Sun protection, shade, swim diapers, and everything else new parents forget. We’ve done the forgetting so you don’t have to.

A beach day with a baby requires a little more planning, but it doesn’t require bringing the entire nursery. Focus on keeping baby shaded, comfortable, and protected from the sun, then add a few things that make feeding, changing, and cleaning up easier.

Want to skip straight to the gear? We’ve gathered our favorite baby beach essentials and fun extras in our Amazon storefront. Shop our Baby Beach Favorites →

Here’s what we recommend packing.

1. A Good Beach Tent

Shade is probably the most important thing you’ll bring. Look for a pop-up beach tent with UPF 50+ protection, plenty of ventilation, and enough room for baby to stretch out.

Bonus points if it sets up and folds down quickly. Wrestling with a complicated tent while holding a baby is nobody’s idea of a relaxing beach day.

2. A Long-Sleeve UPF Swimsuit

The more skin you can comfortably cover, the less exposed skin you’ll have to worry about.

Look for a lightweight rashguard or one-piece swimsuit with UPF 50+ protection. Long sleeves are especially helpful, and a zipper can make diaper changes much easier.

3. A Sun Hat

Choose a lightweight sun hat with a wide brim or neck flap rather than a baseball-style cap.

The goal is to protect baby’s face, ears, scalp, and the back of the neck. A chin strap or adjustable fit can also help keep it on.

4. Swim Diapers

Regular diapers and lake water are not friends.

Pack disposable swim diapers or a reusable swim diaper designed specifically for the water. And bring more than you think you’ll need.

Don’t forget regular diapers for before and after swimming, too.

5. Baby-Safe Sunscreen

For older babies, pack a broad-spectrum, water-resistant mineral sunscreen and reapply it according to the directions.

For babies under 6 months: Keeping baby out of direct sunlight should be the priority. Use shade, lightweight protective clothing, and a wide-brimmed hat. Follow your pediatrician’s guidance about sunscreen use on very young babies.

6. Baby Sunglasses

All that sunshine reflecting off the water can be bright for little eyes, too.

Look for baby sunglasses with UVA and UVB protection and a soft adjustable strap. The strap also gives you at least a fighting chance of keeping them on.

7. A Wet Bag

This is one of those little things that’s very easy to forget and very nice to have.

A waterproof wet bag gives you somewhere to stash wet swimsuits, reusable swim diapers, and messy clothes without soaking everything else in the diaper bag.

Two can be even better: one for wet things and one for dirty things.

8. A Portable Fan

A small rechargeable fan can help keep air circulating around a shaded beach setup on hot, still days.

Choose one that can be securely positioned out of baby’s reach. A fan isn’t a substitute for shade or getting baby out of excessive heat, but it can make a comfortable shaded setup even better.

9. A Hooded Towel

Babies can get chilly surprisingly quickly after coming out of the water.

A soft hooded towel lets you dry baby’s hair and wrap them up at the same time. Lightweight muslin towels are especially nice when you’re trying to keep the beach bag manageable.

10. A Water-Resistant Beach Blanket

Give baby somewhere to sit, crawl, play, and eat that isn’t entirely made of sand.

Look for a large blanket with a water-resistant backing that folds or rolls compactly. You’ll probably end up using it for parks, picnics, outdoor concerts, and family trips long after beach season ends.

BONUS: Make It Fun

Once the practical stuff is packed, leave a little room for play.

A Small Sand Toy Set

Babies don’t need an enormous bucket of beach toys. A little bucket, shovel, and a couple of molds provide plenty of entertainment.

Stacking Cups

One of our favorite baby beach toys is also one of the simplest. Babies can stack them, knock them over, scoop sand, pour water, and bury them.

A Few Floating Toys

Small floating bath toys work just as well at the beach. They’re lightweight, familiar, and easy for little hands to hold during closely supervised play at the water’s edge.

A Soft Silicone Beach Set

Soft silicone buckets, scoops, and molds are easy for little hands to manage and usually pack down more easily than bulky plastic toys.

A Mesh Toy Bag

This one’s really for the parents.

Put all the wet, sandy toys inside and give the bag a shake before heading home. The sand falls through the mesh instead of collecting at the bottom of your beach bag.

Baby Beach Day FAQs

What should I pack for a baby’s first beach trip?

Start with shade, a UPF swimsuit, sun hat, swim diapers, regular diapers, wipes, towels, feeding supplies, a change of clothes and a safe place for baby to sit and play. Keep the first trip simple and prioritize keeping baby cool and protected from the sun.

Do babies need swim diapers at the beach?

Yes, if your baby will be getting in the water. Regular diapers absorb water and become heavy and swollen. Swim diapers are designed for use in the water.

What should a baby wear to the beach?

A lightweight long-sleeve UPF 50+ swimsuit or rashguard and a wide-brimmed sun hat provide good coverage. Keep babies, particularly those under six months, shaded and out of direct sunlight as much as possible.

What beach toys are best for babies?

Keep it simple. Stacking cups, a small bucket and shovel, floating bath toys and soft silicone sand toys are easy to pack and give babies plenty of ways to scoop, pour, splash and explore.

Do I need a beach tent for a baby?

A beach tent isn’t mandatory, but having reliable shade is extremely helpful when taking a baby to the beach. Look for good ventilation, UPF protection and a design that’s easy to set up.

Need help finding the right gear?

We’ve gathered our favorite beach-day finds in the Michigan Family Travel Amazon Storefront, from baby beach tents and sun protection to towels, toys and those little extras that make a day at the lake easier.

Shop our Baby Beach Essentials →

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