Beach Essentials for Baby (What to pack!)

This post is all about must have beach essentials for baby! It’s so hard to remember what to pack for your baby when going on vacation, which is why I wrote this list of must have items for a fun day in the sun!

The Ultimate Packing List for a Beach Vacation with A Baby

If you’re planning a trip to the beach with your baby or toddler, this list has you covered! It includes all the major essentials that you’ll need along with a few tips and trips for a day at the beach with your baby!

Traveling with a baby is never really a vacation… but these items will make your beach trip a whole lot easier!

Looking for more? Check out these posts!

Must Have Beach essentials to pack for your baby or toddler:

Baby powder

Baby powder is so essential when taking your baby to the beach because it works WONDERS for getting sand off their bodies! Sand will go into every tiny crevice and cute baby roll on your little one, but if you sprinkle baby powder on their skin it will come off WAY easier!

Eco Friendly Trash Bags

These small trash bags or freezer bags are perfect for wet clothes at the end of a beach day!

Fitted Sheet (Cool beach hack!!)

This is optional but such a cool hack! Bring a fitted sheet (this one is only $12 and has 40K 4.5 star reviews!) to the bach and secure each corner with a weighted object such as a beach bag, stereo, beach chair, etc., and voila! You have an xl beach towel that is curled up at the ends to keep sand from blowing in!

Swim diapers

This one is kinda obvious but how easy is it to forget the obvious items when packing for a big trip!? Swim diapers are a beach essential for baby but they aren’t super absorbent so be sure to dress your baby back into a regular diaper when you aren’t in the water. 🙂

Towel (Wearable)

The beach we visit provides us with towels, but I like having a special towel for Isaiah that goes over his head. I like that these are wearable towels to keep him out of the sun.

Baby Sunscreen and Sunscreen Stick for face

We love the Aveeno eczema baby lotion so I opted for the Aveeno baby sunscreen and sunscreen face stick. There are a lot of great options out there but this is what we prefer for his sensitive skin. It is SPF 50 and we reapply every 2 hours depending on how active he is in the water and how sunny it is.

Sun Bucket Hat

My mom sewed Isaiah the most adorable baby shart bucket hat so we packed that hat along with this bucket hat. It has a drawstring so it stays on better when it’s windy out. Can’t have him getting any sun on his precious babyface or scalp!

Beach shoes

These baby beach shoes are so stinking cute! They are quick dry and come in tons of colors. They are breathable and super easy to get on but NOT easy enough for your baby to pull them off! 😉

Pacifier

These are Isaiah’s favorite pacis and I always throw a couple in our diaper bag so I knew I’d need them in our diaper bag. They help keep him from putting all the sand, seashells, rocks, and things that wash up on the shoreline in his mouth! This trick also works when I take him to the park and he tries to lick everything in sight haha.

Travel Stroller

We bought this stroller right before our beach vacation and it was so nice having a compact, lightweight stroller. We have the Uppababy Vista v2 and are OBSESSED, but it’s definitely not compact. With the number of things we needed in our trunk, it was extremely helpful to snag a travel stroller to save space.

DIY Mini First Aid Kit

I always like to have bandaids, Aquaphor, hand sanitizer, Tylenol, and Motrin handy.

Baby Canopy Pool Float

We got this pool float for Isaiah when he was just 3 months old. Safe to say it fits him MUCH better now! He loves this fun little pool float and I love that it keeps him in the shade away from the sun.

Long sleeve bathing suit

He got this adorable bathing suit for his birthday and it was the best timing! I love that it’s long sleeved to keep him safe from the sun but also love that it’s a two piece. A two piece is way easier to take on and off for diaper changes.

Change of clothes for the car ride home

There is nothing more uncomfortable than sitting in a cold, damp swimsuit on the car ride home. Especially with the AC blowing in your face! You’ll definitely want to add a clean change of clothes to your list of beach essentials for baby!

Water bottle/sippy cup

Just like you need to stay hydrated when spending a day in the sun, so does your baby! I like this weighted straw sippy cup. It is leak-proof and I continue to fill it with fresh water throughout the day.

Feeding Supplies

We packed Isaiah’s bibs, spoons, and placemat. I packed all of his lunches on our beach trip. This was a lot more budget friendly than ordering food every afternoon.. especially considering how many berries the boy loves to eat! 😉

Cooler for lunches

I got Michael this backpack cooler for his birthday because the amazon reviews were INSANE. It worked really well for not only transporting his beer and my Spindrifts but also Isaiah’s lunches at the pool.

Travel High Chair

We got this travel booster seat/high chair a while ago and it has been SO great for trips or eating out. It’s lightweight, has a removable tray based on where you’re eating, and is sturdy. We used it when we stopped for lunch on the drive as well as at the beach house. 10/10 recommend it!

Snacks

Sprout Pouches, banana muffins, homemade pouches, blueberries, banana, crackers, peanut butter, cheese wedges/string cheese, puffs, yogurt melts, date bars, greek yogurt.. these are all things Isaiah loves. You know what your baby enjoys so be sure to throw in a good amount of snacks to keep them from getting hangry at the beach!