As August wanes, and the days get shorter and a frenetic fall schedule looms, we’re trying to eke out as as many beach days as we can. Of course, the concept of “beach day” has changed a bit from the pre-kid era of lounge chairs, paperbacks and people watching. Between the sunscreening and swim policing, being at the beach can feel like work when you’re a parent.
But once I stopped thinking about the beach as “me” time and more as family time, I’ve embraced the chaos, and see the beach as a precious time to play with my kids in a way that genuinely interests me a lot more than, say, floor time in February. There’s tag, sandcastle building, shelling, and of course body surfing. But there’s also an opportunity to play some really fun, active games that get the whole family into the mix. (And, bonus: Since running on sand expends 1.6 times the energy as running on a hard surface, your legs and butt can get an awesome workout out of the deal.)
HHK advisory board member Curt Hinson, Ph.D., who designs heart-pumping games for kids on a variety of surfaces, has shared his two fave, easy beach games, which involve little more than a couple balls and a couple kids. All you need to throw in your beach bag—along with the snacks, sunscreen, and the 16 broken buckets collected over years—is a basic beach ball and a soccer ball of any size. Check it out:
Photo by: Gareth Williams
BEACH BALL “HACKEY SACK”
Ages: 6 and up
Number of players: 3-6
Most of us parents remember hackey sack from the 90s. Well, this is a beach ball version, and a lot easier, and more fun.
Three-to-six players stand in a circle. One player starts the game by striking the ball up in the air with a hand. Whomever the ball comes to must hit the ball back up into the air, keeping it in the circle. If a person doesn’t keep the ball in the air when it comes his/her way or hits it outside of the circle, he/she receives a letter B. Play until one player has spelled the word B-E-A-C-H, and then everyone’s letters are erased and the game starts over.
BEACH SOCCER-GOLF
Photo by: Kevin Gong
Ages: 3 and up
Number of players: 2 or more
This soccer/golf/Bocce ball hybrid is easily adaptable to a variety of ages and number of kids.
Dig two holes in the sand about 15-20 feet apart. (Distance should be closer for littler tykes.) Each hole should be about twice the diameter of the ball being used and about 6-10 inches deep. Two players stand opposite each other, each at one of the holes. The first player kicks the ball in the sand towards the other player’s hole. If the ball roles in the hole, the kicker gets one point. The other player kicks the ball back, trying to get it into the other hole. The game continues, and the first player with 10 points wins and a new game starts. You can also play with three players in a triangle, four players in a square, or any even number of players on two teams.
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