You know what’s scarier than JAWS? A ten-month old on the beach.

We’ve done it twice. It looks really cute on camera and the memories are so worth it.

But bringing a baby to the beach is an arguably insane and wildly stressful experience. It usually requires 3+ cars (to haul gear), 5 towels, 6 sprinkles of unwanted sand, 2 baths, and 200 diapers.

Oh, and you stay for about 2 hours max.

But these are the baby beach basics and must-haves that saved our (adult) sunburnt asses the last two times we dared bring our shmoo to the shore.

1. A condo on the water

Or the next best thing – a UV-proof tent that the babies and the entire family can lounge in during nap-time. Now that’s a luxury.

2. Drinks on tap

You’re not the only one who likes to lounge around with a drink on the beach…But actually, those little babes get just as dehydrated as everyone else. And a few of the sippie cups end up covered in sand. So bring a few extra.

3. A disguise

Just in case your kid is the only one crying and you don’t want it to hurt his/her chances of being the next Gerber child, valedictorian, etc. The oversized baby beach hat is an absolute must. The UV protection is an added bonus.

4. A boss bag

Between the spit-up, bathing suit being pulled off, and 3 oversized coolers, you deserve to bring a little bit of practical cuteness to the beach too. Moms, bring a boss diaper bag that fits the season to a T.

4. Live entertainment

You’ll sing. You’ll dance. And you’ll inevitably eat some sand. But bring a few toys with you too. Babies aren’t like parents. They can’t lay around aimlessly on the beach without something “fun” to do…

5. Pookie protection

Apply and reapply while you kiss their heads and tickle them until they scream. Baby sunburns are no joke.

6. Snuggle surface

They will get the sand everywhere. But then they’ll want it OFF! Bring as many oversized beach towels as you can carry. Use some to sloth off the sand and a few extras to make a safe space to snuggle.

What do you bring to the beach with your babies?

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