Tips on child-friendly beach activities
Of course, sand and water are a combination that invite free play and will trigger most kids’ imaginations. But having a list of engaging ideas in your back pocket could be the difference between them wanting to pack it in after only an hour at the beach and not being able to drag them home after several. Here are some tips on fun games and activities that are guaranteed to keep the children busy for hours at a time.
Of course, sand and water are a combination that invite free play and will trigger most kids’ imaginations. But having a list of engaging ideas in your back pocket could be the difference between them wanting to pack it in after only an hour at the beach and not being able to drag them home after several. Here are some tips on fun games and activities that are guaranteed to keep the children busy for hours at a time.
Build sand castles
Bucket, check. Shovel, check. Sand…no need to. You’ll find that Halland has long sandy beaches that are the perfect backdrop for building sand castles. You don’t need an instruction manual for this; just loads of imagination. If you have more than one child, get them to compete for whoever builds the highest sand castles, dig dams and moats and decorates the castle with shells, seaweed and stones. Or why not build a sandman instead of a snowman.
Photo: Philip Liljenberg
Who can jump the farthest
You don’t have to bring anything along except for a bounce in your step for this. The beach is a perfect place for some amateur track and field events. Try a sprint or a race between family members. Or why not get into the whole long jump thing. The sand is soft and it’s easy to draw lines to mark the jump length. On your mark, get set, go. Just make sure you don’t disturb a neighbouring sunbather who’s trying to relax and have a good time as well.
Fish for crabs
Crab fishing is as easy as it is fun. The only thing you need is a bucket of water, a string, a clothespin and a clam or two. Best places to fish are from bridges or in between rocks where crabs have their hiding places. Find a blue mussel, which is the absolute favourite of the crabs, crack it with a stone and bait it on the clothespin, which you then toss into the water with the help of the string. You can even have a mini-contest amongst the children wehre the one with who catches the most most crabs or the one with the largest crab wins When you’re done with this activity, remember to release the crabs back into the sea so that they find their way back to their hiding places.
Crab fishing is a fun and child-friendly activity for days on the beach.
Photo: Alexander Hall
Try the water stick
This game requires water, making the beach the ideal place for this activity. The rules are simple, the only thing needed is a bunch of children (or grown-ups for that matter), four mugs and water. (Note: This is also a good way to your children to become friends with other children on the beach.) This is how the game goes: Make two teams with two children in each team. Now two children sit on the beach, each with a mug on their head while their teammate runs down to the sea, fills a mug with water and pours into the team-mates mug. The team that first manages to fill the mug with water wins. Get ready for some spills, plenty of laughter and a truckload of fun.
Games in the sea are always fun.
Photo: Philip Liljenberg
Toss a frisbee
When you take a frisbee with you to the beach, then you have guaranteed an activity that suits everyone. Throwing frisbee is as fun on the beach, as out in the meadow, on the football field or in the sea. It quickly engages the family, friends and other children who are nearby.
Look for shells
Get your little explorers to wear their treasure hunter hats and let them loose on the beach. All along the shore, there wealth the sea has thrown up that’s waiting to be discovered – shells and mussels in different sizes, colours and patterns. Who can find the coolest snail or the largest mussel? Halland’s long sandy beaches are ideal grounds for making new discoveries and sparking exciting conversations around them.
The beach is the world's best playground.
Photo: Philip Liljenberg
Have a beachcombing competition
It may seem a bit boring to become a janitor on your holiday, but the fact is that children love to be kind to nature. Get into the habit of bringing some empty bags to the beach so you and the children can do a bit of clean up. Split everyone into two teams, set a time limit…say half and hour and let them lose. Whoever collects the most, wins. There’s no better best mix of activity, and competition, not to mention the lesson that everyone learns about caring for the environment.
Play ball
Most ball sports go well with the beach as long as you respect other beach goers and don’t disturb them. Bring tennis balls, a football or a giant inflatable ball to share the water with you. The sand also makes for a nice court for a little beach volley ball.
The beach is perfect for all types of ball sports.
Photo: Ron Johansson
Play mini golf
Halland offers plenty of opportunitiess to play mini golf near the large beaches. Mini golf is a fun activity that most people in the family love. It is easy to learn, but a little tricky to become really good at it, making it an interesting and challenging activity.
Explore the sand dunes
The sand dunes on the west coast are often quite high making it exciting for the children to explore. Sand dunes are a bit challenging to run up to, but its so much fun sliding down one. In addition, sand dunes offer a good opportunity to talk to the children about how sensitive they are and that care must be taken to ensure that they are not damaged. Children will quickly learn to have respect for the environment and that plants and animals that live there must be protected.
The sand dunes are exciting to explore and play in.
Photo: Ron Johansson
Discover the joys of the surf
In many places along the coast of Halland, both adults and children can try their hand at surfing and SUP or stand up paddling. At most places, it’s possible to rent a surfboard and enrol in a quick course if you’re a beginner. This can become an exciting adventure for the restless teenager, the brave child or for the adult who wants to try something new. An adventure beyond the ordinary, which is guaranteed to be an unforgettable summer memory or maybe even become the start of a new sport and hobby.
Picnic on the beach
Everything tastes better on the beach. Stop on the way to the beach at a nearby farm shop for some strawberries in season, or pick some fresh bread and sandwiches from a bakery. Any time of the day is perfect for a picnic, but for best results we recommend a picnic at sunset.
There is something certain about eating food on the beach.
Photo: Philip Liljenberg