Family Life Fun Family Activities Outdoor Activities 17 Things to Do at the Beach with Kids A day at the beach doesn't need to be stressful or expensive. With these easy beach activities for kids, you'll never be bored at the shore again! By Nicole Harris Updated on January 27, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Whether you're visiting a nearby lake or tropical ocean, kids love spending the day at the beach. They will probably want to check the classic activities off their to-do list: make sand castles, ride the waves, and eat delicious ice cream in the warm sun. But sometimes it's fun to shake things up, which is why we compiled this list of 17 things to do at the beach with kids. For these activities and games, all you need is a few simple supplies—most of them are probably in your beach bag already. You also shouldn't forget snacks, fluids, and sunscreen (preferably a physical sunscreen of SPF 30+ that you reapply regularly). Elena Sherengovskaya/Shutterstock The 19 Best Beach Resorts for Families Try a few of these beach games and activities, no matter if your child is 2 years old or 12 years old, for an exciting day in the sun. Your family will make memories that last a lifetime! Beach Activities for Kids 01 of 17 1. Coastal Clues Photograph by Sabrina Helas Create a list of items you might find by the sea—a seagull, a kite, a sand castle, a lifeguard, etc. Your kids can locate all of the items to complete the scavenger hunt and get a reward. (Some ice cream, perhaps?) 02 of 17 2. Seascape Scrapbook Have your child collect shells, driftwood, stones, and sea glass. Once they've amassed a trove of supplies, they can use their finds to create a "picture" in the sand. 03 of 17 3. Blanket Bounce This might be one of the best beach games involving your towel! Ask two kids to hold a towel stretched taut and challenge them to bounce a beach ball in the air, catching it with the towel. See how long they can keep it going. 04 of 17 4. Sand Skee Ball Thayer Allyson Gowdy Draw circles and numbers in the sand to set up a Skee Ball-like game. Each circle can correspond to point value (for example, the bigger circle can be 5 points, a medium circle can be 10 points, and the smallest circle can be 15 points). Toss shells, stones, or small toys into the circles to rack up points. 05 of 17 5. Beach Bowling You'll need six plastic bottles for this fun beach game for kids. Fill them partly with sand and set them up in a pyramid shape (three on the bottom, two in the middle, and one on the top). Take turns rolling a tennis ball to knock them over—just like makeshift bowling. Remember to recycle the bottles once you've finished! 06 of 17 6. Sand Games Your children can play hopscotch, tic-tac-toe, and hangman in the sand. All they need is a drawing utensil (like a stick) and some imagination! Some beach finds, like sticks and seashells, can elevate the games even more. 07 of 17 7. DIY Sundial Thayer Allyson Gowdy Create a sundial using driftwood and rocks. Every hour, get your kid to place a pile of rocks at the tip of your stick's shadow. As the day passes, the shadow will move in a circle—just like the hands of a clock! 08 of 17 8. Musical Towels This activity gives a beach-y twist to musical chairs. Simply set up towels in a circle (with one fewer towel than the number of players), turn on some music, and have your kids walk over them. Once the music stops, they must lay down on the nearest towel. The player without a towel is eliminated. Remove a towel after each round until you've got one player left standing. 09 of 17 9. Beach Relay Thayer Allyson Gowdy Ready, set, go! For this beach relay race, have your kids fill cups with water, then empty them into bigger buckets placed several feet away. The first one to fill their bucket to the top wins the race! This is a fun beach game for kids already, but if you want to make it more difficult, set up obstacles along the path to the bucket. For example, kids can jump over towels or wiggle through a hula hoop. 10 of 17 10. Painted Rocks Looking for artistic things to do at the beach? This project lets your kids get crafty, and it doubles as a random act of kindness. Bring some art supplies—like markers or paint—and decorate smooth rocks that you find on the shore (you can also bring rocks from home). Hide them for other beachgoers to find at a future time. 11 of 17 11. Sand People Move over, sand castles! Take a cue from Frosty and encourage your kids to create sand people, complete with seashell eyes and stick arms. They can also recreate your family members as a sandy self-portrait. 12 of 17 12. Exploration Walk Jason Lindsey Take a walk along the shore, stopping to admire any aquatic life, tide pools, and vegetation you find along the way. It's a great opportunity for a marine lesson (and you can research anything you don't know together at home). 13 of 17 13. Clean Up It's important to teach kids about community service—and picking up trash on the beach is a great way to do it! Take a walk along the shore, armed with gloves and trash bags, to gather garbage as a family. You can even do this beach activity if the weather's a little chilly; just bundle up with a sweatshirt and close-toed shoes. 14 of 17 14. Aqua-Scope Thayer Allyson Gowdy Create an aquatic viewer from a yogurt container. Cut out the bottom with a craft knife and have kids decorate their scope with colored duct tape. Punch holes on the sides of the lip for a string handle, and use a piece of plastic wrap and a wide rubber band to cover the open end. Take it to the shallow water or a tide pool; your kids will love looking at the undersea world. 15 of 17 15. Drip Castle Try this fun twist on a traditional sand castle. Fill a bucket with half sand and half water. Pour wet sand through a plastic funnel to build an abstract beach structure. Don't have a funnel? Cut the bottom off an empty two-liter bottle to make your own. 16 of 17 16. Fly a Kite Priscilla Gragg With open skies and seaside breezes, the beach is the ideal location to learn how to fly a kite. 17 of 17 17. Beach Read Do your kids need a break from the salt and sand? They can sprawl on their towels while you read an age-appropriate book (bonus points if the story takes place near the sea!) You can also do this beach activity while eating lunch or snacks. Additional reporting by Laura Fenton Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit