No Toys Needed

We were those parents who would buy toys any time we arrived at a beach without them. How are you supposed to relax on the beach if the kids aren’t occupied with things? We've owned every manner of colorful buckets and shovels with handles of varying lengths, shell and turtle-shaped forms... When actual turtles and shells already exist on the beach...

Your child doesn’t need special toys for the beach. Plastic on the beach, in any form, just runs the risk of ending up in the ocean. And are you sure that the ‘sustainable’, recycled or recyclable toys you’ve purchased are sourced in a way that doesn’t exploit labor or Mother Earth, herself?

Almost every single beach, everywhere in the world has more than enough to explore and engage. Here is  beach play inspo!

Build an altar.

The beach in Tableview, South Africa has a very good waffle shop, as well as these large, flat stones just perfect for building.

Find something new.

'Sand dollar' is a terrible name for such a natural expression of secrets and symmetry. Why are the designs in 5s? What kind of animal lived inside of it? What does a live one look like? Should we take it from the beach? So many fabulous conversations and learnings came out of these precious discoveries.

Stick to the basics.

Alternately a sword, a wand, a candle in a sand cake, and a tool to write a message in it, sticks spark imaginative play that can last through sunset.

Write a message

The most sustainable etchings only last in the memory. Perhaps where it counts most.

Dance

Follow the movement of the waves; bathe in the sound. Let them usher in new ways of experiencing the body.

Get Dirty

Sand is the ultimate sensory experience. You can get lost in the feel of it, dry or wet. And take advantage of it's natural exfoliating properties.

Just Go...

...and enjoy the view. There's plenty to do already at the beach.