This is why you should bring a shower curtain liner to the beach

In Lieu of Preschool

Going to the beach is the quintessential family activity. Whether you are 8 months old, 8 years old or 80 years old, nothing beats a day at the beach. However, if you are a parent of an infant or toddler, a beach day can often turn into a stressful event. Not only do you have to worry about the harmful rays of the sun and potential sharp rocks or glass in the sand, but you also have the entire ocean to contend with.

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Parents are right to be cautious. About one in five children who drown are under 14 years old, and the CDC says, “For every child who dies from drowning, another five receive emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries.”

But don’t worry. There are ways to enjoy the beach safely with young children, including this awesome tip that comes from In Lieu of Preschool.

The mom of two suggests that every parent of a small child should bring a shower curtain liner to the beach. Sounds crazy, right?

How To Use It

You can use the shower curtain liner to create a little “mini-ocean” for your children in the sand. Simply dig a wide, shallow hole in the sand. Then take the shower curtain liner and lay it on top of the hole, making sure to tuck the ends into the sand so that it stays firmly in place.

Now, fill it up with water (have the bigger kids help cart buckets of water from the ocean — they will love to help). Put a few toys in, and voila! You have a safe, fun mini-ocean for your little ones to play in. Best of all, instead of having to stand anxiously in the water, you can simply lounge on the sand (or even hop in with them!).

The other cool thing about this idea is that a shower curtain liner is also perfect for beach-eating. Instead of sitting on a damp towel, you can lay out a shower curtain liner and picnic without sitting on the hot sand or a soggy beach blanket.

I think this would also be a clever idea for water tables. You can spread it out on your lawn under your water table or kiddie pool, and it will help keep your grass from turning into a giant mud puddle and also keep your kids’ feet from getting sticky with grass and dirt.

Water sensory table
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Best of all, shower curtain liners are super cheap and they are easy to clean and reuse.

A shower curtain isn’t the only helpful household item that makes beach life easier: You’ll want to bring a fitted sheet and a laundry basket, too.

Use Fitted Sheet For A Sand-Free Zone

This idea from Team Johnson is genius. The beach is amazing, but the sand you bring back with you from the beach is not. Simply bring a fitted sheet from home. Once you’ve got your fitted sheet, you’ll want to place bags in each corner to successfully create your sand-free zone.

Team Johnson

Use A Laundry Bag For The Beach Toy Bag

Use a laundry bag to prevent sand from gathering in the bottom of your beach bag and creating an unwanted mess. The Idea Room suggests using a mesh laundry bag to keep beach toys together, and relatively sand-free.

Get a mesh laundry bag here for about $6.

The Idea Room

Just don’t forget the sunscreen!

[h/t: TipHero]

Parenting, Travel
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About the Author
Bridget Sharkey
Bridget Sharkey is a freelance writer covering pop culture, beauty, food, health and nature. Visit Scripps News to see more of Bridget's work.

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