How I got my kid to love the beach

Tori Bowman Johnson

Tori Bowman Johnson

Tori, a freelance writer, has worked in production, talent management & branding since her agency role at Vivien’s Model Management in Melbourne in 2011. Tori has recently launched, The First Word; a conversational podcast for women, particularly those who juggle young children & paid work. Tori is also a very proud mum of two little boys.
Created on Aug 23, 2024 · 8 mins read
How I got my kid to love the beach

My child hated the beach. And then, in a matter of 1 week, we couldn’t get him to leave!


I have little doubt I’m the only one with a child who really dislikes the beach. Cries at the sight of it. Sits to face away from the ocean. Hides under a towel. Refuses to go within 5 metres of the water.

My son adores the pool. He loves the bath. But sand? Waves? Glare? And wind? He’ll pass – please and thank you. 

I cannot stress enough how much Hamish (4.5y) sincerely disliked the beach until last week. Even if I was to drive past the ocean, he’d spot the blue from a mile away and shriek, “NO! Mum, I do NOT want to go to the beach.” 

Given we live in WA, just 5 minutes from Cottesloe Beach, this is somewhat of an issue for 6-8 months of the year.

The ocean is sacred to me. The fresh salty air breeds as much nostalgia as it does clarity, calmness and perspective. I love it, and quite frankly, I need it.

So having my child be allergic is so not ideal. 

But just last week, it all changed. 

On a family trip to Exmouth WA, we were unsure of what to expect. Fishing, surfing, snorkelling, and swimming in the ocean – pretty much a torture regime for my prescooler. How would this go down? 

I’ll tell you, BRILLIANTLY.

Our little guy did it all. Surfed with his day, snorkelled over reef and amongst schools of fish, swam until we had to bribe him with a lollipop, and didn’t complain once. My heart was so full.

So, what changed? 

I’ve pinned it down to a few things, and lucky for you, I’m in the mood to share.

Invest in a wetsuit for them


I cannot stress just how game changing this purchase was. All of a sudden Hamish didn’t feel the chill from rolling waves paired with an ocean breeze. The wetsuit kept him warm for the duration of his beach visit, and with warmth came comfort. 

Whether he was playing in the shallows, snorkelling, surfing (with his dad), collecting shells and building sandcastles on the beach, or flying a kite on the windier days – he was warm and comfortable. He even learned (thanks to his dad’s hot tip) that if he did a wee mid swim, it’d heat the whole wetsuit up. 

Ahhh, the Aussie life, right? Can’t help but love it. 

The other upsides to a wetsuit is the full body sun protection and extra bit of buoyancy. Even when paired with a life-vest or floaties, the more buoyant they are, the safer and more secure they’ll feel. 

Parent hack: Wetsuits can be tricky to get over wriggly, impatient little legs. If you pop their leg into a plastic bag before you squeeze them into it, it’ll glide on easily. The plastic bag is then handy to scoop up a wet and sandy wetsuit at the end of the day. 


Go with other children who love to swim


Kids are motivated and encouraged by their peers. Simply being surrounded by other children close to his age (older and younger), gave my son the ability to watch their experience and witness the fun they had.

In his own time, he could observe and process their thoughts. “ I guess that looks ok? I think I can do that too … I want to give it a go.” 

When we first arrived at the beach on day one, Hamish sat in the beach tent for a good 30-45 minutes playing with his transformer. You could tell her was curious but not confident enough…yet. We let him be and slowly, inch by inch he gravitated towards the water. Before we knew it, he told us, “I want to go swimming,” and off he went. 

From then on, he beat me into the water every other day. 


Pack shade and sunglasses


By the time you’ve packed for the beach, the hefty beach bags can make easily make you go, “Oh just forget about the cabana, the tent or the umbrella. It’s all too much to carry – we’ll be fine without it.”

No, you (they) won’t be. Other than the sun protection perk, beach tents are a space to decompress, observe, and recluse when kids feel overstimulated. In new and overwhelming environments such as the beach, that goes a long way.

It helps them feel ‘tap out’ when they need a break. Otherwise, they may tire out very quickly. Patience and tolerance isn’t something kids have a lot of, so it can be valuable to offer them some relief from the elements. 

The more comfortable they remain, the fewer negative associations they’ll attach to their feelings towards the beach.

On the topic of shade, sunglasses for children (including babies and toddlers) are not just for the ‘cute’ factor. Providing protective eyewear will protect little eyes from the sun’s harsh glare. 

Again – comfort, comfort, comfort. 

Avoid pushing or pressuring


It’s pretty awful to be dunked in cold water when you do not want to be (and don’t even get me started on splashing.) Even at 34 years of age, I’d feel so annoyed if someone dunked me against my will. 

Truth moment – my husband and I only learned this when our second son came along. We used to carry Hamish out into the water and dunk him under with us thinking he’d love the experience. How wrong we were. He hated it and forever after associated that deep upset with the beach in general. 

I don’t blame him. 

Letting your kids approach the water in their own time is such a powerful thing. They can build confidence, comfort and readiness – and harness a sense of control. 

It could take days, weeks, months or (in my case) years to broach the shoreline – but it’s worth it. 

Going left field - baby powder


This is another fabulous little hack. When sand (especially really fine white sand) gets stuck in the nooks and crannies of your child’s nappy regions, it can be almost impossible to remove – even in the shower or bath. 

You want to avoid ‘wiping’ this delicate area too roughly as it can quickly cause irritation and discomfort. Imagine someone wiping sandpaper near your privates … ouch!

In your beach bag, pack some baby powder. After their swim, lay your child down and gently disperse a few puffs of powder on their skin. The powder will instantly absorb the moisture that is causing the sand to stick. 

From here, very gently dust off the area with a dry towel. Like magic it’s gone, leaving smooth skin in its wake.

Goggles and/or a snorkel mask 

A fear of the beach often includes a fear of the unknown and what lies beneath. Just like a pool where kids love to wear goggles to see the bottom, goggles (or a snorkel) work charm here.

We found that it added a sense of control to Hamish’s experience and gave him the option to look or close his eyes.

Goggles and/or a snorkel also tugged on his curiosity. Hamish would be thrilled when he spotted shells or schools of fish. It encouraged him to put his head under the water, which is often the scariest part. 

Slip, slop, slap before you get onto the sand


This one might sound obvious but it’s easy to forget when you’re in a hurry. 

Before you leave the house or get out of the car, make it your absolute goal to get those kids smothered in SPF50.

Applying sunscreen on the sand is always horrible – 99% of the time they resist it. They run, they fall, they cry, they scream. It’s rough for everyone.

This added ‘trauma’ will just add to their negative associations to the overall beach experience – so do yourself a favour and cream up before arrival. 

Help them feel clean and dry


Kids, like adults, like to feel dry, warm and clean after a day on the beach rather than wet, cold and sandy. 

Packing a spare pair of clothes (even if you leave it in the car) is a nice touch. 

My husband purchased a fabulous gadget by ONTAP (see here). It’s a nifty little portable shower for camping or beaching adventures. 

Keeping it full and in your boot means that you can quickly shower the kids post-beach, or at least de-sand their feet.

Wrapping it up


While this list of tips may seem cumbersome, I really believe that if you adopt at least 2 of them, your child will feel more comfortable at the beach…and maybe even like it! 

As I said earlier, it might take patience and some trial and error. But if you, like me, really want your kids to enjoy the beach like you do, you have to put in some work to help the little tackers out. 

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