Summer Essentials for the Pool, Park, and Beach!
After doing some research and detective work at the pool. park, and beach, asking friends for their tops products, and analyzing my favorite go-to summer items, I decided to create a list to make navigating summer a breeze! I'll be posting some other products, motherhood fun, laughs, and vacation tips on my @lifewithlittlez Instagram (which I'll be slowly rebuilding after my original account was hacked), so make sure to follow along for the fun!
These items are broken down into a few categories to make it as simple as can be!
POOL / BEACH / PARK MUST-HAVES:
These wider, Anti-Fog Anti-UV Swim Goggles are a hit with my kids. They are much easier to put on and don't bother my kids like the smaller goggles do. These come in a variety of colors as well! If kids like the smaller goggles though, these Polarized Swim Goggles are another good option!
These small Mesh Beach Bags are the perfect size to organize pool essentials or for kids to collect seashells. Each kid can even have their own bag for their own shells! I use one for pool toys, one for swim googles and sunglasses, and one for random stuff like baby wipes, tampons, hair clips and scrunchies, etc. I love that they dry out quickly too. You can select your favorite color combo as they have other options too!
I love this Swim In Leave-In Conditioner Hair Treatment for my daughter's tangle-prone hair. It helps to keep hair safer and less dry from pool chemicals and salt water as well as aids in the dreaded detangling process! I spray it on before my kids get into the pool and again after they get out.
I LOVE this Collapsible Everything Bag for the beach, groceries, park, etc. It folds up for travel when we go to the beach and fits all the pool toys, mini cooler, and towels. It's one of my favorite bags. I had it monogrammed just for fun and love the look! It comes in a variety of colors too and is on sale right now too!
This is my other go-to beach bag for when we are at the beach all day. We usually put the towels in here if we bring our other cooler and larger pool toys. They don't carry this exact one anymore, but I found this similar navy and white striped, nautical Beach Bag which had great reviews.
This Large Compact Beach Blanket folds up into a compact size and is easy to travel with, sand-proof, water-resistant, and perfect for the beach, park, soccer game, picnic, or backyard. We've used ours countless times and it's held up well!
These Portable Travel Black-Out Shades are a MUST have when it comes to traveling with kids! My friend Michelle recommended them to us and we are obsessed! We used to travel with heavy curtains when road-tripping, but would just suffer when it came to flights and minimal packing space, as most beach homes have windows that let light in at 6AM which meant kids are up at 6AM...exactly what you want when traveling and hoping to sleep in a little, right?! These Curtains are lightweight and have suction cups, so they're easy to pack and hang! They come in a 2-pack too! We are now investing in a few sets - for us parents too!! You'll thank me for your next trip!
This lightweight, easy to carry, Portable Activity Jumper is another life-saver if you have a baby! Another recommendation from my mom of 3 friend Michelle and a must on our list if we have another baby. Use it at the beach, park, or backyard!
SNACK / FOOD LIFE SAVERS:
This Snacklebox Charcuterie Container is the perfect addition to the beach or pool bag, and my kids get excited to eat healthy snacks too. I learned about this fun find from my friend Olivia who keeps me young! You just can't get better than the name "Snacklebox"... This make eating healthy snacks fun!
Ok this isn't essential, but it's super fun and cute... My sweet friend Lins bought me this adorable Snack Bag and I'm obsessed! It makes packing and divvying out the snacks that much more fun! Great for kids or adults!
OUTDOOR ESSENTIALS:
For those pesky bug bites (I'm looking at you mosquitos, the state bird of Minnesota...), we love these Itch Relief Patches. They come in 3 colors and 2 sizes, and we give the kids their "bug bite heart tattoos" and it seems to do the trick!
After finding a few ticks on my kids from our latest nature walk, you better believe I ordered this Ranger Ready Insect Repellent and Tick Spray as soon as we got home! I tried it on my kids at a birthday party earlier this summer, and I forgot to order it since we spray for mosquitos at our house, but after our nature walk today and for future nature and evening walks, I'll be ready! A few of my friends have highly recommended it too! It's Deet-free, odorless, and provides up to 12 hours of protection.
If you have little ones, a stroller, or tend to get overheated, then this Clip-On Battery Portable Fan is for you! We brought this with us to Disney (see my "Disney Must Read Tips & Tricks" for lots of insider tips!) and also comes to the beach and on walks with us when we have the stroller.
SUNSCREEN:
For sunscreen, we use the Trader Joe's SPF 50 spray when it's in stock, but we also switch it up and use this ThinkBaby SPF 50 Mineral Sunscreen too. We've been seeing people rave about this Solar Buddies Refillable Rollable Sunscreen Applicator as it makes it more fun for kids to apply, so adding it to my Amazon cart as well to try!
For the face, even though we do use the Aveeno Babv Sensitive Skin Face Stick often, the zinc oxide does make their face ghost-like (It is what it is), so sometimes we use this Banana Boat Face Stick which doesn't seem to have the same effect. I'm still on the hunt for the perfect sunscreen, so if you've found it, please let me know!
I love a good organized system to try to minimize the chaos at the beach or pool, so I love having a separate container for all the pool things. I love this SPF Clear Makeup Bag that is not only functional but cute as well to hold sunscreen! They have a couple other color options as well.
This Scalp Sunscreen & Hair Mist is another must-have for the pool or beach bag, especially if you have a little one with a part or one who doesn't like hats. Ever since my daughter had a scalp burn from pigtails at the beach, I've learned to be overly careful with their hair/head area.
ROAD TRIPS:
We try to say no to screen time for the majority of the trip or else our kids melt down and act like untrained animals, but when we do need some peace and quiet, we love the Learning Leap Frogs as we feel better that the kids are actually learning something when the screens are on.
If you're headed on a road trip or flight somewhere, these mess-free, portable Wikki Sticks are a fun addition to the bag and provide lots of opportunities for creativity and entertainment.
If you're driving in the car, these Travel Trays work great for eating, drawing, or other activities and help keep the car more organized. If your kids are older, these Backseat Kids Travel Organizers are great if kids can reach them!
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POOL FUN:
So this is a total unnecessary find, but if you have littles and a pool, this provided plenty of entertainment for my 2 kids and their friends. This Pirate Ship Pool Float even has a built-in water gun too, so hours of fun for my crazy cats. We used these for my son's Pirate Birthday Party (check out the post for fun ideas and inspiration!)
These Magnetic Reusable Water Balloons have been all the rage with the kiddos at the pool. They are fun for adults too!
For the mermaid lover in your life, this Mermaid Float is functional and adorable! The seat is mesh too which is nice for little ones.
I love the good ol' fashioned Diving Sticks, Rings, and Toys. My kids love this set as they don't fall down flat in the pool like some of the other cheaper options. The bigger Diving Toy Set has more options too.
BEACH FUN:
This Collapsible Beach Toy Kit with ice cream and sweet treats beach molds is perfect for the beach and can all fit in the included mesh bag. My kids love anything to do with ice cream so they will love this for our next beach trip!
This Shibumi Shade Canopy is essential if staying at the beach for a long day or stay. We like to set one up at the beginning of our day. They are pricey, but if you go to the beach often, it is worth it. Make sure to check your beach first though as some beaches don't allow them. It's easy to assemble and compact enough to carry with you.
OUTDOOR FUN:
This Velcro Catch Toy is perfect for the park, backyard, or beach. I remember playing with these when I was young, and my kids love playing with it too! I love a good nostalgic toy!
What kid doesn't love bubbles? These Large Bubble Wands create giant bubbles the kids will love! We have one of these sets, and it provided over an hour of entertainment.
BABY LIFE:
If you have a little one, this Portable Booster Chair works great for on the go and at the beach as it's lightweight and easy to carry.
As mentioned above, if you have little ones, a stroller, or tend to get overheated, then this Clip-On Battery Portable Fan is for you! We bring this with us to Disney, the beach, the park, and on walks with us when we have the stroller.
When taking longer trips or staying at the beach, having a Portable Bottle Cleaning Kit with a built-in drying rack comes in handy for washing and drying bottles. Sometimes it's the little things that make life a little easier that make all the difference.
If you don't have a larger beach tent or Shade Canopy, then make sure baby is protected somehow from the sun with a large umbrella or a portable Baby Tent.
HYDRATION:
These Water Bottle Spout Adapters are easy to use and make drinking out of a standard water bottle much easier for little ones!
So I'll confess, I never got on the Stanley water bottle train and was determined to find my own train... I finally did that when I found these awesome Owala insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottles! They come in a variety of colors, sizes, styles, have a built-in straw and big gulp feature, and don't leak if the lid is closed, They come in kid-sizes too so my daughter was thrilled when we had matching water bottles, and she proudly takes it everywhere with her (she's 5 so I'm soaking in the "mommy and me" stage for as long as I can!) My son now wants one too so it's on his birthday list!
SWIMWEAR:
I made a "Summer Essentials: Motherhood Edition" guide too with my favorite summer go to's for mamas. This is one of the coverups on the list. Check out the link for more Mom-approved fun finds! I love this Cupshe Crochet Mini Dress CoverUp (shown below in white) and have it in the white and turquoise colors, both in size small.
ATHLEISURE:
To keep up with the kids, you need some high quality, durable, yet comfy clothes. These are my go-to FAVORITE everyday Athleisure/Everyday/Workout Shorts (though my working out these days is normally chasing the kids around). I have them in a variety of colors and love the more muted Dark Gray Blue374 shorts too!
To go with the above workout shorts, I'm obsessed with these Cropped Tanks! I actually ordered a few sizes and styles and went with the waist length XL/XXL size as I don't like things super tight and they still fit great! I love the Color: ivory+dusty blue+sphinx colors but am going to order this cropped set too as I love the color combos! So many great options to choose from!
ACCESSORIES:
These Kids Cloud Slide Sandals come in a variety of colors and sizes and are perfect for the pool or beach!
These Adjustable Baby, Toddler, Kid Beach Hats come in a variety of colors and sizes (from 3 months to 7 years) and help to keep your little one cool and comfy in the hot sun! These Bucket Sun Hats are another cute option that come in a variety of colors and sizes too!
My kids live in these Native Shoes for the warmer months! They are easy to clean (we throw them in the washing machine and then let them air dry) and they clean up well! We usually always have a white pair since they go with everything and can be passed down from kid to kid and then sometimes let them pick out a fun color too!
For moms, I love this versatile, neutral Crossbody Bag! Dress It up or down and fit all the goodies inside! I love the size as it can fit in my keys, phone, sunglasses, wallet, small sunblock, and has plenty of room for other goodies as well! It's the perfect size for the park if you've graduated from the diaper bag.
OUTDOOR FUN:
I love these Unbreakable Lightweight Colorful Plates which are dishwasher safe and microwave safe too! There are quite a few color options so kids can each pick out their favorite color too!
Check out the "Summer Essentials: Mom Edition" guide too with my favorite summer go to's, especially for mamas, and discover more Mom-approved fun finds!
