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www.FredParent.NET 13 END OF THE DAY. Consider staying late. Some of the most pleasant hours at the beach happen in the late afternoon and early evening when the crowds are leaving. You might save yourself some time sitting in traffic, too. Just make sure you have enough snacks or a dinner plan—and maybe a long sleeve t-shirt for everyone in case it starts to cool off. You've had a great day at the beach, but every one is tired and maybe a little crabby. It's time to pack it up. If you've got a long drive, try to make everyone more comfortable. If showers are available, rinse off sand, salt, and sunscreen before the ride home. If not, try rinsing feet in a bucket of water. Sprinkle a little baby powder to help brush off sand. Get out of wet bathing suits and into dry clothes. 3 PREPARE FOR THE SUN. Apply sun- screen before you leave. You'll want to reapply after swimming or after a few hours, but getting that first coating on before everyone is sandy is a good starting point. It also makes it less likely that you'll forget in the chaos of setting up when the kids are begging to go in the water. Don't forget to put the sunscreen in your bag after applying at home. You'll want it again! Sun hats and light long-sleeve t-shirts or swim shirts help protect against sun too. Consider an umbrella or beach tent, especially if you have little ones who might nap. SIT AND PLAY. Bring a towel for each person for resting or drying off after swimming. A larger blanket for lunch or to put a baby on can be handy. Chairs are bulky but worth it for the comfort factor. There are lots of great beach toys out there. Bring enough to keep it fun without getting overloaded. A bucket and a shovel for each young child cuts out fights. Older kids may want boogie boards, skim boards, or masks and snorkels. Games like paddle- ball or Frisbee are fun and don't take up a lot of room. A book or travel game can be good for down time. 4 GET IT ONTO THE BEACH. That's a lot of stuff, right? If you go to the beach often, a beach buggy that you can load up with all your gear might make sense. If you get there once a summer, it's probably not worth it. Instead, divide and conquer. If you want kids to carry things, make sure you have kid-sized bundles. Maybe each kid carries their own towel and bucket or an older child gets the drink cooler while you grab the food and chair. Maybe one adult takes a load of stuff and the kids, while the other parks and schleps the remaining gear. POTTY PRE- PAREDNESS. If you're going to be at the beach all day, everyone will need to "go" at some point. If you have young kids who need a potty when they need it, make sure you know where the bathroom is (hopefully it's not too far away). Have a plan for if you need to go to the bathroom. Does every one go? Is there another adult to watch kids who don't need the potty? Do you have rules—everyone out of the water—while adults are limited? If you have kids in diapers, make sure you have plastic bags to tie up dirty diapers— and don't forget to take them with you. Nobody wants to find dirty diapers on the beach. 7 5 6 Take a deep breath of that fresh, salty air and enjoy—you're a beach pro now.