The handy beach essentials worth packing this summer
We spend all year looking forward to summer days spent by the beach in Australia. Sun, sand, and surf is what we're known for, and there's nothing we love more than packing a bag, heading out and whiling away the long days laying on a towel, swimming in the ocean with our friends and family. However, beach days can be a mission without the right accessories.
Whether you're a parent looking to keep the kids shaded and mosquito-bite free, or you're heading to a beach picnic with friends and need something to help you carry your snacks, planning the ultimate volleyball tournament, or hoping to catch some rays while relaxing in your chair or on your towel, we know just what it is you need.
Check out our ultimate list of summer beach and pool essentials.
Beach Toy Mesh Shell Collecting Bag
Shell collection is an important beach activity for any young kid, and this year, you won't have to be the one following behind carrying their treasures. This mesh shell collecting bag will do the sandy work for you, and even better, give them a place to store the shells once they bring them home, without bringing the whole beach home with you.
PandaEar Portable Baby Booster Seat
Bub needs a spot to sit at the beach too! Especially if you're planning to be there for a couple of hours, you can make feeding easy with this portable booster from PandaEar. With a compact folding design and a matching carry bag, it'll be easy to throw this one in with the rest of your beach gear.
NewLyfe Kids Sand Free Beach Towel
Sand-resistant towels are all the rage at the moment! And since kids have a habit of getting sand literally everywhere, why not give them a helping hand with this NewLyfe towel? Featuring fun prints like sharks, flamingos, dinosaurs and summery fruits, this accessory will save you plenty of time when it comes to cleaning off all the sand.
WAHU Bluey Footy Ball
Games in the water are a summer staple for kids and adults alike, and Wahu have been providing the goods for years now. This time, they've given us a little Bluey-themed football with waterproof neoprene skin, making it an ideal toy to toss around the waves.
Mac Sports Folding Beach Trolley
Instead of lumbering all the drinks, food, games and towels in your backpack, make it easier with a beach trolley. This one from Mac Sports can hold up 136kg of weight, comes with cargo nets to keep everything in the trolley and has drink holders and pouches to store the smaller items while you have a swim.
Hiturbo Microfiber Wetsuit Changing Towel
There's always a line up at the public toilets while everyone tries to change from their soaking swimming costume and into something more comfortable. Instead of joining the queue, you can easily and discretely get changed with this poncho towel.
Inflatable 20-Inch Beach Balls, three pack
You can't go to the beach without a beach ball, right? Now you can take three!
JoyGrow Sandcastle Building Kit
There is something so nostalgic about building a sandcastle. While we used to just have a shovel and pail, this kit has everything you need to build the castle of your little one's dreams.
Bahoki Essentials Beach Drink Cup Holder
Another nifty beach must-have, these drink holders will sit easily in the sand and keep your drink from falling over. They can also double as a place to pop your phone to keep it sand- and sea-free.
BuzzPatch Mosquito Patch Stickers
While mozzie bites come hand-in-hand with summer, BuzzPatch have come up with a solution that'll keep the kids bite-free. These Mosquito Patch Stickers repel mozzies with natural, plant-based ingredients using safe essential oil combination. You can also read our review of them here.
Chillbo SWAGGINS Inflatable Lounge Hammock
Relax to the max in this lounge-hammock hybrid from the aptly named Chillbo Swaggins. This inflatable chair can be moved easily to and from the beach, and will make for the ultimate comfy seat or bed for a day of snoozing on the sand in the sun.
JBL Flip Essential Portable Waterproof Speaker
Portable speakers are great for setting a vibe at your outdoor gatherings, and JBL's Flip Essential Portable Waterproof Speaker, now $98, is one of the top choices! Enjoy 10 hours of playing time and quality sound on the move.
Danmu Colorful Beach Towel Clips for Beach Chair
You didn't know you needed them until now, but these beach towel clips from Danmu are a total game-changer. Stop your towel from flying away by clipping it to your chair, or your beach tent if you want to give it some time to dry out. Grab eight of these colourful numbers for just $11.57.
Gorich 3-Person Beach Shade Tent
Gorich's 3-person beach tent is a must-have for the summer. With high-quality silver-coated fabric to ensure proper anti-UV effects, as well as a simple fold for easy storage and set up, this is one of the best beach tents on the market.
Towel Bands (4 Pack)
Sick of your towel flapping around in the breeze? Slide one of these Towel Bands over it to secure it to your comfy beach chair, and set yourself up for hours of reading, relaxing, or sleeping in the sunshine.
Polaroid Underwater Camera
Polaroid cameras are making a big comeback as younger generations find the novelty of instant printing and single copies. Why not extend that novelty to the beach with an underwater Polaroid? You can grab one on Amazon for just $129.95.
Portable Outdoor Inflatable Travel Pillow
So long as you've slipped, slopped, slapped, we think it's acceptable to snooze on the sand. Get yourself ultra-comfy with this portable outdoor pillow from Generic. Coming in a pack of two for just $17.37, gift yourself some rest as you head out to enjoy the warm weather.
Neoprene Floating Drink Holder
Keep your drink close by with these neoprene floating holders, which feature a fruity, summery print that'll enhance your existing beach gear. While it might not be ideal for floating among the waves, you can stick it beside you in the sand, it's great for pool days.
Vogshow Cooler Backpack
Make beach picnics that much easier with this ultra-convenient cooler backpack from Vogshow. The roomy bag can hold up to 40 330mL drink cans, if you even need that many! You can also use it for storing food and cutlery, making it the perfect companion to bring along for a day of sand and surf.
Kindle Paperwhite Reader
While we love a beach read, waterlogged pages and sand in the spine is never a good thing for our favourite books. Keep them safe by grabbing yourself a Kindle, for $239, which can hold all your books all at once, while weighing just 205 grams.
READ MORE: Which Kindle is right for you? We road test the Oasis, Paperwhite and basic model
PROGRACE Kids Waterproof Digital Camera
This mini-video camera is an awesome gift for kids who love the water and want to capture their seaside adventures. With a CMOS image sensor, 40 built-in photo frames, seven colour video modes, 4x digital zoom, burst shooting, time-lapse photos and face recognition, this is the perfect device to get their creative juices flowing.
Sport-Brella Versa-Brella SPF 50+
It's important to keep yourself protected from the harsh Aussie sun in between your stints of swimming, and while sunscreen will work wonders, the Sport-Brella Versa-Brella will help keep you protected and cool. Promising UPF 50+ protection, this umbrella will keep you safe from 99.5 per cent of UVA and UVB rays, and can be adjusted to various angles to protect you from the moving sun.
Décor Lunch Box Ice Pack
The perfect accessory for your picnic basket, keep your food nice and chilled with the help of these lunch box ice packs from Décor. At just $3.75 for a pack of two, these are a bargain item that you'll also use in lunchboxes once school starts up again.
WILD AUSSIE Compact Folding Chair
We all need a comfy chair for the beach, especially if we're planning a whole day outing. No one wants to sit among the sand for too long – that stuff gets everywhere! This compact camping chair folds up super small, so you can easily fit it in your beach bag, and features a nautical, striped print we absolutely adore.
HapTim Waterproof Picnic Backpack
If you're in the market for a picnic basket that's easy to carry, why not grab yourself a backpack instead? This HapTim bag has everything: a cooler compartment, a detachable bottle or wine holder and a fleece blanket. Best of all, it's $109.99 on Amazon!
ProCase Universal Waterproof Phone Case
Ease any anxieties about dropping your phone in the ocean with the ProCase Universal Waterproof Phone Case. With a simple snap lock for easy access, you'll be able to keep water, and sand, from creeping into your charging port and enjoy the beach freely.
JISULIFE Handheld Portable Mini Fan
The beach does get incredibly hot on those mid-summer days, so why not bring a fan along to keep yourself cool? The JISULIFE portable mini fan is the perfect size to hold in your hand, and costs just $24.99 on Amazon.
Franklin Sports Volleyball Net Sets - Backyard and Beach Set
What's a beach day without a little competitive sport? While beach cricket is often a favourite, this volleyball net set from Franklin Sports will get the whole family on their feet. Including a net with poles, a carry bag for convenience, and a cloth volleyball with a pump, you have everything you need to get a family tournament going.
Joseph Joseph Loop Vacuum Insulated Water Bottle
It's important to keep hydrated while laying out in the hot sun, and this vacuum insulated water bottle from Joseph Joseph will keep your water nice, cold and refreshing. With double-walled stainless steel construction, and a heat-reflecting layer, it can keep liquid cold for up to 24 hours.
SUNDAYS LEISURE Insulated Picnic Basket
Pack all your snacks in this insulated basked from Sundays Leisure to save yourself from exorbitant beach kiosk prices. With a generous 25L capacity, you can fit a day's worth of food and drinks in to bring along.
Microfibre Mandala Beach Burger Towel
If you're in the market for a fun towel for yourself, as well as the kids, this burger-print mandala towel from KECELWEL is a great option. Doubling as a mat for the beach or a park picnic, this towel will brighten anyone's day.
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