Hi all!
We have 11 month old triplets (BBG) and a near 4 yr old DD. We love spending time at the beach and our older daughter has specifically requested to go. We were wondering if anybody had any tips or products they used to make a beach day safe and doable. My triplets are only crawling right now so I think this may be ideal since they may enjoy the newness of getting to know the sand and may not wander too far. Any suggestions you may have will be so appreciated.

Take care!

God bless!
Linda D

We first took our girls to the beach when they were 2 mos old (obvioulsy easy since they just laid under the shade) and continued to every year since.

When they were around a year, ours stayed pretty much on the blanket. They like to reach out to the sand, but didn't care to crawl in it.
By 2 they were eating it but didn't venture more toward the water than the very edge (Lake Michigan is pretty cold.)
By 3 they played in the small waves holding hands with my husband and I.

We love the beach and are so glad our kids love it too.

We didn't really need any special equipment (except usual shading when they were little)but I know others brought playpens or supperyards.
We did usually go in the evening when they were young both to avoid the hottest part of the day and to have them wash off, get into jammies and fall asleep on the way home.

Have fun.


Judie and Victor
lucky parents to
Frankie 3/95
Maggie 7/96
Rose 7/96
Elizabeth 7/96

Thanks so much for replying first of all. You guys are making us feel like we can actually do this. It is going to feel like such an achievement when it actually happens. One thing that I probably want to ask all the triplet moms is before your triplets were walking, how were you getting them onto the beach? Were you using your triplets stroller or is there something else out there that could work better? Thanks again!

Linda:-)

Usually my husband and I carried the kids down to the beach (he carried 2, I carried one and a blanket )our son could walk).

Then we put out the blanket and he went back for the supplies while I watched the kids. Luckily we have some beaches that are fairly close to the water.


Judie and Victor
lucky parents to
Frankie 3/95
Maggie 7/96
Rose 7/96
Elizabeth 7/96

Thanks so much for replying first of all. You guys are making us feel like we can actually do this. It is going to feel like such an achievement when it actually happens. One thing that I probably want to ask all the triplet moms is before your triplets were walking, how were you getting them onto the beach? Were you using your triplets stroller or is there something else out there that could work better? Thanks again!

Linda:-)

I sat mine on the beach blanket and dragged it from the dunes down (used a stroller to the dune). I know someone who bought 2 large saucer slesover the winter and got their kids to sit on one, and piled all the other stuff on the other one, then dragged them nearly effortlessly over the sand to the spot they chose.

MTM - mom to Michael(84),Stephan(85), Thomas, Matthew and Kathryn - born 12/27/99 at 32w 0 days

My suggestion would be to bring a little blow up baby pool. It kept our kids so occuppied and cool and it really kept them in one spot. Once they got a little older we would just dig a big hole that the water would fill up in but they might be a little small for that.

Also what worked best for me to get them off the beach was i brought a change of clothes there, stripped them down while they were still on the beach used baby powder (which works amazing) to get the sand off (make sure they are dry first ) and then changed them there (and put a regular diaper back on them). For me it worked so much better than having to have them soaking wet trying to get them off the beach, but everyone is different. I was actually pleasantly surprised how nice it was having them at the beach at that age, once they get older, it gets harder

Good luck

JILL MOM TO
KOURTNEY 3 LBS 1 OZ
KEEGAN 2 LBS 1 OZ
KARVER 1 LB 10 OZ
10/4/08 @ 29 weeks

We recently saw somebody bring a blow up pool onto the beach and thought that would be a great idea for the triplets. Thanks so much for your suggestion.

Linda

Don't know if they still make them or not, but Stern's swimsuits with built in coast guard approved life jacket built in; buy the girl a boys one as well, or they sand will rub her groin raw. they were about 30 bucks a piece when TMK were little, and it was definitely the best money we spent on beach stuff. It was insurance and peace of mind. If they got into the water, and over their heads, they would pop right back to the surface. They were very easy to spot because they make them in neon colors. And with them, I was not afraid to take them to the beach by myself. (you want to talk about getting strange looks, take three toddlers to the beach by yourself!)


Take a strap (from any thing) that has the plastic clipping ends, we took them off of a booster seat, and use it to string all of their buckets and shovels and any toy that you could run the strap through. This way you can carry them all over your shoulder, with none getting lost by falling out of the bag.

If you have the area in your vehicle, take a bunch of gallon jugs filled with water, and an empty large rubber maid storage container. Bring baby soap and a few clean towels and their fresh clothes. By the end of your beach time the water will be warm, strip them off, pour the water into the storage container, and wash them off. I had a really large container with a lid that we would put in the back of our pick up truck, and fill up with water before we left the house, yes some of it sloshed out, but its pretty flat here, so we would still have more than half of the water when we got to the beach. It was so nice to have them completely clean and changed so that we didn't have to go home right away, we could stop and get food, etc.

You will definitely have your hands full unless you have help, so I would try to eliminate as much stuff being hauled to the sand as you can. You can rent umbrellas on most popular beaches you just rent them, then leave them when you go, and the rental place comes around and gathers them.

Instead of chairs which are also just one more thing to carry, just take a carry all with a lot of towels and build yourself a back rest out of the sand (works better closer to the shoreline) cover it with a towel, and lean up against it to watch the kids play.

Consider bathroom availability for the 4 year old when choosing a spot. For instance, here at the Delaware /Maryland area, there are public restrooms at the inlet in Ocean city, and along the boardwalk, and there is a boardwalk tram you can use to get from your chosen location to the restrooms, but the other 5 miles of OC beaches are lacking public facilities. When mine were in diapers, we didn't care, once they were potty trained, we opted to pay the nominal fee to get onto Delaware beaches that had a public restroom, showering facility, and concession stands (reasonably priced too!) Once they got old enough to learn to go before they left and to hold for a reasonable amount of time, we started going back to the Maryland beaches at *our* spot. Definitely want to bring flip flops to wear into the restrooms/showers.

MTM - mom to Michael(84),Stephan(85), Thomas, Matthew and Kathryn - born 12/27/99 at 32w 0 days

I think you are a genius my friend. I recently bought a bathing suit just like you mentioned for my 4 year old for our pool. That is a great idea for when they are a little older. Great suggestions. Can't wait to share all of this with my hubby.

Take care!
Linda

We bought those suits as soon as they were able to walk. I cannot begin to tell you, you will have to experience it yourself; the utter relief of knowing that if anything distracted you for even 1/2 a second and one of them made it to the waters edge that they would not end up a drowning victim.

We live at the sea shore. And my kids wore those suits until they were almost 8 years old. And trust me, if I could have convinced them to wear them after that, they would have. The shore is a beautiful, raw and savage place to visit and partake of. My biggest fear is not waves its rip currents which can spring up unexpectedly. No matter how little or how big someone is, a rip current can spell disaster, and those suits WILL save a life. I always tell everyone, they might get carried out to sea even a mile, but they will still be floating alive when someone plucks them out of the water.

MTM - mom to Michael(84),Stephan(85), Thomas, Matthew and Kathryn - born 12/27/99 at 32w 0 days

you need a superyard. We had 2 complete ones that we connected together to make a big circle. Or keep it small and put a big blanket under so they can't get to the sand. At that age all mine wanted to do was eat sand so we kept them away from it sometimes.

Crazy mom to:
DS 10
DS 7
& BBB 5!
9/29/06 born @ 32w2d

We live near the beach and also have a cottage right on a bay of Lake Michigan. Since our boys were infants we have brought them along and they've grown up loving the water. We've used a superyard (more work than it was worth in my opinion), the choo choo wagon and various other strategies. I think the best advice is not to go alone and don't plan on sitting down much!! Fun sand toys, hats, lots of sunscreen and good life jackets are a must. Some of the best we had were purchased from Target; I think they were by Stearns and they lasted several years. They wore them playing on the shore, on vacations we took to Mexico and Florida, even in our hot tub at home!! As our boys have gotten older, we've done swim lessons but I'm still very watchful. We have a swim raft at our cottage and I stand on the shore and watch whenever they're on it! The lifeguard stance doesn't go away even as they grow!! But with good planning, snacks and drinks, my kiddos play happily on the beach for hours!! It's one of my favorite pasttimes with them.

P.S. When ours were the age of your trio, we also invested in the pop up cabana. Nice to have the option for shade.

Ellyn and the lucky 13!





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Ditto on the superyard, we took ours everywhere. Everyone made fun of us, like my kids were the caged animals of the bunch but honestly, its was the only way that I would have a chance to breathe and know the kiddos were safe. I would plunk my beach chair in the yard and be able to close my eyes for 30 seconds and know they were not crawling/walking away, being kidnapped or swallowed by a wave. Superyard!!!!!

BBG 6/21/06

We did it a few times, and then put a pool in our backyard!!! LOL

mom to:
Ryan 32 The Lawyer
Jason 30 The Chief Meteorologist
Chris 30 The College Student
Tim 30 The college grad

I love hearing their versions of their childhood memories!!

Hi there...

First, I have to ask where you live. Any chance you're in Hawaii?

My husband and I have 18month BBG triplets. I really feel we have the beach thing nailed.

You want a half dome tent from Costco and a play yard fence from Babies R Us. Get to the beach, husband sets up play yard at the tent opening (so you are enclosing yourselves in the tent within the play yard). He comes back and helps you tote the kids to the beach. This way you have shade AND an enclosure in case someone tries to escape your view.

For the water, they sell floatie things babies and toddlers can sit inside. Sort of like a mesh thing for their legs and inflatable ring. There's one model that has a removable canopy/shade. I recommend it. You can take all of them in the water at once and feel secure. When you teach them how to swim and kick, use a skinny noodle under their arms and help hold them up by the noodle. I strongly oppose swimmies. I've seen too many kids become over attached and fearful to swim without their swimmies.

Pack a cooler with extra food and drinks and invite a couple friends. Food and drinks always assures the presence of extra help