Cool Mom Picks: A Day at the Beach

A Day at the Beach

Don't hit the beach without first gearing up with all coolest sand toys, sunscreen, and gear you'll need to make your day bright and burn-free.

Curated by Christina on June 4, 2013 7:00 AM

Get in The Shade: the all-purpose, all-weather protector for baby

I firmly believe that the rule that applies to dogs should also apply to babies: always ask before touching. (Hey, let's add pregnant bellies to that list, too).

Gorgeous waterproof picnic blankets: if only they kept the rain away too.

Even though it's not quite summer feeling everywhere just yet, it's the official start of summer, which means picnics. Yay!

What is the safest sunscreen for kids and babies? EWG has 20 of them.

Each year we eagerly await the Environmental Working Group's list of safest sunscreens for kids (and grownups too) and we're so glad to see 2013 is ready, just in time for the unofficial start of summer.

The sunblock that turned us into a family of sunblock snobs

This sunblock is so good, so easy, and so waterproof that my kids call it only "the good one."

A safe sunscreen to use all summer long

We all know how important it is to protect our skin from the sun. But the confusing thing is that some sunscreens contain scary ingredients that may actually cancel out their sun protection benefits.

Reinventing the beach towel

It's not too often that I get excited about a beach towel for kids. Yes, I get it - some have cuter patterns or whatever. But in the case of Towelmate, they really did reinvent the beach towel for both kids and adults--and it's awesome.

Sunny days, sweeping those clouds away

My kids have tons of cheap sunglasses -- they're fun and perfect for when they're playing spies, but I know they're not ideal when we're in the sun. In fact, they always seem to "borrow" my expensive sunglasses when we're outside.

Beach toys that are good for toddlers and the earth

I'm almost embarrassed to think about how many plastic buckets and beach toys we've gone through in my seven years of parenting.

EWG and Cool Mom Picks agree: These 3 sunscreens rock

Does anyone else feel like buying sunscreen takes a PhD and two hours internet research? I do. And then I'm too tired to swim.

Need a travel crib? Just pump it up.

Words I never thought I'd hear come out of my husband's mouth as he strolled by our living room: Whoa, that's some cool-looking pack-and-play.While I've never thought of a portable crib as particularly cool, I do admit this is one that would stop me in my tracks too.

Protecting little heads from UV rays, chlorine, and parabens too

I'm not one for fussing with my girls' hair too much - if we remember to brush it in the morning that's a good day. But I do know that the poor kids have inherited my frizzies, coupled with their dad's thin hair, which is a lovely combo, especially in the summer.

Haba beach toys - not your ordinary shovel and pail

Well July is here. And if you are anything like me, you don't even start looking for the beach toys until beach season is well underway, and the kids are sitting in their car seats, eager and ready to go. And that's when you discover that you've lost half of your shovels, broke the plastic watering can and can only find a couple of pails that still have dead marine life in them from last summer.

Easy Summer Travel Week pick: SuperGoop Swipes

Unless your family summer plans involve hibernating in the local million-plex theater and surviving on popcorn and Twizzlers, you can be assured of one thing: There will be sun. Which means we mamas can't leave home without packing plenty of sunscreen.

Baby sunscreen lotion grows up a little bit

I had a May baby and a July baby and as such, I still remember those panicky early days of taking the baby out into the (gasp) sun. I don't think I could have had enough muslin swaddling blankets and floppy brimmed sunhats to put me at ease.

Essential eye protection goes underwater

If you're a longtime Cool Mom Picks reader, then you already know Baby Banz as the quintessential purveyor of eye protection for little ones in the sun--plus we were excited when they started making beachwear. But now, right in time for winter swim lessons, we're happy to learn they've branched out into swim goggles.

Don't burn, baby burn

The best part of the summer, for me, are the days spend hanging out at our local pool, but worst part is getting my son to put on sunscreen.

The plastic pail that's all pail, no plastic

When I find myself packing our bags for a beach side vacation, I always look for ways to cut back on the number of space-hogging things we're taking. With the SandSac they can bring their pail and shovel without taking up too much precious luggage space. No kidding.

Vivesana Baby Sunscreen - When they say natural they really mean natural

With the next few months spent almost daily at the pool, we're everyday sunscreen wearers. And this summer, I hereby announce that my kids will be covered in Vivesana, a 70% organic and 100% natural sunscreen that's clearly different than anything I've ever used before.

Earth Day Pick - Great outdoor toys for the great outdoors

The first thing I noticed about Colorado's Sprig Toys is that they smell like fresh-cut wood, even while they look like strong molded plastic. Turns out I was right on both counts--their special "Sprigwood" is a kid-safe material made from both recycled wood and reclaimed plastic.

Turning All Your Kids' Clothing Into UPF Clothing.

Since moving my fair-skinned family to Georgia last year, I've really had a baptism by fire(ball) when it comes to sun protection. Oh, sure, we took precautions in the sun up north, but the sun here is fiercer, hotter, and completely relentless.

Summer Sling

The SolarVeil sling from Mamma's Milk has taken up permanent residence in my pool bag, right next to the sunscreen. Because my baby boy has that pale porcelain skin that absolutely must be shielded from the sun, but with two older kiddos who adore the pool (okay, I do too), staying inside all summer is not a reasonable option.

It's Official: Wear White Shoes, Iron the Linen Skirts, and Stock Up On Sunscreen

We love when two of our favorites companies join forces and do something collectively cool. So when we found out that top notch sunscreen Super Goop! teamed up with smart summer play and swim company Cabana Life...

BPA-Free Beach Fun

With Memorial Day just about a month away, I can almost smell the beach - or more like all the plastic toys that get crammed into our beach bags.

Shady Deal

One item I definitely won't forget during Spring strolls - my Shady Baby stroller parasol. This petite umbrella clamps to your stroller and adjusts to block the rays without blocking the view

I'm in Luv With a Sunscreen

There's nothing like a beach day with two kids: The sun. The sand. The 30-minute suncreen battle. It's almost enough to make me forego the beach and just skip to the ice cream. But since discovering KINeSYS I have a newfound love.

Shades of Brilliance

I see the racks of kid's sunglasses at the superstores and while the hot pink princess shades might seem terribly cute to my daughter, they do nothing to protect her from the sun--or make me keen on buying them.

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