10 top beach activities for kids this summer

Are you looking for fun activities to do with your kids this summer? If so, you’re in luck, because the beach has plenty of activities that will keep your kids’ interest and keep them busy for hours! Here are 10 top beach activities for kids this summer!

1) Scavenger Hunting

Scavenger hunting teaches kids problem-solving and decision-making skills in real-time, while also developing their ability to carefully read or listen to instructions and follow them. Scavenger hunting on the beach just puts the icing on the cake by getting them out and exploring beautiful natural features and having fun. They can look for seashells of a certain color, size, or shape; they can search for different types of seashells (from small ones to big ones); they can look for items that are flat or round; they can document when they spot things like seagulls or sunscreen, they can look up at sea level or dig down into sand—there’s an endless amount of variation possible. Kids will love it!

2) Scrapbooking

Scrapbooking has many benefits in and of itself. If you want to scrapbook with your kids, it’s best to have them involved from an early age so that they can get used to it and see how fun it is. It’s a great alternative to journaling for kids who prefer visual learning. It gets kids excited about documenting their personal history and expressing themselves artistically through photography and decorating. Creating a designated beach scrapbook allows for many exciting possibilities. Kids can use natural elements like sand and shells to ornament their pages, take pictures of themselves and their friends and family enjoying the beach, and treasure those memories forever.

3) Sand Bowling

Sand bowling is a simple game akin to bocce or shuffleboard. All you need are some shells or rocks and the sand. First, gently toss an easily identifiable object which will be the target. Then, have other players toss their shells or rocks toward the target, seeing who can get the closest to the target. Make sure all players toss their ammunition from the same distance! This is easily established by drawing a little line in the sand players are forbidden to cross. No cheating!

4) Beach Ball Games

A beach ball is a seed for a thousand fun and exciting possibilities. There are so many games you can play with it, from beach volleyball to soccer to water polo! Adapting your favorite games and sports to be played with a beach ball makes them easier for kids while keeping with the beachy theme. You can also get creative! For example, you could make up a game of tag that involves chasing after one another in an attempt to steal a beach ball away from the child who is “it”. Or, you could play monkey in the middle! There’s really no limit to the humble beach ball’s potential.

5) Making Sandcastles

Making sandcastles is one of the classic beach-time entertainments, and not for no reason. The tactile sensory exploration that comes from handling different consistencies of wet and dry sand can actually help to build neural connections in kids’ brains. Imagine that! Speaking of imagination, your kid’s creativity will run wild when they get a chance to put their sand-architecture skills to the test. Be sure to try lots of different techniques, and emphasize to your child that there’s no one “perfect” way to make a work of art!

6) Treasure Hunting

Finding special treasures on the beach can be a fun and educational childhood pastime that provides kids with souvenirs they can recall fond memories with for years to come. Taking time to learn about the animals who left behind their pretty shells and the way sedimentary rocks are formed from sand doesn’t hurt either!

7) Sand Games

We’ve already gone over sand bowling, but there are so many other games kids can play at the beach with just a stick to draw a few lines in the sand. Tic Tac Toe, anyone? Try setting up a simple sudoku puzzle for them on a huge scale! Hangman is another perennial favorite that fosters literary skills. Say your kids are more the athletic type? They can have 100-yard races by drawing start and finish lines. They can even create a 4-square court to play with their beach balls in!

8) Science Experiments

The beach is, after all, an enchanting slice of the natural world’s gorgeous assets-- a thriving ecosystem with many intertwined creatures and habitats. And what’s behind all nature’s good things? Science! Make ecology and biology fun for kids by bringing science concepts to the beach. Experiment with purifying salt water, watching birds and other little critters react to their environment, or talk about what kinds of invisible creatures can be lurking out there in the deep, deep blue water.

9) Cleaning Up Litter

Ok, this one may not seem like much fun, but trust us. If you make it a contest, no kid with an ounce of competitive nature in them will be able to resist. Bring a small food scale, some gloves, and plastic bags. Have kids pick up as much litter as they can in, say, 15 minutes, and then use the scale to determine who got the most by weighing everyone’s bags. Whoever picked up the most trash wins designated eco-warrior of the day!

10) Flying Kites

Kids love flying kites because, when they get all the way up there in the sky, they inspire so much wonder and awe! That’s why kite-flying is so commonly associated with happy kids! But that’s not the only reason to give it a try. Kite-flying develops kids’ upper body and core strength while teaching them, more than anything, about the value of patience! But, when they finally get that kite up, it’s a reward worth working for.

Looking for More Summer Activities for Kids? Try searching Wondrfly for tons of activities kids can do online or in Jersey City!