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Going to the beach is a great family activity – it encourages time away from electronics and gets kids active in the outdoors. If you want to spark your child’s imagination or have fun together, consider bringing along some beach toys. Your kids will be thankful to switch up their beach activities and add something new.
A great thing about beach toys is that they come in all shapes and sizes, and for all ages – from toddlers to teens. This means you have a large number of options when looking for the best beach sand toys, regardless of your child’s age and interests. From sand toys to catch games, the best beach toys will bring hours of entertainment to your whole family.
To make your choice easier, our 10 Best Beach Toys for Kids in 2023 article is full of awesome suggestions for toys that your kids (and you) can enjoy. These will turn any beach day into an unforgettable family day filled with fun activities.
Ready to get started? Let’s go!
OUR TOP PICK
Spikeball Standard 3 Ball Kit – Includes Playing Net
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Foldable legs prevent breaking if you fall on it
- Rim hooks tighten the net and improve the bounce
- Free Spikeball app in the app store
- Excellent game for outdoors and indoors
- Lifetime guarantee, free-of-charge replacement
- Set includes a net and playing balls
Players: 4
Net circumference: 36 inches
Balls: 3
Ball size: 3.5 inches (diameter)
Foldable legs: Yes
Game weight: 2.8 pounds
Package includes: Spikeball set, three balls, drawstring bag, rule book
EDITORS CHOICE
FoxPrint GT 1 Beach Sand Play Set, Models & Molds
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- 16 piece set includes multi-colored molds and shapes
- Promotes imagination and hand-eye coordination
- Made of strong and durable materials
- Toys come in a clear carry bag
Pieces: 16
Included: Multi-colored shapes and molds, 2 x castle mold walls, 2 x round castle, castle bucket, sifter, watering can, rake, shovel
Bag dimensions: 9.2 x 7.9 x 6.2 inches
Set weight: 1.25 pounds
Recommended Age: 2+
BEST VALUE
Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Brick-Building Mold
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Great for toddlers and small children
- Made of extra-durable plastic
- Shape makes it easy to clean
- Very cute toy design
- Sand mold and trowel snap together
Pieces: 2 (brick mold and trowel)
Product Dimensions: 7.25 x 4 x 4 inches
Weight: 0.25 pounds
Recommended Age: 24 months – 5 years
Kangaroo Kids Beach Toy Set
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Great-looking unique animal molds
- Includes a water bucket and several tools
- Wall molds for building sandcastles
- All toys come in a zip-up storage bag
Pieces: 23
Product Dimensions: 8 x 7.7 x 7.4 inches
Weight: 1.7 pounds
Recommended Age: 24 months and up
Blue Orange Djubi Classic
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Deep net for easily catching the ball
- Djubi balls float on water
- Compact and portable design
- Rubber loop for easier launching
- Slings the ball up to 100 feet
Contents: 2 x racket, 2 x large ball
Product Dimension: 11.5 x 3 x 16.5 inches
Weight: 1.2 pounds
Recommended Age: 8-15 years
Dry Branch Sports Design Catch and Release Aquarium
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Easy to catch and release fish
- Perfectly safe for animals
- Sparks curiosity and teaches respect
- Tethered mesh lid
- Soft carrying handle
Volume: 1 gallon
Material: Polyethylene
Product Dimension: 8 x 8 x 7 inches
Weight: 4.8 ounces
Recommended Age: 14-15 years
Safari LTD Knights and Dragons Miniature Figurines
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Eleven high-quality figurines
- TOOB design – educational toys
- Hand-painted for an even better look
- Made of durable plastics
- Materials are phthalate and lead-free
Pieces: 11
Contents: 4 x red knight, 4 x blue knight, catapult, green dragon
Figure size: 1.5 to 3 inches
Package size: 2 x 2 x 12.9 inches
Weight: 5.1 ounces
Recommended Age: 3+
Green Toys Seacopter
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Eco-friendly, made of recycled plastic
- Floats on the water surface
- Materials are free from BPA, phthalates, and PVC
- No harmful external coatings
- Safe for washing in a dishwasher
Material: Recycled plastic
Dimensions: 9.9 x 6.6 x 6.6 inches
Weight: 15.2 ounces
Recommended Age: 2+
Fun Little Toys Kids Beach Sand Toys Set
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Toys come in a tough mesh bag
- Large water wheel included
- Beautiful molds with vibrant colors
- Six different tools for digging sand
- Durable plastic without any toxic ingredients
Pieces: 19
Contents: 9 x beach molds, 6 x beach tool kit, water wheel, beach bucket, watering can, mesh bag
Dimensions: 14.6 x 6.3 x 6.3 inches
Weight: 1.3 pounds
Recommended Age: 3+
Diggin Squap Ball Toss Catch Game
- Stand Out Features - Why We Love It
- Soft balls bounce off things
- Mitts snap the ball for easier catching
- Promotes hand-eye coordination
- Incredibly fun for larger children
Contents: 2 x Squap paddle catch mitts, 4 x soft plastic balls
Package Dimensions: 9 x 8 x 1 inches
Weight: 1.61 pounds
Recommended Age: 6+
How To Choose The Beach Toys – Buying Guide
From the durability to educational value, multiple factors can help you determine what is suitable for your child. These key features can make your choice quicker and easier, turning an average beach day into an unforgettable time with family and friends.
Durability
While it can be all fun in the sun, one way to ensure that entertainment never stops is to factor in the durability of your beach toy. You don’t want to turn a beach day upside down with a new toy breaking on the first day or the first use. Nor do you want to only use a toy a couple of times before it becomes useless.
Durability is important when choosing your beach toy. The excellent beach toys are made of plastic. Plastic is hard, durable, waterproof, and resistant to sun and sand. Plastic is also lightweight, easy to store for future use, and easy to clean.
Saltwater and sand can be abrasive to many materials, but plastic can withstand any beach condition making it the perfect choice for a kid’s beach toy. Besides sand and water, the sun can also be extremely hard on materials. Colors can easily fade, or paint can chip under the sun’s intense rays. Plastic can withstand sun exposure and keep your child entertained through multiple uses.
In addition, a durable toy for the beach can be used in a variety of settings. If you want to take the toys to another location, most plastic beach toys can withstand ocean water, pool water, freshwater, salt, sand, dirt, and rough play.
To ensure that your toy stays at its prime (both in structure and color), it is best to store them inside, away from direct sun exposure. If left out in the sun, the toys can fade faster or become prone to cracking and breaking.
A durable toy should also withstand a cleaning process. Besides playing at the beach, the toy should tolerate a cleaning agent to keep your product in tip-top shape. Plastic is durable enough to be washed with water, bleach solutions, cleaning solutions, or even in a dishwasher.
A durable toy will last you through all of your trips to the beach, bringing fun to the entire family. It stands up to the task regardless of location and activity, ensuring that you can have fun anywhere you choose.
Cleaning
After playtime is over, it’s important to keep beach toys clean. Not only do you need to wash off excess sand, but also sanitize them from germs that can be passed from person to person. Beach toys are best shared when they’re clean. It is important that a beach toy’s design allows easy cleaning of the product.
While most beaches are clean, you may still unknowingly pick up a microscopic critter or germ. Most of these will leave no lasting effects, but it can still bring ease of mind when a toy is cleaned and maintained at a high level. Toys should also be able to withstand frequent cleaning. It’s best to remember to clean your toys on a regular basis, not just once in a while.
Not only does cleaning bring a level of hygiene to beach toys, but it can also improve the life and condition of your toys. Sand or saltwater left on the toy can (over time) wear down the finish or plastic. Keeping a toy clean will keep it in its best shape for longer and increase the life of the toy. Longlasting toys can become childhood–long staples in your child’s life, consistently providing great memories and entertainment.
Gender Neutrality
One issue that often sparks debate with kids’ toys nowadays is whether or not the product is gender-neutral. In today’s world, gender neutrality is becoming the standard and many products choose to use an array of colors in order to avoid targeting one gender. Gone are the days of just blue and pink toys. Now, most toy sets come in a rainbow of vibrant colors.
For the parents who wish to teach their children gender neutrality, most beach toys come catered to both boys and girls. Gender neutrality can empower children by displaying inclusion for everyone. A toy doesn’t have to be only a boy’s toy or a girl’s toy, but rather be a toy that everyone can play with and enjoy. With gender-neutral beach toys, you can be sure that any child, girl or boy, can take part in the activity.
Gender-neutral toys can bring ease of mind that you are including everyone or buying the right gift. Also, it educates your child to include themselves as part of the community, no matter what their gender is.
Weight
The weight of the toy can greatly affect its portability. With most beach toys being catered towards children, it’s safe to assume that the child will assist in toting their toy around. On the other hand, the weight of a toy may not be bothersome for older kids and adults.
For a toddler, however, a heavy toy can be difficult to use and even dangerous. This is why the best toys for the beach are normally lightweight, ensuring that users of any age can use and carry them around with ease.
On top of being lightweight, most toys come with their own carrying case, which makes transportation easier. However, if you don’t have room or don’t want to lug around a heavy bag, choosing lightweight toys would be the best option for you.
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Educational properties
Besides being fun, playing games can also be educational for your child. Whether you are making molds in the sand or playing a game of catch, the best toys help them learn and perfect basic skills. Kids can learn to engage their creativity, expand their imagination, and improve their hand-eye coordination.
Beach toys can be great tools to stimulate your child’s senses. Kids can learn new skills when they’re playing in the sand or playing a game with others. Not only does your child get to make great memories and have fun, but they can also learn and practice new skills, which they will most likely use throughout their lives.
Child Age
Whether you are buying for your own kids or giving a toy as a gift, the child’s age will often play an important factor when deciding what product to purchase. Some toys are simply not suitable for younger kids because of their type, size, or how the product is used.
On the opposite side, some of the toys for younger children may easily bore older children as they may not be active enough. It is important to factor in a child’s age in their ability to use a toy or play a game.
For toddlers, a sandcastle toy set may be perfect. They can spend the afternoon digging, filling, and popping out molds. For older children, more movement and activity is better. Older kids may love to run and play a game of catch or go closer to the water and explore the wildlife. Most toys will state the recommended age on the packaging.
It is best to use those recommended ages as a guideline. Age may be given for various reasons and any toy with small parts should be labeled as a choking hazard. You should cater to the child’s age for their own safety and entertainment at the beach.
FAQs
Q: Can I Use The Beach Toys For Other Activities Besides The Beach?
Yes. Most beach toys can be used in plenty of other locations. Just because a toy is catered to the beach, it doesn’t mean that it is restricted to it. Even plastic molds that are used to make sandcastles can be used in a variety of other settings.
Plastic is durable, can withstand much more than just sand, and be used in almost any location you choose. For example, your child can have fun at the pool or in a bath with the plastic sand molds. Or, if you combine it with a moldable clay-like PlayDoh, your child can use the molds to create shapes at home.
For game activities, many simply require a large enough space to play, so they aren’t limited to beaches. The beach is a spacious area, but so is a park. You can easily bring a game of catch from the beach to the park. It’s only important that you are in a large open area where a ball can easily be tossed or thrown without the fear of breaking something.
The best toys can be used in a variety of settings. Many can be used inside or outside, with or without sand. What makes them great is that they can be brought to the beach if you choose, but you can also take them elsewhere.
Q: How Should I Clean The Toys?
If you are looking to rinse off excess sand, a quick spray with the hose or run under the faucet should do the trick. The water will easily wash away any sticking grains of sand, leaving the toy like new.
If you a looking to do more than simply rinse away the grit, you can wash the toys with warm soapy water. For a quick clean, you can grab an environmentally friendly and kid-safe cleaner and spray down the toy.
For a more aggressive germ-killing clean, you can soak plastic toys in a solution of bleach and water. Remember to properly dilute bleach when using because too much bleach can be harsh and dangerous. A good cleaning solution would be to mix ½ cup of bleach with 1 gallon of water.
If you’re using any cleaning agents, remember to always rinse the toy afterward. This ensures that there are not any leftover chemicals that could cause a reaction. Cleaning your toys should be a quick and easy step to maintain both the product and protect your health. You should remember to clean toys on a regular basis.
Most beach toys are made of plastic, which means that they are durable enough to withstand being washed and submerged in water. However, not all plastic can withstand extreme heat. The product’s packaging should provide cleaning instructions and state whether the toy is dishwasher safe. For most toys, if it is dishwasher safe, it is best to place it on the top rack only. For toys that are not dishwasher safe, you can clean them using any of the methods we described.
Q: Are All Toys Suitable For All Children?
While all toys are suitable for adults and many adults will love to engage and play with their children, not all toys are suitable for all children. Most companies give a recommended age, limit, or range on their toys. These are provided to ensure that the toy is being used safely according to the child’s age.
Even though most toys are suitable for a wide range of ages, some toys are better kept to their age-specific category. A baby cannot be expected to play a game of catch and an older child may not appreciate molding sand all day.
Along with the age recommendations, some toys may include parts that are too small for some children. Toys that are too small will pose as a choking hazard for children who are prone to putting things in their mouths. Most children who shove objects in their mouths fall in the toddler age range.
Toys that present a choking hazard will be properly labeled and clearly state age. However, if you have a small child, it’s best to ensure that they are supervised when they play.
Q: Are Plastic Toys Safe?
It depends on the plastic used for the toy. It’s said that PVC toys contain harmful chemicals like phthalates and BPA, so they aren’t the best choice for your kids. Luckily, people are more aware of this nowadays, so many modern toys are made to be green – completely phthalate and BPA-free. When talking about a specific material, polypropylene is probably the safest plastic for toys.
Q: How To Store Beach Toys?
It’s best to store beach toys in a bag or box with openings on the sides and bottom. This allows water and sand to get out, so you don’t make a mess in your car or at home. It also allows the toys to completely dry, which is important for non-plastic toys. A good toy storage options are laundry baskets, milk crates, and mesh bins and bags.
Q: What Should Kids Bring To The Beach?
While having fun on the beach, it’s important that your child is protected in the sun. So, in addition to some great beach toys we listed, you should bring a few more items when going to the beach with kids. A good sunscreen is necessary to bring, especially because child skin is even more sensitive to sunburns. You should also think about bringing a beach tent where your child can rest in the shade. Furthermore, your child needs a good beach towel to dry off, as well as a change of clothes when it’s time to go home.
Q: What Games Can You Play At The Beach?
If you’re a little creative, there are plenty of games for kids on the beach. Even if you forgot to bring toys from home, there is fun stuff to do. Games like ‘how low can you go’, limbo, or hopscotch are great options if you don’t have a ball. If you have a ball, you can play beach bowling or volleyball. Of course, you and your child can always have fun building a sandcastle.
Globo Surf Overview
When it comes to entertainment on the beach, finding the best sand beach toys for kids is important. Selecting a toy that fits both the age and ability of the child can make a beach day a success. Whether you choose plastic molding pieces to play in the sand or specially designed rackets for a game of catch, your child is sure to make lasting memories.