There’s so much more to a family day on the beach than paddling in swimsuits! The beach has so much to offer in the cooler months, and with no crowds to fight through you can enjoy those winter blue skies and the sounds of the waves crashing. Pick up some tips from our Winter Beach Guide!
Beach Art
Grab a couple of sticks and draw a great big picture in the sand. You don’t have to be a da Vinci, just a rough outline will do. A mermaid is a great favourite for this. Send the kids off to collect anything they can find to fill in the gaps; sea weed for hair, shells for jewels and driftwood or rocks for the tail. If you plan this in advance you could take mermaid letters and plant them in your picture for the sea to take them away to the great blue yonder! If a mermaid seems too girly, what about a seasonal ‘sandman’ complete with scarf!
Build a fort
Sandcastles are just about the best form of building known to parents. Endless hours of amusement and the sea clears away the mess! If you dress your tots in waterproof gear and then get down on the sand to help you’ll soon be caught up in moats, towers and a curtain wall. You don’t need summer to make this any more fun; build a channel down to the sea and you’ll be there all day!
Rounders
The old ones are the best ones! Take a ball and a bat, split the team, set out the bases and try explaining the simple rules of this age-old game to your wee ones. Either our children are slow on the uptake or this is tough to explain. We’ve simplified it down to ‘hit the ball and run!’ Cheer a lot and everyone will enjoy it!
Beachcombing
You can find some marvellous treasures on the beach, especially if your head is only two feet away from the pebbles! Grab a bucket each and set off hunting for fossils, sea glass, pretty pebbles and shells. Take home what you can and make it into a wonderful picture to remind your little one of their day by the sea.
Winter picnics
Can you beat a cup of coffee from a flask with the fresh sea air in your lungs and a nice slab of cake ready to be munched? Sandwiches might not hit the mark in colder months so why not try something warmer? I’ve yet to meet the child who wasn’t won over by hotdog sausages, kept warm in a food flask with hot water and served straight into fresh white finger rolls. Or why not pack a BBQ and cook some beans and roast fresh marshmallows? Nothing like racing round in the cold to build up an appetite!
