We’ve been on a few beach trips with Wyatt, and our two biggest ones were to Hawaii when he was 3 months and most recently to Aruba at the start of 2018 when he was 15 months. Both trips were very different because of how different he was in age. Both fun for different reasons, and both difficult for different reasons. Here are some big factors of a beach vaca to consider when traveling with an infant OR a toddler, and some helpful hints on how to thrive (not just survive) during the trip…because let’s be honest, sometimes a vacation with a tot doesn’t quite feel like a vacation.
Sun Protection
Infant + toddler skin is super sensitive. Most pediatricians recommend not putting sunscreen on your little one until they are 6 months old. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics recently said that it’s okay to put a little on exposed areas of the skin, if necessary. A better strategy for infants under 6 months is to just cover up their skin with things like full-body swimsuits or rash guards, and hats…and even better yet, just keep them out of the sun. When we took Wyatt to Hawaii when he was 3 months old we always made sure to sit in a cabana on the beach or a shaded chair by the pool. If you don’t have access to this, when we go to the park or beach with no shade, we bring our pop-up sun tent, which we love! We dressed him in a rash guard all the time (except for a quick photo opp…because I don’t love the look of a rash guard.) See the “Swimwear” section for more info on suits + rash guards.
Once your babe hits 6 months and is a little more interested in moving around anyways, make sure you apply that sunscreen (You too, moms! Or your husband will yell at you, like mine does :-)) Sunscreen specifically formulated for babies is more sensitive on their skin, we use Babyganics Mineral Based Sunscreen on Wyatt. We like the lotion over the spray for his body because baby sunscreen is super thick so it just sprays out kind of “chunky,” if you will.
HOWEVER, we still use the spray for areas like his head. If your babe was blessed with a full head of hair from birth, this won’t apply to you, but if at 15 months you can still see their scalp through the small amount (it feels like a lot to us) of hair, then you need to ‘screen their head too! When Wyatt was younger, we were able to get away with using hats on him, how he hates them and we only get a few mins out of them before he rips them off (yes, even the tie on ones.) See the “Swimwear” section for more info on hats.
Reapply sunscreen OFTEN. This is all dependent on if your little one is in the water or not, but we usually applied at least every 2 hours on our most recent vaca. My husband’s goal was to not have Wyatt get any tan at all (because tan = sun damage), and we thought we were doing pretty good with that because his fair skin is still basically see-through…until we took off his trunks and could definitely see a tan line. That Aruban sun is strong! Remember between 10 am – 2 pm the sun is particularly strong, and that time is easily extended on both ends depending on your location. Read some great tips for sunscreen use here.
Swimwear
Are you sick of looking at my baby’s bare butt yet? 😉 Luckily, there are tons of options for infant + toddler swimwear. As much sun protection as possible is especially important for infants, so think rash guards + rash guard sets. My favorite places to shop for infant and toddler swimwear are Mini Boden, Baby Gap (boys, girls), and Zara (seasonal), and of course Amazon (boys, girls).
Boy Swimwear Options
(rash guard, set, bodysuit, trunks)
Girl Swimwear Options
(rash guard set, bodysuit, I die!, swimsuit).
These are our favorite hats for the beach/pool because they have great coverage, aren’t stiff, are UPF 50+, and are made a a quick drying material for when they get wet. They come in baseball hat and wide brim, in a ton of colors and sizes- great for boys + girls!
We loved using a towelling (a wearable towel, think baby cover-up) with Wyatt during the first year for after swimming. It helped his body warm up again after getting out of the water and unlike a regular towel, it stayed on his body (and offered some extra sun protection!) My favorite places for these are Pottery Barn Kids and Mini Boden.
Swim Diapers are kind of bizarre. Unlike regular diapers they are designed to absorb very little liquid, so your baby can go in the water and the diaper doesn’t absorb all of the pool or ocean water and weigh them down. Their primary purpose is to keep solids IN the diaper and liquids out. So basically if your baby is wearing one and pees, that liquid will come out of the diaper whether you’re in the water or not. So if you bring your babe inside wearing a swim diap, change them into a regular diaper or you’ll end up with pee on the floor. (Or if your child is like Wyatt, you’ll end up with pee on the floor anyways because he’ll rip his normal diaper off all vaca…we may have an exhibitionist on our hands.)
We’ve tried reusable swim diapers in the past and don’t love them. They’re great if your babe only pees in them, but if they go #2, you definitely wish you had a disposable swim diaper.
her swimsuit ($16!) | baby swim trunks- Zara (sold out) | his trunks
Water Safety
When we went to Hawaii with Wyatt at 3 months we took him into the ocean and pool just for a quick amount of time. Infants can’t be in chilly water for very long because they can’t regulate their body temperature like we can. Also remember, no hot tubs for infants + toddlers! For the same body temperature regulation problem.
When Wyatt was 3-12 months we used this float for him. Obviously we were holding on to it at all times, it wasn’t a safety device. We used this float in our pool over the summer and brought it on our most recent trip. Wyatt wasn’t wild about it this round, I think he’s past the point of being contained in one area, and likes to be able to walk in the water or have someone hold him while he kicks etc.
We also brought a Puddle Jumper for him, and we tried it a few times, but he wasn’t having it. I think he’s just a tiny bit too small for it right now, so he can’t move like he wants to. But Puddle Jumpers are great for toddler and kids because they fit like those old fashioned (unsafe) floaties, but are US Coast Guard-approved life jackets. For boating, Wyatt wears this more traditional life jacket that keeps him upright in the water.
Bottom line when it comes to water safety with Wyatt is we are constantly watching him if he’s walking or sitting in it (very shallow) and are only an arm’s length away, or are holding him in deeper water. As a 15 month old on our Aruba trip, he was VERY active and it was a full time job just following him in and out of the water and around the pool deck + through the sand. He was having a BLAST, but a vigilant eye and hand was needed on him at all times. I’m certainly not a water safety expert, so I won’t speak on anything more than my own experiences, but you can read some more expert advice on water safety here.
her bikini: Mara Hoffman, sold out- similar styles on sale here | her one piece: Vince Camuto, sold out – similar, similar, similar | her glasses | baby trunks: Janie + Jack, sold out | his trunks | his glasses
Additional Gear
Most of the gear is covered above, but here are some additional miscellaneous pieces I recommend.
Gathre Mat. If you know me, you know I love our Gathre Mats. These waterproof, leather bonded beauties are amazing. We use them for everything, indoor picnics, under Wyatt’s high chair, as an on-the-go changing mat, and the park and beach. The Midi size is perfect for our family of 3, and I’d say for a family of 4. The mini is what we use for under our high chair and is a great travel size.
Toys. Depending on the age of your child, you can pack toys that you just have at home. We packed some bath toys and cups for the water. Inflatable toys are nice for traveling because they pack small and light. In many cases, you can buy beach toys at your destination if you’re traveling by plane and don’t want to pack them.
Travel Crib. In most cases, you won’t need to bring a travel crib or pack-n-play because your hotel or condo will have them. (If you’re doing an Airbnb, check to see if they have one available before you go!) But one thing we loved about our resort in Hawaii was that they had pool and oceanside pack-n-plays. Just like you get towels, you could get a crib for your little one to nap in at the pool or ocean so you didn’t have to go back to your room. If we were by the beach we would drape a towel over the top to shade it, and the white noise of the ocean was already built in to the ambiance! It was an awesome idea, and is so great for those infant days when your babe is taking a lot of naps. Definitely call ahead to your hotel to see if they offer this service. Portable napping is awesome.
her swimsuit | her glasses | baby trunks | his trunks | his glasses
Airplane Travel
This is always a hot topic. Check out my post on Tips + Tricks for Surviving a Flight with a Baby. And be on the lookout for an updated version on flying with a TODDLER!
Like I mentioned earlier, doing a beach vaca with Wyatt when he was an infant versus when he was a toddler was very different. Generally speaking, Wyatt wasn’t a great sleeper at 3 months, and he was nursing constantly so a vacation of any sort at that age can be tricky. As a 15 month old toddler, Wyatt is a little more self-sufficient and predictable, but he is also constantly on the move. We travel quite often and each trip seems to get a little easier in some ways, and harder in others. No matter their age, babies are discovering things and new environments open them up to new experiences…whether their playing in the sand or just eating it, so HAVE FUN exploring with your little one & safe travels!
A few shots from our Hawaii trip last year with Wyatt at 3 months!
What do you think?