Clever Tips for the Pool & Beach

By Katie Moosbrugger

For lots of moms, summertime can be anything but relaxing. From endless sunscreen latherings (one of my biggest pet peeves), to constant monitoring of your little toddler’s every last move near water, to your never-ending quest to find comfort for you child and yourself in the hot, salty sun…summer break can be downright exhausting. Yet these tasks are a rite of passage for every mom. They must be tackled, no matter how challenging or time-consuming. So today I’m featuring clever products and ideas that can help moms reclaim their sanity while enjoying a safe, sun-filled summer.

Lots of these suggestions come from products you already use around the house, or can easily add to your beach bag or your packing lists this summer!

~ Baby Pools and Bumbo Chairs. If you’re headed to the beach with an infant or crawler this summer, consider taking along a baby pool or Bumbo chair. A full baby pool on the beach keeps your little one happy, occupied, cool and safe (with you nearby of course). Additionally, you child can sit with the assistance of a Bumbo Chair to enjoy the sand or small waves over his feet.

~ Corn Starch. You know how frustrating it is to eat on the beach without having sandy or salty hands? Try sprinkling corn starch on your hands before you snack. It dries up the moisture and the sand falls away! Some people suggest baby powder for this trick too, but it’s not safe to inhale or consume baby powder which could easily happen as you sprinkle on little hands. This trick also works well on your feet after you leave the beach!

~ Smart Phone Timers. Never forget to reapply sunscreen again! Chances are good you’ll have your phone with you at the beach and pool, so simply set the alarm or timer on your smart phone to help you remember. By doing so, you may avoid lots of pink skin this season.

~ Frozen Aloe. In case the sunburns do happen, try freezing aloe in ice cube trays before you head out in the sun. Frozen aloe cubes are perfect skin soothers!

~ Baking Soda. Another remedy for sunburns and bug bites! Just mix a little baking soda with water and apply the paste directly to the spots that burn or itch.

~ Paint the pool deck. Pool breaks may only be 10 minutes long, but to kids (and moms) it seems to last an eternity. To pass the time, consider bringing paint brushes along with your buckets and pails. Have your kids “paint” the pool deck with water from their pails. This activity has kept my kids occupied long after the whistle blows to open the pool again.

~ Paintbrush to get rid of sand. Speaking of painting, throw a large paintbrush in your car when you are headed to the beach. Before you pile chairs, toys, and umbrellas back into the car, use the paintbrush to dust off all the sand. Works like a charm!

~ Natural “Babysitter.” Dig a shallow, wide hole in the sand under an umbrella and let the kids play in it. Babies/toddlers love it in there and parents don’t have to chase them all over. They can also be in the shade of the umbrella the whole time and they were not near the water.

~ Cool Flip Flops. Turn your flip flops over when you get to the beach so that they are not burning up when you put them back on to leave the beach. So simple, yet brilliant!

~ Don’t Forget to Bag Up. You know how your kids will always want to leave the beach with a million shells and trinkets they found yet you never have a good place to store them all? Stock your beach bag with plastic zip lock bags! You can even label them before you leave the house so your kids won’t have to fight over whose shell is whose!

~ Bring out the bright. This may seem like a no-brainer, but dressing your kids in the brightest neons of the season can help you keep a close eye on them as they run around the beach or swim among a sea of people in the pool. Likewise, you might want to do the same for yourself (and/or your beach chair and umbrella) so your child can quickly find you in the crowds.

~ Shaded baby floats. Both my kids loved the water from an early age, but when they’re too young to wear sunscreen, it can be a little nerve wracking to let them swim for too long. Once I discovered a shaded baby float, we were all able to stay in the pool much longer (and my arms didn’t ache from holding my baby the entire time!).

~ Puddle Jumpers. Both my kids used arm floaties and they did just fine, however, Puddle Jumpers add in extra protection for new swimmers and avoid any possibility of them getting caught upside down in the water. Puddle Jumpers are U.S. Coast Guard- approved, and are perfect for building water confidence for kids. And they come in a variety of fun colors and designs.

~ SPF Swim Shirts and Rash Guards. These are not new to the market, but for those of you who despise lathering up your kids with sunscreen as much as I do, these are great options. Plus kids love them!

~ An umbrella tent. Many beaches on the east coast now prohibit large tents due to safety reasons. Instead, purchase three beach umbrellas and set them up in a triangle formation to create a large shaded area for your kiddos. This is a great place to put the baby pool we mentioned in the first bullet point.