25+ Fun Beach Games And Activities For Kids

Image: MomJunction Design Team

Beach games and activities for kids are a fun way to spend a wholesome vacation. The thrill of going to the beach and playing fun games is sure to keep your little ones busy and entertained. So encourage your kids to ditch their devices and soak in the summer sun outdoors. However, avoid certain beach activities for small kids, like swimming or snorkeling for their safety. Here is a list of beach games for kids that are not just interesting but also super exciting. Read on.

25+ Beach Games And Activities For Children

1. Beach ball race

Image: IStock

Races are always fun, but let’s not run this time. Play it with a twist.

You will need:

• A beach ball
• A whistle
• A timer

How to play:

1. Give the players one beach ball each.
2. Set up a start and finish line.
3. On the blow of the whistle, the players have to sit on the top of the beach ball balancing their bodies on it and reach to the finish line.
4. The players cannot use anything but their legs to balance the ball. Holding it with hands will disqualify them.

2. Bury a friend

Image: IStock

Kids love the sand. But why only make sandcastles when you can create art around a person?

You will need:

• A beach bucket
• Plastic shovel
• Beach goggles
• A timer

How to play:

1. Give your kid a beach bucket and a plastic shovel to dig a horizontal pit in the sand.
2. The size has to be big enough to bury someone.
3. Once enough sand has been dug, the other player has to get into the pit. Make sure that this player is wearing beach goggles to avoid sand getting into the eyes.
4. Player 1 will start burying the friend using only their hands.
5. The challenge is to see if enough sand has been dug to bury player 2 up to his/her neck.
6. Time it to make it more fun.
7. Have player 2 repeat the same and see who does it in the shortest time!

3. Beach ball hot potato

Image: IStock

Let’s cool off at the beach with hot potatoes.

You will need:

• Music system/iPod
• Beach ball

How to play:

1. Divide the kids into two teams standing across. You can join in too!
2. One player has to volunteer to play the music.
3. Players have to keep throwing the ball to each other while the music plays.
4. As the game continues, the ball needs to be passed very fast.
5. The volunteer will stop the music at any point and whoever holds the ball last gets eliminated.
6. Continue playing until one player remains.

4. Squirt ball race

Image: Shutterstock

You will need:

• Eight balls for two teams
• Squirt guns

How to play:

1. Divide the children into two teams.
2. Draw lines for each team to mark their boundaries. Give each group some four balls and squirt guns.
3. The teams have to squirt their balls using water to redirect all the balls of the opponent team on to their side.
4. Players are allowed to refill their squirt guns.
5. Whoever gets all the balls into their court, wins the game.

5. A river at the beach

Image: IStock

The good old game of floating favorite items in the river never gets old. This will surely entertain the kids for long.

You will need:

• Buckets
• Beach shovels

How to play:

1. Divide the kids into teams.
2. Give them beach shovels and buckets.
3. Have them dig narrow trenches on the sand close to the water.
4. Use the buckets (full of water) to make a flowing stream of water across the sand trench. This serves as the river.
5. The river can be straight, but to add fun make it curvy here and there.
6. Kids may also make a sand dam to hold the water back and release it all at once.
7. Hand them pieces of paper boats or driftwood to create obstacles for the river course.

Did you know?

Physical activities help release endorphins (2). Playing in the sand is tougher than playing on other surfaces, making it an even more intense physical activity, and triggering the release of feel-good hormones.

6. Slithery rope snake

Image: Shutterstock

Rope games are not a bore, but check this one out!

You will need:

• Skipping rope

How to play:

1. Two players will hold the skipping rope down on the sand.
2. The rope here is the snake.
3. Wiggle the rope slowly, and then quickly.
4. The players need to jump over the rope to avoid landing on the snakes.

7. Parachute toss

Image: IStock

Do not forget to try this excellent beach-themed game next time.

You will need:

• Beach towels
• Small balls/ a beach ball
• Timer

How to play:

1. Two or more players can play this.
2. Have players hold the ends of the beach towels from as many corners as they can.
3. If you have only three kids playing, then let two players hold the ends of the beach towel.
4. Now, drop the ball in between the towel and toss the beach ball up in the air.
5. The goal is to see how high the ball can go.

An alternative to this game is the water balloon toss, which can be played by dividing into different teams.

8. Beach relay

Image: IStock

Kids love beach relay races. The good old ones with the spoon and the egg are still on. But let’s try it differently on the beach.

You will need:

• Beach buckets
• Plastic cups/bottles

How to play:

1. Give each kid a beach bucket and a plastic bottle or cup.
2. Place all the buckets in a row on the sand.
3. On the blow of the whistle, kids will take their bottles/cups and run to fill it with water.
4. Then they will run back to pour the collected water in their respective buckets.
5. The first kid to fill their bucket wins the race.

9. Beach treasure hunt

Image: IStock

Treasure hunt or beach scavenger hunt on the beach is like a wild adventure, you never know what you will find.

You will need:

• Papers to list items
• Copies of the same list
• A whistle

How to play:

1. Make a list of items that your kids can find on the beach.
2. You can start the collection with crab hunting, shells, rocks, white pebbles, black pebbles, seaweed, and feathers.
3. Give each of your kid a print out of the list they have to hunt.
4. Provide each of them with a large bucket for collecting their treasure.
5. Give them a time span of five minutes each to hunt as many treasures as they can.
6. Offer choco bars or other gifts to add up to the joy.

Using these collected items, you can also create beautiful beach art and crafts.

10. Beach golf

Image: Shutterstock

Enjoy watching your kids bring out their Tiger Woods spirit in a golf game on the beach.

You will need:

• A set of clubs and balls
• Wooden sticks and tennis balls (optional)

How to play:

1. Pick up a plastic set of balls and clubs from any dollar store.
2. You can also improvise with wooden sticks and tennis balls.
3. Dig some holes in the sand that will serve as targets to aim for.

11. Beach frisbee golf

Image: IStock

This is a fun substitute for the regular frisbee at the beach.

You will need:

• Picnic basket/umbrella
• A frisbee

How to play:

1. Set up targets using a picnic basket, an umbrella or a towel.
2. Make more than one target – around three to four.
3. Hand over the frisbee to your kid and let him/her throw it as close to the target as they can.
4. If your kid is too small, bring the targets closer. For older children, keep the goals at a distance.

Alternatively, paddleball and kite flying are two great options for children to enjoy their time at the beach.

12. Beach dodgeball

Image: IStock

A dodgeball can be played anywhere, but what better place to hop than the
sand?

You will need:

• Beach ball
• Timer

How to play:

1. Divide the players into two teams.
2. They have to chase the ball and at the same time avoid it.
3. Start by throwing the ball up high in the air.
4. One player grabs the ball and takes three steps before throwing it to hit a player from the other team.
5. If a player gets hit, they have to sit down.
6. Any player can grab the ball again and throw it at a player from the opposite team.
7. The team that has the most number of players playing at the end of the set time is the winner.

13. Beach volleyball

Image: IStock

Volleyball is the game you can never miss on the beach.

You will need:

• Wooden poles and net
• Volleyballs

How to play:

1. Set up the nets for play.
2. Divide the players into two teams.
3. The players have to throw the ball over the net, while those from the opposite team have to prevent the ball from falling on the ground, by hitting the ball in return.
4. When the receiving team leaves a volley, the hitting team earns a point and the chance to serve.
5. The ball must clear the net on a serve.
6. The game is ideally played up to 21 points.
7. The team that wins two out of three rounds of 21 points each wins the match.

The same setup can be used for playing beach tennis.

14. How deep can you dig?

Image: IStock

Nothing beats the fun of digging the sand.

You will need:

• Beach buckets
• Shovels
• Timer (optional)

How to play:

1. This game is ideal for two to three kids.
2. Have your children dig as deep a hole as they can.
3. Give them beach buckets and shovels.
4. The hole has to be big enough to allow one player to fit in it.
5. The player can then fill the hole with water from the buckets.
6. One player will time it to see how long it takes to fill it with water.
7. The one who does best wins.

This digging can be used for other games like beach obstacle courses.

Trivia

According to a short study, blue spaces, such as lakes, rivers, and oceans, have a positive effect on mental health and promote good physical health (3).

15. Limbo beach dance

Image: Shutterstock

Limbos are common. But now, let’s make a beach version of this.

You will need:

• Ropes/pool noodles/ a beach towel
• Music player/ iPod

How to play:

1. In this beach music and dance game, players will perform individually.
2. Make the beach limbo version by using ropes, pool noodles or a large beach towel.
3. Two players can hold the bar.
4. On ‘go’, play some music and let the players move from below the bar and make dance moves or poses.
5. Lower the bar with each turn.
6. The dancer who goes to the lowest without touching the bar is the winner.

16. Beach sandman

Image: IStock

Other than castles and drawing names with sticks, there’s more that sand can offer.

You will need:

• Beach bucket

How to play:

1. Collect a generous amount of wet sand from the edge of the sea, and fill it in the bucket.
2. Then collect some dry sand separately.
3. Take some of the wet sand out from the bucket and squeeze out the water to compress it into a ball.
4. Once the sand is compressed, start sprinkling dry sand over it and try to make it as round as possible.
5. Your kid can make it as small or large as they can.
6. Have the child make three balls of separate sizes and stake them together to form a sandman.
7. Once the body is done, deck it up with shells as the eyes and mouth.
8. Use a palm frond to make the hair and a small pebble for the nose.
9. You can use sticks as arms

17. Tug of war

Image: IStock

Tug of war can be played anywhere, but the cushiony sand makes the fall worth playing by the beach.

You will need:

• Two ropes
• A towel (optional)

How to play:

1. Divide the kids into two teams. Make sure they are of even stature.
2. Use two ropes or beach towels, and knot them tightly together.
3. Draw a line in the sand and have each team take their positions on either side of the line.
4. The players will then hold on tightly to the ropes.
5. The teams try to pull their opponent on to their side of the line by pulling the rope.
6. The team that brings the opponent team to their side wins.

18. Beach hopscotch

Image: Shutterstock

Try hopscotch in the golden sands of the beach.

You will need:

• A stick

How to play:

1. This game can be played alone, but is better with more than two players.
2. Draw a regular hopscotch frame in the beach.
3. Then mark some of the boxes as sharks (make an icon) and some as water.
4. The player needs to hop onto the water and avoid the sand.
5. If they place their feet on the shark, they will be out.
6. Play many rounds to see who wins.

19. Bocce balls

Image: IStock

Why need a court to play a fun game like bocce ball? Try it in the sand. Make it tighter, make it better.

You will need:

• Bocce ball set

How to play:

1. A target called ‘jack’ is thrown on the sand.
2. Players will then throw their weighted balls aiming the jack.
3. If you don’t have a bocce ball, you can play with pebbles.
4. If the weighted ball slightly touches the target, it won’t count.
5. The jack must move for the player to score. Each hit will earn a point.
6. The game shall continue for 20 points. Whoever scores it first wins the game.
7. If you are playing with stones, be careful not to get hurt.

20. Musical beach towel

Image: IStock

This is a musical chair game with beach towels on the shore.

You will need:

• Beach towels
• Music system/iPod

How to play:

1. This is a group game for five or more kids.
2. Lay the beach towels on the sand.
3. Keep one towel less than the number of players.
4. Play the music when the round starts.
5. On the start of music, the players will run around the towels.
6. The moment the volunteer stops playing the music, the players have to run and sit on their nearest towel.
7. As there is one towel less, the player who misses out to sit will be eliminated from that round.
8. With each round, the number of towels will also decrease.
9. Continue the game until only one player is left and stands as the winner.

Parents accompanying the children can relax through beach meditation and easy beach yoga postures.

21. Aim game

Image: Shutterstock

Children love aim games, and on the beach, you can bring variations. This will also improve your little one’s concentration.

You will need:

• A stick
• Pebbles

How to play:

1. Draw one big circle in the sand; the bigger, the better.
2. Using a stick, keep making more circles within the bigger circle.
3. The core of the central circle is the target for the player. Give a pebble to the player for making the throws.
4. The player has to throw a pebble right at the middle of the main circle.
5. The pebble going anywhere else will not earn a point.
6. Play this as many times as your kid wants.

22. Beach football

Image: Shutterstock

Your kids do not want to miss this for sure.

You will need:

• Poles
• Beach ball
• Nets
• Whistle

How to play:

1. Set up poles for each team. Instead of regular football, use a beach soccer ball.
2. If the beach does not have a setup, carry your nets.
3. These will serve as goal posts.
4. Players will have to score goals by hitting the ball into the opposing team’s net.
5. Each team will have their goalkeepers to prevent the attacking team from getting the ball inside the post.
6. Whoever scores the most, wins the match.

23. Beach tag

Image: Shutterstock

Tags are fantastic when you have a vast space to run around.

You will need:

• A whistle

How to play:

1. Divide the kids into teams.
2. Mark a boundary line within which kids can run.
3. One player will be It, and on the blow of a whistle, the other players will run in any direction (within the boundary) to prevent from getting tagged.
4. Play until one player remains untagged. He/she becomes the winner.

24. Beach crawling race

Image: IStock

This is a race with a twist. Let’s see how.

You will need:

• A timer

How to play:

1. Mark a finish and start line.
2. The players have to crawl to reach the finishing line.
3. Time the players and see who reaches the fastest and wins.
4. The sand is going to make crawling difficult.
5. Make sure that you carefully check the area of the game to discard any solid or sharp objects.

25. Beach blind fetch

Image: IStock

The beach is enormous and therefore the ideal location to try this out.

You will need:

• A blindfold

How to play:

1. One player becomes It and is blindfolded.
2. The other players will move around It.
3. They need to come closer to It while at the same time try running away to avoid getting tagged.
4. The other players can also touch It from different directions to make it difficult for It to grab someone.
5. Whoever gets grabbed by It, becomes the next It.

26. Beach bowling

Beach bowling is a popular game for boys and girls. It’s a favorite among parents because it’s simple and doesn’t require special equipment.

You will need:

• Toy bowling set or partially filled water bottles
• Tennis ball

How to play:

1. Line up the bottles on the beach and take turns tossing the ball to knock them down.
2. Try to get a strike or a spare and keep score for friendly competition.
3. If you don’t have a bowling set, just use what you have around.
4. It’s a fun game that will make your beach outing more enjoyable.

Certain beach games and sports requiring advanced expertise and physical strength, like boogie boarding and surfing, must be exercised cautiously and under expert supervision as a safety measure. If you don’t want to enjoy physical activity, you can indulge in beach storytelling and beach reading.

Infographic: Beach Games and Activities For Children

Although building sand castles is one of the must-have childhood memories, introduce your children to some modern-day beach games for extra fun. This infographic has exciting play ideas for children to enjoy beach days with friends. So, save the list for your children’s beach day!

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Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

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It is healthy and beneficial for children to be engaged in outdoor activities. Here are nine beach activities your child can enjoy the next time they head out.

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Harshita MakvanaB.Com, PG Dip

Harshita is a graduate in commerce and holds a PG Diploma in Patent and Copyrights Law from NALSAR University. She has also pursued CA and has more than three years of internship experience in auditing. Her love for travelling has taken her to various parts of the world, and writing the travelogues was what brought out her love for content...more

Deepa ThomasMA (English)

Deepa Rachel Thomas holds a master’s degree in English from the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad. She has done a certification course in Child Development and worked as a mentor for young children at an NGO that focuses on helping children develop their language and soft skills. Deepa has over three years of experience in the field of editing....more

Nisha BharatanB.Tech

Nisha Bharatan is a writer with six years of experience. After completing her engineering from Savitribai Phule Pune University, she did content marketing courses to complement her interest in writing. Nisha discovered her passion for writing in 2016 when she started documenting her journey into motherhood. She has written for various web magazines and websites through the years in different...more