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Fun at the Beach Survival Kit

By Amanda Formaro

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Extra towels
Bring towels along for each member of your family. Bringing along an extra or two cannot hurt, especially of little Timmy decides to take his into the water with him!

Water and snacks
Being in the sun can quickly dehydrate you. Bring along bottled water, enough for everyone in your family. Check with your beach and see if coolers are allowed so that you can keep it nice and cold. If your beach does allow coolers, this is a great way to save money on snacks. Instead of buying from the beach concession stand, bring along fresh fruit, pretzels, cold sandwiches and carrot sticks.

Extra clothing
Bringing along an extra T-shirt or pair of shorts is not a bad idea. If your beach trip will continue on into the evening, bring a windbreaker or sweat jacket for everyone, just in case the temperature dips down. Be sure that everyone has adequate footwear - swim shoes are a great idea as well, especially for rocky beaches.

Preserving memories
Don't forget your camera! You can purchase waterproof disposable cameras to capture all of those sunny moments. Inexpensive disposable cameras are also available for underwater use!

Your beach survival kit
Now that you are ready to head off to the beach, here's a summarization of everything we have suggested. Check each item off to see if you are ready to roll!
___ Sunscreen (at least 15 SPF)
___ Lip balm
___ Aloe after sun lotion
___ First aid kit
___ Sun hat
___ Sunglasses
___ Beach umbrella
___ Chairs, blanket
___ Pail & shovel
___ Nerf type ball and/or lightweight nylon Frisbee disc
___ Sand digger and sifter
___ Goggles or masks
___ Plastic jar for collecting shells
___ Life jackets
___ Towels (and extras)
___ Bottled water
___ Snacks (if allowable)
___ Extra clothing and footwear
___ Water/swim shoes
___ Waterproof disposable camera

Preserving nature
A special note: remember, if you find live snails, crabs, fish, starfish or other underwater lifeforms, observe them, then put them back. Only take home empty shells, fossilized starfish and rocks.

Be sure to discuss water safety with your kids before you go, and enjoy your trip to the beach!

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About the author: Amanda Formaro is the crafty, entrepreneurial mother of four children. She and her husband live in sunny Nevada with a houseful of kids, dogs and cats. They enjoy traveling in the RV, swimming and riding their four wheelers. While Amanda's professional background was originally in finance, she chose to stay home to raise her family after her third child was born. Amanda enjoys tole painting, crafting with her kids, walking her dogs and working on her website, FamilyCorner.com.

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