If you haven’t ever seen or used a beach robe for your child, you’ll find them to be one of the most useful and practical little garments you will ever come across. That is if your child loves to swim!
Beach Robes keep little bodies warm, dry and out of the sun and once put on they stay on. Parents of young swimmers appreciate this absolutely essential functionality. And kids love wearing them too! To the beach, to the pool, to the party and to swimming lessons. Like getting dressed for for a show, kids know when the robe goes on that fun is just around the corner!
The problem with beach towels for young kids
Bright, fun beach towels for kids look great. And as towels they often are great too. Great designs, great cotton, really soft. BUT if you have a child, or two or three (or a team full!) you will know the challenges of towels and kids when you are out and about.
The main dilemma is that kids simply can’t keep a towel over their shoulders and off the ground. Wrapping a towel around a young child just never works. They always slip off. It’s not their fault – kids are thinking about the great swim they just had and they are not really interested the towel and in getting dry! So they drop the towel, drag the towel, forget the towel. You end up picking it up, re-draping over them only to catch it 3 seconds later just before it hits the ground again. Times this by your second and third child and it can feel like a never-ending beach towel dance! Probably the biggest asset of swapping your child’s beach towel for a beach robe is that once it’s on them it stays on. It stays on while they are drying off. It stays on while they are warming up. It stays on while they are playing in the sun. It stays on when it’s time to go. They wear it all the way home. This is a very, very big deal for mum or dad!!! If you have been there you know what I’m talking about.
Another unfortunate catch with beach towels for kids is that each child wants (and needs) their own towel. Most kids towels are a but smaller than adult ones, but they are still pretty big and cumbersome. You have your own towel packed in your tote – two if there are two adults. Adding two or three more kids beach towels quickly maxes out your bags carrying capacity. Finding ways to lighten the load is one of the biggest challenges. Kids beach robes are smaller than a full towel and they pack well. But even better than this, kids can WEAR them to and from the beach over their swimmers. They won’t carry a bag (no matter how you try!!) but they will wear their robe. They like to to wear them. They’re soft and comfy over their swimmers. So you solves two issues in one. You have them dressed for the swim PLUS they are wearing their towel! For one child this is helpful, for two it is great, for three it is mandatory (if you don’t want to feel like a pack horse with responsibility that is!)
Lastly for us adults, towels are great to lie out on. We love it! But kids don’t. They’re swimming, running about, building sandcastles, eating ice cream and in general having a great time. Try to get a kid to lie down and sit still on the beach or by the pool. Good luck!
Speaking as a parent with a huge amount of experience taking kids swimming in both pools and beaches I can not think of anything more liberating than the day I swapped our kids beach towels for beach robes! You’ll be amazed at how much time and effort it will save you!
Packing for a day at the beach with the kids
A trip to the beach can go from dreamy to nightmarish in a flash, and one of the best ways to avoid unforeseen meltdowns is to have a well-packed beach bag. The most important thing I’ve learned is to pack light but effectively.
Here are a few tips:
• Pack lots of sunscreen! Their skin is delicate and will burn easily. You NEED to re-apply ever time they get out of the water. Dry them down first, else the cream will just slide around and not go in.
• Remember hats for everyone. Rimmed all round and comfy so they will keep them on.
• Swap your kids beach towels for beach robes instead. Zip on and off. You’ll see how handy they are once you try them.
• Take a small ball – like a tennis ball. Little and light but lots of fun at the beach.
• Grab something that floats that the kids can jump on in the water. A small body board is always good.
• Lastly don’t forget your phone or camera! There are heaps of great photo opportunities at the beach. Capture those memories.