I know, I know, it is September already and as the new academic year is starting, holidays seem like a distant memory. We have only just come back from our trip to France, and I am determined to cling on to our warm, sunny holiday (sorry!).
With four young children and no relatives close to home, whenever we have time off, we tend to visit family rather than jetting off to sunny destinations. This year, we attempted our first road trip to the South of France with the four little ones. It took us forever (and ever and ever) to drive there, but it was worth it.
As a child, I spent a fair few summers with my grandparents in Canet Plage and I have tons of fond memories of my holidays there. My poor Mamie (gran) probably did not realise what she was getting herself into when she accepted to join us. Within ten minutes of our arrival she realised it would not be the quiet, peaceful holiday she was after, but I am really glad we made new memories there with her and my mum.
Heat and sunshine, I love you so much! I think I was always meant to live in a very hot place. I am always cold, and there is nothing like feeling the sun on my skin…
I just thought I would share the five things I would not go without when heading to the beach with my little ones:
1- Sun Protection: Sun Cream & Sunglasses
Even since Jumpy’s dermatology nurse recommended SunSense a few years ago, we have not looked back. We always go with their Toddler Milk roll on when we are out and about and we have a bigger bottle at home to apply sun cream before we leave the house.
I have had freckles for as long as I can remember but since my first pregnancy, patches of darker skin (hyperpigmentation) started appearing on my face. I now go for SunSense anti-ageing face cream (SPF 50) instead of moisturiser all summer.
2- Plenty of Water to Drink and Snacks
To make sure our water bottles stay cold, I give them half an hour or so in the freezer before we go, and keep them in a small cool bag with an ice pack.
I also make sure snacks are packed in small portions. I would not pack anything that could potentially melt or stick. This way, we can avoid whole packets being wasted (sand biscuits, anyone?) or mucky children (melted chocolate + sand = grubby, grumpy kids).
3- Sun Protection Clothing
Until this year, I have to admit I had never bothered with clothes that offered sun protection. First of all, I found them rather ugly and I did not see the point of them if I was applying sunscreen to my little ones regularly.
I changed my mind this summer. Beanie’s eczema gets considerably better in the sun. It is a completely different story for Jumpy. Heat and the sand aggravate hers. On our first day at the beach, she spent the whole time screaming because the sand was hurting her angry skin and the seawater was burning every patch of eczema she had.
The following day, she started wearing her UV Rash Top and she wore it every time we went to the beach. It protected her sore skin. She also looked really pretty and easy to spot on a busy beach. It was quite reassuring to know her pretty T-shirt had the highest level of sun protection you could find in fabric (UPF50+). Her eczema did not bother her once after that.
4- Swim Nappies
I have never bought a pack of disposable swimming nappies since washable ones are so good these days. A couple of years ago, I bought a Happy Nappy and since then, I have bought three more for the girls, in a range of sizes.
It most definitely is the most reliable reusable swimming nappy I have ever used. A couple of times, Jumpy had a ‘code brown’ during her swimming classes and her Happy Nappy kept it all in so well I did not realise she needed a change until I gave her a shower (That was rather messy!).
Wriggly had a Happy Nappy Costume this summer and I love the fact the swim nappy was incorporated inside her swimsuit. She also looked cute in pink!
5- Fun Buoyancy Aids
The children are confident in the water but the Mediterranean is not a swimming pool. There are waves, currents and depth can vary dramatically from one step to the next. We had a noodle, a Fing and a Pool School Kick Board. The latter two were a hit with the children.
Wriggly & I on the Kick Board
Crevette using the Fing
Win a Splash About UV Rash Top
How to enter
Check the instructions in the form below. You can pick and choose a range of ways in which to enter. The only one you must click on to get into the draw is the one asking you to leave a blog post comment. You must also leave a comment for your entry to be valid.
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Splash About UV Rash Top Giveaway
Disclosure:
– The prize will be supplied directly by Splash About.
– The giveaway is open to UK residents over 18.
– I was sent a UV rash top, a swimming costume, a Fing and a sun hat for the purpose of this review. I also received samples of SunSense sun protection. No payment was received. All opinions and photographs are my own.
I have listed this giveaway on ThePrizeFinder, SuperLucky and Loquax.
Suncream, hat and towel. Then there are just the never ending extras… 🙂
We always take lots of small cars and trucks so my boys can play in the sand with them, it keeps them entertained for hours
suncream!
lots of towels & a kite 🙂
Bucket & spade definitely & a body board. Love the beach!!
sunglasses
Good point!
Swimming nappy, lots of towels and a picnic blanket.
A bucket and spade
Sun cream & Sunglasses
I want a fing and a kick board!!!!!!!
I want a fing and a kick board!!!
You’d love them!
Suncream, towel to sit on, bucket and spade
We always have our life jacket, sunscreen, water, snacks and sunglasses! Sunglasses are just as important as sunscreen!
Sunscreen, a good book, parasol & a cold drink.
sunglasses and sun oil
towel,suncream and sunglasses.
Sun cream glasses yowl and a ball
I’m jealous…that beach looks amazing!!! I always take beach toys and generally visit pebble beaches because I hate sand getting everywhere!!
You would love Collioure then! It’s a beautiful place, but I hate going to the beach there because of the pebbles!
Bucket and spade to make sandcastles with their bigger toy trucks to help
Sun cream camera and money 🙂
Sunscreen, towel, hat, swim suit, beach toys
Baby wipes need lots of them
A change of clothes, baby wipes, sun tan lotion, a hat and a huge bottle of water
Most definitely sun cream and sun hats xxx
Sunglasses
lots of wet wipes to wipe those sandy hands
has to be towels 🙂
Apart from sun cream we took a little pop up tent this year which was great for some shade and to keep the bags in!
I will definitely get one next year. Lots of people had them on the beach.
The kids!!
Ha ha, I did think about that!
Sun cream towels and def bottle of water as great for washing sandy hands
suncream,sunhats,beach towels water and Swim Jacket for our daughter
Sun cream, changing bag (full of baby&toddler essentials), bottle of water, picnic blanket, bucket & spade, beach ball and towels x
sun cream,wet wipes,cossies, towels,sun hats and bucket n spades 🙂
Suncream, book and water and a towel!
Snacks, suncream and a water spray to get the sand off
suncream, sunglasses and coats!
suncrean sunglasses hat
sunscreen, hats and other shades like parasols
sunceam, bucket and spade x
kites and good old bucket and spade
Sun cream and towel
Bucket and spade, suncream, towel
Towel, picnic, suncream
A hat and a ball
Football (groan!) and snacks (groan!)
Ha ha! Do your boys make you play football?
beach towels,sun cream,sun glasses,beach bag,money,buckets and spades
Something to create some shade like a parasol and definitely suncream…
Sun Lotion
Wet wipes and sun cream
Sun cream and a hat 🙂
suncream
suncream, blanket and snacks
All of the above as well as talc and towels!
The children obviously – hubby for sun tan application helper and a book on the off chance i get a me minute!
extra towels, one for getting the sand off feet and one to keep away from the sand for the rest of the body
Suncream, towels, book, hats, ice cream money!
suncream, towel, sunglasses and book 🙂
Sun cream, umbrella, towels and water!!
Drinks
Plenty of sun cream
Hats, water, sunscreen, my baby boys digger truck for the sand and my daughters body board
Asunder cream sunshade sunglasses towels
towel & beer
Sun cream, hat, towel, spare clothes and a picnic
My beach essentials are suncream,sunglasses,towel and book
sunscreen
Sun cream is a must. I know from painful experience
Sun cream, beach towel and sunglasses
Sun cream, towel, water, bucket and spade
Suncream. hats, sunglasses and water
sun cream, book, water
We are all quite fair so sunscreen and sunglasses are a must.
sunscreen
my chair
Sun cream and baby powder. Baby powder is great for getting sand off.
sunnies, a book, suncream , and a french stick, olives, cheese and a glass of red!!!!
Hats, suncream, wipes (to clean hands before eating etc), water
Sun cream and lots of towels 🙂
Suncream, Hats and towels
Swimming shorts!
Ultrasun, Towel, Hat and beach toys 🙂
We take swimming stuff towels and suncream
We always take suncream, baby wipes. picnic rug, UV tent for the little one and a sunhat!
Sun cream and spare clothes
We take lots to f drink and sunscreen and baby wipes
sun block, sun cream, towels, buckets and spades
Bottle of water, Sun cream, sunglasses, baby wipes and a towel x
Beach Towel, Sun cream, Sun Glasses and bucket and spade! 😀 xx
Suncrean ,sunglasses and a good book
TOWEL, SUN CREAM, SPADE AND BUCKET