Top 5 Activities You Can Do With Your Family at the Beach

Is there a better family day out than heading to the beach? If there is, we’re not sure what. However, your beach trip doesn’t just have to be about sunbathing or taking a dip in the water before everyone packs back into the car and heads home! Try and add some excitement into your day out for the whole family with a few out of the box activities.

In this post, we’ll take a look at five family-friendly beach activities that will suit you whether you have tiny tots or tiresome teens. Hopefully, it’ll give you some ideas on how to make the most of your next trip to the beach – no matter where it is!

That’s right, these activities will work anywhere from the palm-fringed beaches of the Caribbean to the grey and rocky expanses of Scandinavia! And don’t worry, all of them are completely safe. Let’s check them out!

Build a Sandcastle

People have been bringing buckets and spades to the beach for as long as anyone can remember. So why not put it to use by building a sandcastle? Start off with a mound of wet sand for your base – you’ll have to make sure it’s pretty moist otherwise it’ll fall apart! Dig down until you find water – this will mean that you don’t keep having to run back and forward to the sea. Once you’ve got your base, you can really encourage everyone’s creativity and get sculpting the doors, windows, and some extra flourishes like turrets!

The good thing about a sandcastle is other than the bucket and spade, all you need is a carving tool and you’re ready to go. One of the most fun activities you can have! It’s a chance for everyone to bond and your family is sure to show off their creativity and flair. Just be sure to take some photos.

Remember that sandcastles aren’t the only fun things you could build at the beach. If you’re somewhere with lots of driftwood or super-strong seaweed, you could give a raft a go too! However, don’t use it unless all of you are strong swimmers.

Go rock pooling

Here’s one that every British family will have done at some point or other – rock pooling! Rockpools are a great way to introduce kids to nature – these miniature ecosystems are teeming with life, be it seaweed, crabs, shellfish, and much much more. Of course, what calls the rockpools home can vary depending on where you are in the world. This is another awesome activity which doesn’t require a lot of equipment. A bucket of water, perhaps a small net, and some bait will be enough to coax out some small creatures which the entire family can inspect and learn about. Just be sure not to hurt the animals and put them back into their natural habitat gently.

If you can, pick up a book before you go to the beach which will explain what animals and plants you can expect to find where you are and you can tick them off as you find them. Who knows, it might be the first step in your children’s futures as marine biologists!

Stand up Paddle Boarding

If you’re looking for a water sport that the whole family can enjoy, why not think about stand up paddleboarding? It’s easy for beginners no matter their age. And SUP is more than just a fun activity. It’s also a great way to give your whole core a workout – though it’s probably best for you to make sure you’ve got to grips with the basics first!

The younger that you start paddleboarding, the more you’ll enjoy it and the better you’ll be. Just be sure that if you’re paddleboarding with young children, it’s either part of a lesson or you’re close by at all times. Safety is the most important part – but get right that and you’ll have loads of fun! You may check GiliSports.com for more info about paddle boarding and its basics.

Having a paddleboard doesn’t just limit you to SUP by the way. You could also practice yoga, fishing, and surfing on your board.

Depending on the beach, there is a whole load of other water sports that could be on offer. You may find somewhere that has pedals or banana boats which you can rent too.

Try some sports

If you want to get a workout or try some sports without getting wet, try not to worry there’s another option. Any beach day out usually involves a ball (and sometimes a bat) and large expanses of sand can double up as football, volleyball, or rounders pitches. Stick down some towels, jumpers, or bags and you have goals, nets or bases!

Pitting the family against one another is a great way to get competitive and/or bond. Why not have a reward for the winning team and a commiseration prize too so that everyone gets something? Also, if you’re getting a bit sweaty and uncomfortable, is there a better way to sort that out with a run down to the waves and a dip in the sea? If there is, we’d love to know about it!

Chill out!

All of the activities above are pretty full-on – but don’t worry, you can still enjoy some family time at the beach without getting your pulse racing. Sometimes, there’s nothing nicer than disconnecting from everyday life surrounded by the sound of the sea and the feeling of sand between your toes. You could even have a little paddle in the shallows! No matter how far you live from the beach, the most important thing is that you savor your time and enjoy it as a family.

Final Thoughts on the best activities to do at the beach

No matter how you like to spend your time at the beach, you’re sure to have a great time with any of the activities listed above. The most important thing is spending quality time at the beach with your family and escaping the stresses and the hustle and bustle of everyday life.