It’s summer, and that means plenty of people will be vacationing at the beach. It’s a perfect time to plan a birthday party on the beach or throw together an impromptu beach party with your nieces and nephews – one that adults and their kids can both enjoy together. To keep the kids happy and occupied during your beach party, keep the following tips in mind:

1. Have plenty of sun tan lotion and visors on hand to keep sunburns from happening. Make sure to slather it on throughout the party.

2. Organize a series of sand contests and activities. These include: sand-castle building, burying people in the sand, sand relay races, etc.

Use beach pails for the kids’ birthday party goody bags. They are bright, inexpensive, and festive. Better yet, they will be used by the kids in future! Make sure to write their names on the pails, so they can easily be given out.

3. When the children are in the ocean, even if only wading, make sure there is an adult supervising the kids closely.

4. Create a Beach Scavenger Hunt. Provide the children with a list of natural items to find on the beach, and give a set amount of time for the kids to find the items. Make sure adults are designated to hunt with each team for supervision.

5. Pack beach picnic lunches in sand pails, including sandwiches cut into castle shapes, mini carrot packages, granola bars, gold fish crackers, and juice boxes to make serving easy and thematic.

A great summer-time dessert that the kids are bound to love at your party this season are “Beach Pails,” and they are easy to make too! This is also a treat you could send in to school with your child to celebrate the end of the year and beginning of summer. Take a clear cup, and fill it with banana pudding, vanilla pudding layered with bananas and Vanilla Wafers; and then crush Vanilla Wafers for the look of sand. Top it off with sea life like gummy fishy, and then add an umbrella parasol. Sounds simple and yummy! Enjoy!

It doesn’t take much to organize beach games, snacks, and fun while at the beach. The main tip is to have plenty of supervision on hand.

Photo: pat138241
Published: June 19, 2012