Like many things in life, the beach only gets better with kids: Whether it's watching your toddler sink his toes into the sand or witnessing your daughter’s amazement when she sees the largest bathtub in the world, the magic of earth giving way to water can fill a heart with wonder. To get you ready for your next beach getaway, we’ve gathered together the essentials, the swim gear, and the fun into one list, helping you have the most smooth and eco-friendly getaway this side of the sand.
Towels, Hats & Glasses
Some stuff just isn’t optional: good towels, sunglasses, and sunscreen, for instance, are necessities if you want a happy beach experience. Luckily, designers are coming out with very hip, and very green, options for every budget.
When it seems like nothing can lure your kids out of the salty ocean, grab one of Bambooh Brand's fun towels. Made from 100 percent terry velour bamboo and organic cotton, the towels are extra soft, yet dry much more quickly than a standard towel (which is how I was able to justify the hefty price tag). Who wouldn’t want to wrap up and be a princess, mermaid, or better yet—robot? ($38–60)
Looking for a towel in your own size? Gaiam offers a variety of organic towels in dozens of beachy colors. ($58)
As any mama can attest, you can buy sun hats, but you can’t make your kiddos wear them. We’ve found the most success with Outside Baby’s Sun Hats, which have ensure a secure fit with an elastic back. Made from quick-drying microfiber, the Safari Hat fits children ages 3–6, and the Bucket Hat is for kids ages 1–3. ($19.99)
Young eyes need the protection of sunglasses, and the best time to get children used to wearing them is when they are infants. We like iPlay’s collection of sunglasses for kids, including the Flexi Specs for infants and toddlers—and we especially like the price. ($9.00)
If you’re looking for a more durable option, Julbo’s Infant Sunglasses provide great coverage and protect against UVA, UVB, and UVC rays. The youngest style, Looping 1 (for 0–12 months) has a band to keep the glasses on; the other two sizes (12–24 months and 2–4 years) are designed more like adult sunglasses, but with a kid-proof design innovation: They're reversible, so there's no wrong way to put them on. ($32)
The bigger guy in your life can go green with skating legend Bob Burnquist Gascan’s eyewear, part of the Oakley Gascan line. These frames are made from the excess materials from the production of their other glasses, while the icons are made out of bamboo. Hot! ($100)
Feel protected—and stylish—with ICU eyewear’s 8710 sunglasses made from recycled plastic. ($22) P.S. If all your sleepless nights have left you needing reading glasses, their eco-specs are pretty cute, too. ($24.95)
Clothing for Swim and Sand
Everyone, even the iddy-biddy should get to enjoy the water. (That includes pregnant and nursing mamas, too.) Here are our picks for the most style, practicality, and coverage (if that’s what you’re aiming for).
Reusable swim diapers are so easy it makes you wonder why you’d want to use anything else. Just wear, swim, and then wash! We love Swimmi by Bummis for their great fit, gusseted legs, and bright designs. Available at Soft Cloth Bunz. ($12.75)
Dilemma: Do you take your young baby and all of her uber-soft, unexposed skin to the beach, or postpone the trip for a year without fear of a sunburn? With Outside Baby’s Sunsuit, you don't have to choose: It covers baby's torso, arms, and legs and features a snap crotch for quick diaper changes. Can you say little surfer? ($49.99)
Itsy bikinis and board shorts are cute on kiddos, but when you really want to protect them from the sun more coverage is needed. iPlay’s rash guard offers a UPF 50+ and comes in sizes from 0–6 months all the way to 3T. ($14)
Show off your pregnant belly with a maternity swimsuit that grows with you. We love Ripe's Tankini collection, which come in gorgeous colors and bright patterns, and offer a fabulous fit. ($88) P.S. The Tropical print is currently on sale for $45 at Due Maternity!
The Babydoll Tankini from Belabumbum (available at Expressiva) offers a great option for nursing and postpartum mamas. The flattering fit allows you to feel comfortable, ensuring you won’t have any pop-out moments, while the built-in nursing openings make breastfeeding a snap. (This swimsuit is designed for pregnancy & postpartum.) ($69)
The kids are playing contentedly, you've had your time in the water, and now it's time to relax, proudly, with your trashy novel—why not do it in style, with VivaTerra's Leaf Print Organic Cotton Caftan? It's the perfect, breezy cover-up for the perfect, breezy day. ($65)
Although we like to be stylish, skimpy sandals are just not
an option, especially while toting a beach bag and toddler. You don’t
have to sacrifice style or comfort with Earth Shoes,
known for their ergonomic and anatomic design that situates your heel
slightly lower than the bed of your foot, creating more balance and
less backache. We love their summer styles, including the leather Talia ($109) as well as the vegan Cabo San Lucas ($69). Men’s shoes are also available, but we’re still holding out for the kids’ line… Next year perhaps?
Toys and Tools
The beach is inherently fun, serving as both the world’s largest bathtub and sandbox. Make your trip even more interesting with these non-toxic toys and sand sets.
Quit digging in the sand with toxic (and easily breakable, which equates to disposable) toys. Green Toys makes an Eco-Friendly Sand Set complete with a sturdy pail, shovel, rake, and sand castle mold that all the kids (and adults) will love. All of Green Toys products are made from 100% recycled plastic (yep, your old milk jugs) and are so well-made that they can stand up to even the roughest of kids. Available at Giggle. ($19.99)
If space is a hot commodity, the Sand Sac is a compact alternative to the traditional sand bucket. Made out of 100 percent cotton (and equipped with a bamboo shovel) the bag comes ready to decorate with four fabric markers, so there will be no confusing whose is whose. I'm thinking summer baby party favor. (11.95)
Green Toys Eco Saucer is a fun Frisbee-alternative, and also a great way to exert some pent-up car energy. And, like other Green Toys is made from 100 percent recycled plastic. Available at Maukilo.($7.99)
Bags, Chairs, and Shelter
An organized family is a happy family—or at least that's what Martha Stewart would have us believe, right? These bags, chairs, and sun tents will keep the whole clan gathered, protected, and comfortable, which is essential for making a day at the beach, well, a day at the beach.
Made from 100 percent cotton canvas and printed locally using water-based inks, the roomy and stylish Frayed Edge Beach Tote is as good for your family as it is for the world. A whopping 80 percent of profits from sales of this bag (and everything at the AHOPE Store) go to support the care of HIV-infected orphans in Ethiopia. ($25)
The stylish Market Tote from Neela Bags stores the equivalent amount of “stuff” as three plastic bags (yes, we checked). In addition, the tote is stylish (pink leopard print?), lightweight, and costs only $7.
For beach excursions or lakeside swims, the Outside Baby Cooler Backpack
provides a great option for hauling lunch, snacks, and your dry goods,
all in an adjustable backpack. With a waist belt to help distribute the
weight, and adjustable straps, this is probably the most comfortable
way to carry a cooler. Plus when all the goods are gone, the separate
cooler compartment acts as a “wet” section, carrying soggy shoes, hats,
and gear back to the car. ($79.99)
The kute tote from mi k babe allows you to make an eco-statement in style. Made from hemp and organic cotton, the tote can accommodate nearly all of your beach goods. And you can feel good about the steep investment, since 5 percent of profits go to Save the Children. ($128)
While many companies make beach cabanas, Sun Smarties Infant Cabana from One Step Ahead
sets up (or folds down) in seconds—a must when time is precious (like
when you’re chasing a toddler down the beach while holding a crying
baby). The cabana is ventilated, has privacy shades (a necessity for afternoon siestas), and protects against 98 percent
of UV rays. (A family size is also available.) ($34.97)
Made from recycled plastic scraps, VivaTerra’s Let the Good Times Roll Picnic Mat, is durable, washable, and portable, making beach-side dining a breeze. ($26)
Made from FSC-certified eucalyptus, the Brookstone Hardwood Cape Cod Folding Beach Chair
provides the perfect spot to cozy up with that book you’ve been dying
to read … if your kiddos let you. (P.S. The canvas seat is removable
and machine-washable, in case the kids decide to have the seat
themselves.) ($139.95)
The Extras
And, for the icing on your sand cake, don't forget to pack all those little extras. Add a camera, music, and some diningware, and take your beach trip from sweet to stellar.
Don’t leave your camera behind just because you’re certain it is going to be buried in the sand (or worse, sent off to sea). The GoPro Digital Hero Sport Wrist Camera is designed for extreme sports—and who's to say that motherhood isn't extreme? Water and sand-resistant, the camera straps to your wrist so you’re ready for shots when you want to be, but are otherwise hands-free. (The camera is also great for snowy sports and adventures.) ($139.99)
Add some favorite music to your beach getaway with Atlantic Ego’s Ice iPod Speaker System. The system accommodates the iPod, Nano, or Mini and allows you to listen to your tunes without having to worry about impending tidal waves or crashing sand castles. And you don't have to pack it away between beach trips—the system can also be used in the shower. ($129.99)
Kids + sand=difficult dining. Paper plates are wasteful, not to mention how soggy they get under the weight of a juicy watermelon. Instead pack Preserve plates. Made out of 100% recycled plastic (and recyclable and washable, too) these sturdy plates hold everything well, especially in tiny hands. (Large plates, $7/8pack)
Melissa B. Williams is a contributor to Mindful-Mama.com and HealingLifestyles.com, who sincerely misses the days when she lived just seven short blocks from the beach in Carpinteria, California.