Gransnet forums

Ask a gran

Beach tips please 1 year old baby on beach

(56 Posts)
Abuelana Sat 13-Jun-20 13:26:12

My granddaughter is 1 and we’ve started to take her on the bevy in the mornings. We live in Spain. We go early in the morning and home for lunch time. Do any of you have tips for taking babies to the beach? The only one I can remember is talc and a small paint brush for getting sand off feet and legs ?

Oopsminty Sat 13-Jun-20 13:29:49

I was living in the Canaries when I had my first child. We regularly took her to the beach.

Lots of sunscreen and that was about all we did. Wash the sand off at home.

Her father was Spanish and it was the norm for parents of babies to just toss the little ones into the sea

I managed to prevent that from happening!

BlueBelle Sat 13-Jun-20 13:36:40

No please don’t use talc it’s kinda outlawed for babies after it was believed to be carcinogenic not sure if it was ever proved or not someone else will know
Living by the beach my children and grandchildren have all grown up in the sand and sea water I have never taken anything special apart from a nice fluffy big towel When you r ready to go home lay the towel out on the beach or prom take the baby to the sea and dip it in and out a few times (naked is best if they re only little) then wrap them up in the towel and a nice warm bath or shower when you get back to the house/apartment/ hotel
Never had a baby sit still long enough to fiddle with paint brushes ???

Grammaretto Sat 13-Jun-20 13:56:57

A sunhat is vital. Cover the child either in sunscreen or a mini wetsuit.

My very fair and freckled DGC love the beach but if even a patch of skin doesn't have factor 50 sunscreen, there's sunburn and I'm talking about Scotland in Summer.
My DGC in NZ has to wear a hat to school every day. It's normal because of the hole in the ozone layer.

There are real dangers in tanning.

SkyBird Sat 13-Jun-20 13:59:37

I too live in Spain and on the coast. When my Grandchildren were younger I bought a beach tent so that they could completely shield from the sun. Depending on the sea conditions one of those rubber rings with an inbuilt seat are ideal. Most beaches have water taps for cleaning the sand from your legs and feet. Have fun I love going to the beach with children.

MawB Sat 13-Jun-20 14:10:07

“Bevy” abuelena ?
Drinking in the mornings?

Abuelana Sat 13-Jun-20 14:41:49

Omg bevy !!! If I didn’t have her I’d certainly be having a wee bevy

MawB Sat 13-Jun-20 14:45:03

Predictive text I assume! gringrin

Callistemon Sat 13-Jun-20 14:46:52

A very large rug.
At that age my DD refused to put her feet on the sand!

The UV suits or all-in-ones are good, you don't have to keep putting on sunscreen. You can buy hats to match with neck flaps.
www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/ocean-2piece-sun-protection-suit-e1867.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIscD1zPb-6QIV0u3tCh3XrgX6EAQYAiABEgKiI_D_BwE
Other makes are available and I think these are out of stock at the moment.

Grammaretto Sat 13-Jun-20 18:47:24

That's what I was thinking of Callistemon
Keep em covered up.

I took DD to the Med when she was 6 months old. She kept her hat on and I slathered her with baby sun cream but she was blissfully happy.
Things are different now though.

I can still feel the pain of the sunstroke I had after swimming at midday on a beach in Southern Italy 50 years ago. I have had skin cancer too.
No I wasn't meant to be exposed to the sun..

Urmstongran Sat 13-Jun-20 19:16:07

Take an empty container to the beach & fill it with seawater to rinse off little feet.

Riverwalk Sat 13-Jun-20 19:40:10

On the bevy! grin

welbeck Sat 13-Jun-20 19:47:54

some young children of this age do not actually like the sensation of sand on their feet, the movement of the water, so be prepared for that. it may not be a treat for them, if they are too young, it may just disconcert them.
agree with others above re the dangers of sun damage, and even with a tent, unless it is completely dark inside, the UV is hitting whatever is in there. still need to cover up.
dont stay out too long in the sun esp with children.

Sussexborn Sat 13-Jun-20 19:57:39

The biggest danger from talc was that it was showered over our bottoms when our nappies were changed. It then sometimes, worked it’s way up to the ovaries and was thought to be a possible cause of cancer. Not sure if this was from a study or an expert “opinion”.

We had a sort of half tent affair with special fabric to keep the sun off the children. I was the one who really needed it as I burn hanging out the washing and the children have inherited OHs skin luckily.

Callistemon Sat 13-Jun-20 21:42:03

You can buy UV beach tents, where the baby could have a sleep if needed.

Yes, those hats are part of the school uniform in Australia too, Gramaretto. And huge canopies where they can sit and have lunch or have some lessons outside.

Apricity Sun 14-Jun-20 00:33:08

Having spent many decades taking children and then grandchildren to Ozzie beaches just keep it simple. Some little ones don't like the feeling of sand on their feet so just sit them on the towel and carry them to the water. Take a towel, sunhat, maybe a beach tent depending on how long you plan to stay at the beach (can be useful for a nap), baby sunscreen, some insect cream if needed, the old classic bucket and spade, plastic cups are good for sand play for little hands, drinking water, some pre cut up snacks in plastic containers such as watermelon pieces, bananas, or favourite nibbles. Never heard of taking talc and now frowned on anyway. Then just sit back, watch and enjoy.

DamnYankee Sun 14-Jun-20 00:54:06

No talc. Are you thinking of mineral sunscreen, perhaps?
Liquid Sunscreen. Hat. Beach tent if possible.
Snacks. Fruit with lots of water content. Melons! Berries!
Lots of water. Extra inexpensive bottled water to wash off little feet.
Change of clothes.
Swim diapers!
Toys PP have suggested.
So much fun! Enjoy!

BlueBelle Sun 14-Jun-20 05:18:56

Haha Damnyankee keep it simple ........you need a blooming handcart for that lot you ll forget the baby with all that to sort out

Esspee Sun 14-Jun-20 07:46:25

My children were brought up in the Caribbean. Young children are kept inside from 10am to 4pm. If the whole family went to the beach then maximum shade was provided by coconut or preferably almond trees or a beach umbrella.
Regarding talc - my training was in geology. Talc and asbestos are chemically and structurally very similar and in those days talcum powder often contained asbestos as they occur together in nature. Even if the talc was pure the fibrous structure was so similar to asbestos that I considered it potentially hazardous. For this reason I banned the use of talc on my children. My mother fought me hard on this subject as to her talc was essential for drying off little bottoms.
Eventually talc was removed from baby powder in this country. I believe cornflower is now used but I am not entirely sure about that.
Overseas talc is still used so when buying dusting powder products do check the contents.

mimismo Sun 14-Jun-20 09:39:05

We took a small inflatable pool, only 18 inches or so in diameter, and put a couple of inches of water in that for our babe. He got giddy with waves going in and out when he was a toddler.

Shortlegs Sun 14-Jun-20 09:41:15

On the bevy? No harm in starting them young.

Aepgirl Sun 14-Jun-20 09:45:57

Talc is a definite NO. Sun screen is the most essential as are parasols.

Nanny100 Sun 14-Jun-20 09:48:23

Abuelena, I find a small blow up paddling pool brilliant for the beach. You can sit the baby in it with lots of toys and they don’t get as sandy as sitting on a towel. It stops them grabbing handfuls of sand and eating it. You can get lightweight foot pumps to blow it up. I also find a beach parasol better than those beach tents, because they can trap the heat and get hot. Those giant pegs for keeping towels on sun beds are useful to clip a towel and clothing to the parasol to prove extra shade and keep clothes off the sand.
One of those collapsible water carriers are great for having clean water with you.
Have fun!

RosesAreRed21 Sun 14-Jun-20 09:51:35

Talc is a brilliant way of getting sand out of their little toes and legs

fluff Sun 14-Jun-20 10:08:05

I did see once that someone had taken a plastic sheet, or shower curtain with them , they dug a shallow dip in the sand, lined it with the plastic and then filled it with water , An umbrella over the top provided shade ,so that the baby had its own little Shaded paddling pool on the beach, Obviously you would need to keep a good watch on the baby for safety, but I can imagine that a baby would happily play in that and keep cool at the same time.