When you visit the shore with your family, you know you’re in for a fun time. Playing in the water and relaxing on the sand are perfect ways to spend your day — but your beach trip can get even more exciting. Get the most out of your visit with beach games for families that involve everything from creativity to competition.
In this guide, we’ll give you plenty of suggestions for packable beach games, DIY beach activities and other ways to have fun in the sun and sand. Put on your beach playlist and spend your day along the seashore with these fun family beach games.
As you pack for your beach visit, don’t forget to bring amusing games and activities. Perfect for families with children or groups of friends headed to the beach, there are so many entertaining games with the equipment you can bring to the beach. Here are some ideas for packable beach games you can play:
You can also get creative with other equipment you brought to the shore, like pails, shovels, sandcastle molds and more for some DIY beach activities, like:
If you don’t want to bring too many supplies to the shore but still want to have entertainment on hand, some beach games without equipment will give you, even more, to do in the sand. These are great DIY beach activities that only need a bit of creativity to set up and play:
One of the most exciting parts of being at the beach is discovering beautiful shells in the sand, so turn it into a game. There are so many possibilities for beach games involving searching for shells, so try different tasks and:
A few useful supplies, like a pail and shovel, will make it easier to hunt, but you don’t need them for this beach game. No matter how you play, you can then go through everyone’s collections and keep a handful of your favorites or return them to the sand and water. Turn the shells you keep into beach crafts that you can use to remember your trip and bring the beach fun home as you create.
Similar to searching for shells, a treasure hunt incorporates other items you’d commonly spot on the beach. This game can either be simple or more competitive, depending on how much you include on the hunting list. Add a time limit to make the game more exciting or have everyone find a certain number of these items:
If you have lots of items on your scavenger list, buckets or cups may be helpful, but you don’t need them to play. Follow younger kids around as they search and let older family members hunt on their own. Whoever finds or collects everything first is the winner!
Put the rocks or shells you found to good use and play hopscotch in the sand. Hopscotch is a great game for younger kids who get a bit antsy on the beach and need to get their energy out. Set up this quick and easy family beach game with these steps:
A game of beach hopscotch is perfect for your kids to play as you pack up other supplies to leave. It’ll entertain them long enough for you to clean up your spot and let them get some more minutes of fun in on the sand.
For a more relaxing beach game that doesn’t require equipment, make amazing sand art. Whoever wants to get creative can draw or write anything in the sand, like:
Your creations will last a little longer in sand that’s a bit wet instead of dry, so either draw near the ocean or use a cup or a bucket to gather water and make the sand easier to work with. Make your two-dimensional sand art three-dimensional with added rocks, shells and other beach finds.
For a twist on this game that’s entertaining for younger kids, challenge them to create their sand art using only footprints to test their coordination and creativity.
Turn sand art into a competition and play Pictionary on the shore. Split players into two teams, then whisper a beach-themed word to the team member who’s going to draw while others guess. Time them as they draw the image in the sand while their team tries to guess what the picture is. Some ideas for beach-themed drawings include:
Depending on the ages of who’s playing, you can give simpler drawings or a longer time limit for an easier game, but don’t be afraid to make it a bit more challenging for older kids and family members.
Beach tic-tac-toe is perfect for a more relaxing beach game that you don’t even need to leave your beach blanket to play. Relax after playing in the ocean or unwind as you take in the sights and sounds of the shore. While this fun activity doesn’t require any equipment, you could bring bean bags for another entertaining way to play tic-tac-toe.
Kids love digging in the sand, so why not turn it into a game? See who can dig the deepest hole in the sand in a certain amount of time using their hands. You can also turn clean-up time into a game when you’re ready to leave the beach. Have a race to fill in the holes everyone dug, but make sure everything is filled in once the race is over.
If your kids love playing in the sand and racing against each other, add a bit of a twist to this game. Instead of digging holes in the sand, have kids bury the adults’ legs in the sand. Split into teams and see who can dig up the most sand and bury someone’s legs.
Even if you go to the beach fully prepared to entertain, a few tips can help you organize a beach trip full of recreation that everyone will enjoy. Keep these ideas in mind as you plan, pack and play at the shore:
Ready for fun on the sand and in the sea? Take a family trip to Ocean City, New Jersey! The shore has something for everyone, whether you explore the Boardwalk or play these beach games for families along the water. When you’re done along the seashore, grab a bite to eat or check out all the places to shop and get a few souvenirs to remember your awesome family trip.
Plan your family beach trip to Ocean City, New Jersey, today, and experience what makes the shore so great. Pack some games and get ready for a day full of family fun!
