Beach Vacation Activities for Adults and Children

Beach Vacation Activities for Adults and Children

Although the beach is a great place to kick back, relax and work on your tan (without exposing yourself to too many harmful UV rays), it’s also a great place for activities.  A family beach vacation doesn’t just have to be about lazing around because there are going to be a lot of things you can do.  If you’re going on a beach vacation with a special needs child, you’ll find that the atmosphere will be particularly conducive to your child’s mental well-being and growth.  There’s something relaxing about the sound of the waves and knowing that there’s no work to be done.  And this applies to adults as well as children.  The following is just a sampling of the myriad beach vacation activities for adults and children.    

Swimming.  Whether you’re a strong swimmer going for mile-long swims or just someone who likes to splash around in the water, swimming is always a fun and relaxing activity.  If you’re still teaching your children how to swim, keep in mind that it’s usually safer to do this in a pool.  However, if your children already know the basics, there’s no harm in letting them swim in the sea as long as there’s an adult to keep an eye on them.  Make sure to use waterproof sunblock and keep replacing it every hour or two to avoid sunburn.  If you’re going with a special needs child, you’ll find that swimming will help them to relax and take away the pressure they may feel at school or during their daily activities.  And this relaxation will in turn help them concentrate better when they get back.

Walking on the Beach.  Walking on the beach is always a romantic and meditative activity for adults.  Children will probably love crowded boardwalks while you and your spouse might prefer it when things are a bit calmer.  If you can manage to get a babysitter for an evening, why not take your spouse for a romantic walk on the beach at sunset?  You can even get dinner at a candlelit beach restaurant and make a night of it.

Collecting Shells, Making Arts and Crafts.  Most kids love collecting shells, even partially broken ones.  For special needs children, this can be a constructive activity that keeps them busy for hours on end, occupying both, the mind and body.  So give your kids a bucket and encourage them to start looking, without wandering too far.  Once they have a number of shells collected, you can get some glue and start making arts and crafts with it.  You can decorate pens, pencils, pencil boxes, picture frames etc. with shells.  Encourage your special needs children to think in creative ways so that they can use what they’ve collected.

Sandcastles.  Who doesn’t like playing with the sand and creating a piece of art at the same time?  You can either make sandcastles or other sand sculptures like mermaids, fishes, shells etc.  Encourage children to work together in a team, getting water, digging and sculpting to create something beautiful.  For special needs children, this will be a mentally relaxing and rejuvenating activity which will also teach them valuable life lessons about getting along with others.

Contact us for more interesting beach activities for children and adults.