For people all around the world, summer equals time at the beach. We love it. Sand, sea, or lake — for some even an ocean —and our mood goes up instantly. Relaxing at the beach is the best thing to do. But even at the beach, you have to find some beach activities. Your kids love swimming, but what else can you do? Well, today, we will look at a couple of beach games for kids.
Kids want as much action as they can get. And these fun games will definitely provide that. Shovels and buckets will keep them occupied for hours building sand castles, but we have many more beach games that will keep your toddler or even older kids busy.
We picked a couple of interesting games that promote teamwork, keep the laughter in the group, and even stimulate their brain to do the work. Let’s go.
1. Printable Escape Rooms
Do you want to get some off-screen fun for your kid? With printable escape room games, your kid can wander with his mind and enter a completely new reality. And he doesn’t need a VR kit to do it.
Escape room games are a perfect mixture of logical puzzles, fun games, and activities that improve teamwork and brain stimulation.
Kids definitely have a real blast playing escape room games. One of them is the Wooka Booka Island, a game in which kids are put on a mysterious island with four animal kingdoms and a treasure chest. Your younger kids have to solve the puzzles and challenges to get the lost treasure. Sounds fun, right?
2. Beach Ball Race
You can’t have a list of beach games for kids without including a beach ball. There are so many games you can play with a beach ball, but let’s start with a race. Besides the ball, you will need a whistle and a timer. Good news — you have a timer on your smartphone!
To play this game, give each player a beach ball, and set up a start and finish line. When you blow the whistle, players have to sit on top of the ball, balance their bodies, and reach the finish line on it.
Players can’t use anything but their legs to balance the ball. If they hold it with their hands, they are automatically disqualified.
Let’s get that competitive spirit going!
3. Coastal Clues
Here is a fun game you can use to find out more about the sea. Your kids can learn a ton by playing this educational game.
Start by creating a list of items you can find at the sea. For example, a lifeguard, a seagull, a sand castle, and everything else.
Your kids have to locate these items and complete the beach scavenger hunt. In the end, they get a reward. Remember, the beach is full of hidden treasures.
This game works for both younger kids and older kids. They’ll enjoy their time searching the beach for clues. Great way to spend the afternoon, right?
4. Nature Tic-Tac-Toe
You can never go wrong with the traditional game of Tic-Tac-Toe. But since we’re at the beach, we have to modify it a bit.
You can use sticks or sketch a playing board in the sand. In any case, it’s a fun beach game. Remember to get creative with Xs and Os by marking them with shells, sticks, or other things you can find at the beach.
5. How Low Can You Go?
We said at the beginning that kids love digging at the beach, and this game puts their digging in the sand activity to good use.
The goal is to dig as deep of a hole as they can. Once they dig the hole, see if you can fit an adult in it. Or how long will it take to fill it with water. There are so many things you can do with a hole in the sand.
Just remember, when you are done playing, refill the hole when you are done. You want to leave the beach in the condition you found it, and not hurt anyone who might accidentally fall in it.
6. Bury a Friend
Speaking of digging and sand at the beach, why not play the classic “bury a friend” game? We love the sand, and for this game, you’ll need some buckets, shovels, beach goggles, and a timer.
You know the rules of this game. Just bury a friend using sand. But we want to keep it more competitive and fun.
So, with that in mind, give each kid or each team a beach bucket and a plastic shovel. They need to dig a horizontal pit in the sand, big enough to fit a body.
Remember, the person going under the sand to be buried should be wearing beach googles. And leave a hole so they can breathe. Time the game to make it more fun and competitive.
And again, be sure to fill in the hole when you’re done.
7. Seascape Scrapbook
Do your kids love creating memories during your beach holiday? If so, you can make a good-old scrapbook using things you collect at the beach.
You can add some shells, stones, sea glass, driftwood, and anything else you can think of. You can make a picture in the sand, and then take a photo of it.
8. Sand Skee Ball
For this beach game, you need to draw circles and numbers in the sand. The goal is to set up a skee ball-like game.
Each circle corresponds to a certain point value. For example, the big circle is 10 points, the medium one is 20 points, and the small one is 30 points.
Then, once you draw circles, toss shells, stones, or small toys into the circles. The one with the most points wins.
9. Make Sand Animals
We all know how much fun building a sand castle is. But let’s try something different instead. Challenge your toddlers to build and sculpt their favorite sea creature.
Sand castles are great, but why not put their creative minds to work and create another sand sculpture? Give bonus points for the most imaginative monster.
10. Beach Bowling
It’s amazing how you can play bowling in almost any environment. You just need to set up the bowling alley.
You’ll need six plastic bottles to set up this fun beach game. Fill the bottles with sand so that they are harder to crush. Set them up in a pyramid shape, three on the bottom, two in the middle, and one on the top. Or, use more bottles, but keep up the pyramid shape.
Because you are playing at the beach, you’ll need a ball that will roll in the sand, such as a tennis ball or anything else that can knock the bottles down.
Recycle the bottles once you finish playing.
11. Musical Towels
Here is a twist on the classic musical chairs game. You can set up towels anywhere on the beach and bring your music with you.
Do you know the rules? They’re simple. You play music, everyone dances, and once the music stops, they have to get to a beach towel. The trick is there is always one less towel than people playing it. For example, three towels for four players.
The player who doesn’t get to a towel is eliminated from the round. Continue until there is only one player standing.
12. Frisbee Golf
You can substitute the old, boring beach Frisbee game with golf. Set up targets using items you have at the beach, like a picnic blanket, beach towel, or anything else. You can even dig a hole in the sand to aim at (remember to fill in the hole when you’re done).
Take turns throwing the Frisbee as close to the target as you can. For smaller kids and younger kids, allow them to stand closer to the target.
13. Water Bucket Relay
Racing games are always great. Kids love relay races, and you have so many options at the beach. For example, you can replace the old egg-and-spoon race game with a water bucket relay.
For this game, give each child a plastic cup, spoon, or large shell. Have them run to the water, fill their item with water, and race to empty it in a bucket. They will love the challenge of trying to keep the water from spilling.
The game helps your kids develop their balance and agility skills.
14. Beach Ball Hot Potato
One of the most popular beach ball games is hot potato. Since you’re at the beach, you can modify it to fit the environment, but you will need a music device.
Divide the kids into two teams. One volunteer plays the music. Players have to keep throwing the ball at each other until the music plays. Pass the ball as fast as possible, and once the volunteer stops the music, whoever holds the ball gets eliminated. Continue until only one player remains.
15. Squirt Ball Race
Here is another racing game you can play with your kids. You need eight balls for two teams as well as squirt guns. Divide the players into two teams, and then draw lines for each team to mark its boundaries. Each team gets four balls and squirt guns.
Players have to squirt their balls using water to redirect all the balls of the opponent team onto their side. Players can refill the squirt guns and whoever gets all the balls into their court, wins the game.
16. Painting Rocks
Well, not all beach activities need to involve a sports game, right? For this game, you play to your kids’ creative side.
If you want to play some artistic games, this project is for you. You can paint rocks and allow your children to get crafty. Bring art supplies to the beach, and then look for some smooth rocks to decorate.
At the end of the game, you can hide the rocks at the beach for explorers to find them.
17. Aqua-Scope
When you put your creative mind to work, you can do amazing things. For example, for this game, you can create an aquatic viewer from a yogurt container. Just cut the bottom with a craft knife. Let your kids decorate their scope with duct tape. Punch holes on the sides of the lip for a string handle.
Then, use a piece of plastic wrap and a wide rubber band to cover the open end. Take it to the shallow water and let your kids look at the undersea world.
18. Drip Castle
We talked before how sand castles are boring, right? Well, there are many ways you can tweak the classic game of building a sand castle.
For this fun activity, fill a bucket with half sand and half water. Pour wet sand through a plastic funnel to build an abstract beach structure. If you don’t have a funnel, cut the bottom off an empty bottle to make your own.
19. Summer Olympics
You can host your own Olympic competition at the beach. Here are some games you can play: 100-meter sprint, 200-meter sprint, obstacle course, long jump, and much more.
You can even throw discs or any other Olympics game you can think of. Gather the points and declare a winner at the end of the holiday.
20. Flying Kites
Kids love flying kites. You will have a hard time finding a kid who doesn’t love to fly a kite, and at the beach, you have wonderful conditions for kit flying. For starters, there is almost always wind at the beach.
You can purchase kites in almost any toy store and dollar store. Run at the beach and fly your kite!
21. Beach Volleyball
Here is a fun family game you can play with many people. Depending on the age of the kids playing, you can even set up a real volleyball field and net. If you play with younger kids, just draw a line in the sand. Each team goes to one side of the line and you play as long as you like.
22. Beach-style Tug of War
Let’s try more family beach games. All you need for this game is a jump rope. You can even create one by tying towels together.
Stand at the water’s edge, and divide the kids into two teams. Draw a line, and set up the middle of the rope over the line. Each team has to pull the rope to his side. The one that pulls the rope to his side wins the game.
23. Sand Darts
If you thought you could play darts only in bars and clubs, think again. The beach is a great place for some darts. Just sketch a dart board in the sand. Then, collect shells or pebbles and use them as darts. There is no limit to beach fun!
24. Balance a Boogie Board
Oh, we can bet your younger and older kids will love this game. Just line up everyone on their boogie board near the edge of the water.
Have your kids stand on the board with their backs facing the water. This way, they do not see the waves coming. The last one standing is the winner.
25. Bubble Blowing
The best part about this game is you can instantly clean yourself up. Beach games for kids can get messy sometimes, and this one is no exception.
The beach is a great area for blowing and chasing bubbles. And if the bubble solution spills on your bathing suit, take a dip in the water to wash yourself off.
You can find different shapes and sizes of bubble blowers and bubbles at the dollar store. Go get yours!
26. Bocce Ball
This beach game is just amazing — and it’s extremely easy to play. Kids of all ages can play the game. Place a target on the sand, and then players have to throw their balls aiming for the target. The one who gets his ball the closest to the target wins a point.
You can continue playing until you reach a certain amount of points. If you do not have bocce balls, you can improvise with rocks and beach treasures.
27. I Spy
You can play this classic game anywhere in the world. And there are lots of things you can spy at the beach. It’s simple, just say “I spy” and let your kids guess what you spied.
Remember to set up some ground rules, since there are so many things at the beach. For example, you can make it people only, animals only, or objects only.
28. Beach Dodgeball
Here is a fan favorite of fun beach games for kids. You can play dodgeball anywhere and the beach and sand is a great place to try it.
You need a beach ball and timer. Divide the players into two teams, and put them at opposite sides of a line in the sand. Throw the ball up high in the air, and let the games start. Once a player gets hit, he sits down. Any player can grab the ball and throw it at a player from the opposing team.
Set up a timer, and the team with the most players “alive” wins the game.
29. Clean Up the Beach
Let’s finish off the list with a practical game. Why don’t you become a beach steward and clean up the beach at the end of the day?
Take a few minutes at the end of the day to stash the trash. Supervise your kids. This game teaches your kids to always take care of the environment. They will learn at a young age to take their trash with them.
To motivate them, make it a game and see who can pick up the most trash, and give rewards at the end.
Our ready-to-play game kits
Professor Swen’s Lab
Houdini’s Secret Room
Wooka Booka Island
The Gilded Carcanet
