Taking children to the beach can make a memorable trip.

There is such a wide variety of beaches in the world that you need to think about your destination. Is it sand or pebbles? Is it near where you're staying, or will you drive or hike to get there? Is it a lakeside beach or on the ocean?

Things to consider when choosing your destination include:

• Climate: Check air and water temperatures.
• Season: A summer trip needs sunscreen. A winter trip might need snowboots or an umbrella.
• Services: Do you want an undeveloped stretch of beach, or one with restrooms and ice cream vendors? Do you want activities, like hiking paths or surfboard rentals?
• Restrictions: Many beaches don't allow the family dog to tag along. Check for health warnings, as both hazards in the ocean, such as poisonous red tides, and land-based pollution can close a beach.

• Swimsuits – Avoid white or light-colored swimsuits on beaches. Sand tends to get ground into the fabric, which makes it look dirty. It is very difficult to get the sand out without a high-powered vacuum. Consider a rash guard shirt. Shorts or swim dresses are convenient if you want to be able leave the beach without changing clothes. Because of their delicate skin, babies should be covered from head to toe or kept in a shady spot.
• Shoes that can get wet, and that won't trap sand in them – You need something to keep everyone's feet safe while arriving and departing from the beach. You may also need something to protect your child while at the beach, in case of burning hot sand, the sharp edges of broken seashells, discarded bottle caps, etc. Flip flops are easy to pack and often adequate. Water socks (also called aqua socks) have a thin, flexible rubber sole on the bottom and stretchy fabric on top, and get put on like socks. If your child will want to wear their shoes into the water, then you need shoes that can't fall off (or get sucked off by a wave), such as hiking sandals.
• Hats, sunglasses, shirts, and sunscreen – Sun protection is necessary. A family spending just four hours at the beach can easily use up an entire 8-ounce (250 mL) bottle of sunscreen.
• Large, quick-drying towels – Start by seeing whether you have any worn-out ones around the house. If you need something special, consider a thin Turkish cotton towel (without sand-trapping terrycloth loops).
• An umbrella, blanket, or other place for the kids to gather.

Classic kid activities include:

• digging in the sand
• building sand castles
• flying kites

Swimming is a fun activity, but it is not risk-free. Children in or near the water need to be watched constantly. For children under the age of about five, a responsible adult should be within arm's reach at all times. For school-age children who already know how to swim, a designated adult should watch the children constantly, even if a lifeguard is on duty.) For larger families and other groups, it may be useful to assign adults to a schedule.

Sunburn is a significant risk on beach vacations, and it's especially dangerous for little ones.

• Beaches
• Packing for beach travel