Thanks to Danimals for sponsoring this post, opinions are 100% my own.
There’s nothing like a day at the beach. The mix of the sand, sun and ocean waves makes it the perfect place to de-stress. Unless you have kids, that is. Then the beach turns into a hot sand, sunscreen wrestling match with a side of dangerous rip currents. And let’s not forget all the stuff you have to bring for your kids. Umbrellas, tents, a million toys, SPF 1-thousand sunscreen… I could go on and on.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. I’m serious. You can enjoy a day at the beach with young kids. All you need is a few mom hacks and you are in luck, since I am about to tell you what they are.
How to Enjoy The Beach With Young Kids:
1. Shade is KEY: This is first since it is really the most important. The beach can be hell on earth if you don’t have a shady spot to hang. Especially in South Florida. I know many people are a fan of those big tents, but they are a pain in my opinion. We always bring three large umbrellas. They are light and easy to set up and take down. We put two next to each other to give us a big shady spot and use the third to put right near the water so the kids can sit there and build sandcastles or dig their trenches. 
2. Keep Toys to a Minimum: Kids want to bring everything to the beach, but you have to set limits. I usually let my kids grab three beach items each to bring and we may grab an extra sand bucket or two. The truth is, two or three sand buckets is all they really play with anyways. The other stuff just sits around getting all sad and sandy. I am a fan of bringing boogie boards and at least one float ring or raft. Those are always a huge hit.
3. Leave Your Body Issues at Home: If you want to have fun with the kids, you are going to have to go in the water. And get sandy. And stop giving a crap about how you look in your bathing suit. Your kids won’t remember your cellulite or muffin top, but they will never forget the time you let them bury you in sand or jumped the waves with them all day long.
4. Snacks, snacks and more snacks: You do not want to be caught at the beach with no good snacks. When hot, sandy kids get hungry… just trust me when I tell you that you better be ready. We always pack a cooler packed with water and a few sports drinks. When it comes to beach snacks, some popular options are fruit, yogurt and pretzels. (the saltiness is SO good at the beach for some reason) Yogurt is great since it is nice a cold, but has more substance than water or juice. We always pack a few Danimals in the cooler (be sure to keep them nice and cold!) since they are easy to drink while sandy. 
My kids love the taste and I love that it has no high fructose corn syrup and is a great source of calcium and vitamin D.
Danimals are also perfect for school lunches and an afternoon snack at home. You can find them at Walmart in the refrigerated yogurt section. They have so many great flavors, my kids love strawberry explosion, banana blast and cotton candy. (also, be sure to look for the limited edition toasted marshmallow flavor as we get closer to the holidays, seriously AMAZING)
There you go! Simply follow these tips to make for a fabulous family beach day! What are some of your favorite mom hacks for the beach?
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