to play. It is highly adjustable with three different points to swivel and adjust. It also is great for walks on super sunny days when you just want a little more coverage over the little one.
This is an absolute must have. This is easy setup. It has pouches on either side that you fill with sand to keep anchored. It comes with sand anchors which we always use but honestly the sand is probably enough. We leave the windows unzipped allowing wind to blow straight through. It has held up on the windiest Jersey shore days.
Recently it seems the shibuni shades and cabananas tent umbrella have taken over the beach. They also seems like good options but they don't provide shelter from side winds. Also the sun sail, you are at the mercy of the wide direction. And whoa for $200 that is an expensive shade option.
Cooler:
I prefer the soft side coolers. You are not lugging the extra weight of the hard sided cooler and they do the job. One day I do want a Yeti but for now, we use this Coleman cooler just fine. It fits perfectly in the under carriage by the back wheels and holds a decent amount of water, canned beverages and snacks for the kids. The weight of the beverages also helps counterweight anything you put on the handles of the stroller. If not once you little one vacates their seat, the stroller will fall backwards.
Beach buckets:
I'm not going to lie, I am pretty excited about our latest beach gear addition! The kids were fighting over the one large bucket we had. I was dreading lugging another larger bucket down. I found these collapsible buckets and this year it has been a game changer. First they are so compact that I clip them right on the stroller. Second they are huge! My two year old will get both feet in and splash around like it's her own private wade pool.
Beach toy carrier:
For the beach toys, I like to have something that I can rinse the toys in the ocean with before I leave the beach. No sense of carrying all that sand home with you. I almost got the popular Bogg bag last year but I just couldn't justify the price and they were heavy! I went to home goods a picked up an inexpensive laundry tote for around$14. Similar to the one linked but I wouldn't spend a ton on something that is just going to get full of sand.
** I do not recommend anything that I do not use myself. As an Amazon associate I do get paid for purchases on associated links
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