On my most recent beach vacation, I learned that having the right beach toys will keep young kids occupied for hours — especially if, like my 2-year-old, they’re too small for or are afraid of the water. The toys also give the adults some precious time to themselves to read a book, tan, or doze alongside them on the sand. While most children (mine included) would be happy with a basic shovel and bucket, upping their sand-play game with a few more exciting toys will keep everybody happier for longer. Below, I rounded up the best beach toy for every age, including some personal favorites — all tested by my own kids and their friends — plus a few others that look especially fun for adults and little beach bums alike.
All the kids at Hither Hills beach in Montauk were playing with this “surfer dude” that you throw into the waves and always comes surfing back to shore. My 5-year-old was obsessed with tossing it into the water and running after to retrieve it, which, incidentally, made him braver about playing in the waves. We bought him his own “Maui Martian” at the local beach store, and he brought it everywhere with him.
We got a version of this set from Hape years ago to use at the playground, but it’s also perfect for the beach. I love how sturdy and smooth the plastic is (which isn’t the case for all sand toys, I’ve noticed). And the bucket is small enough for my toddler to carry around. Our set included this shovel that also doubles as a water toy.
I love the idea of this bricklayer set, also from Hape.
Unsurprisingly, Green Toys also makes some really nice beach toys. Our friends brought this set, and it was great for building sandcastles and holding water.
This watering can — an essential beach toy, in my opinion — was also a hit.
Another personal favorite. This dump truck is on the smaller size, making it perfect for toddlers.
Who knew that “baking” at the beach was such a popular beach pastime? The kids loved putting “cinnamon” and other “ingredients” in the measuring cups then pouring the “batter” into the bowl and mixing away.
It was this ice cream set, however, that was the MVP among the 2-year-olds. They spent half the day scooping and giving out ice cream to everyone. They loved when I put scoops of sand on their legs. They cackled over spilling their ice cream and asking for more. They also made birthday cakes with the candles (which, admittedly, are small and hard to keep track of in the sand).
Strategist senior writer Liza Corsillo’s 1-year-old son Arlo loves this set from B. toys. It comes with a wagon, which not only is a convenient container for all the toys, but also a great plaything itself. “Arlo didn’t want to go in the water, but we filled the wagon up and he played with dumping sand in for probably 30 minutes,” she says. “We were also able to put a hermit crab in there with some water so he could watch it crawl around.”
For the unicorn lover. This set was also a hit among the younger kids. It comes with a steamroller truck that leaves imprints in the sand, which endlessly delighted everyone — even the boys, who had no interest in unicorns.
Long-handled shovels for older kids who want to dig giant holes.
Here’s another beach hack I learned. A giant tub like this is great for transporting all the sand toys to and from the beach. Once you’re there, fill it up with water and use it as a sink to wash sandy hands and fill up smaller buckets and squirters. That way, you won’t have to keep running back and forth with tiny buckets of water. (Because the kids will always ask for more water.)
Our beach rental came with a bunch of cool toys, and this was one of our favorites. You attach the bungeed ball to a hook on the catcher and let go, flinging it into the sky. It was fun for the adults but also easy enough for my 5-year-old to play with.
How about beach lacrosse? Srategist senior editor Winnie Yang first encountered this on vacation in Jamaica and says all the kids were into it.
And for something more low-key, Strategist senior editor Hilary Reid loves this Velcro game of catch.
Someone will inevitably want to throw a football around with you.
Yang also saw this full-face snorkel in Jamaica — then back at the pool in New York City, where she saw a kid using it during his swimming lesson. (For more goggles, head here.)
And finally, some beach balls.
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