What's In Our Beach Bag?

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight  campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Huggies,  but all opinions expressed are honest and my own. #pmedia #HuggiesSwimmers  http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO.
With a beautiful family beach house now at our disposal and the dog days of summer surrounding us, it's no secret that our family spends a lot of time at the beach. With two kids in tow, long gone are the days where all we needed to grab were swimsuits, a towel and small cooler (of beer) before hitting the dunes. 
Leaving for a day on the beach, a morning even, requires precision planning, time and a whole lot of stuff. With two kids, there isn't room to pack up the beach house and linen closet. One must pack simply and smartly to not only be prepared for anything but also to outlast the two tiny toddlers in tow. I'd like to think that after two kids and countless trips to the beach under my belt, I've kind of perfected the Perfect Beach Bag.  
Want a peek into The M Family Beach Tote? Take a look!

  1. L.L. Bean Boat and Tote Extra Large Canvas Bag I love these totes for a myriad of reasons but most importantly because they are durable and spacious enough to hold pretty much everything but the kitchen sink which comes in handy when packing up the kids for a beach trip! I purchased the lobster print tote a few years back and it has done me so well throughout our many beach trips. If you're looking for an option with a zippered top (to keep the sand out) L.L. Bean sells those as well!   2. Huggies Little Swimmers Swim Diapers  Huggies Little Swimmers swim diapers are an essential part of any beach excursion and a must-have in our beach bag. Made from a special absorbent material that doesn't swell up when wet, these diapers fit perfectly beneath the adorable swimsuits that I insist my boys wear on the beach. 

Not only do these diapers look cute (and come in fun prints such as Nemo and Winnie the Pooh) but they do a fantastic job at keeping, well, the gross stuff contained, so as not to interfere with beach play. 

Another great aspect of these diapers is the tear-away sides that make changing a breeze. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to peel a swimsuit and diaper from a sunscreen sticky, sand-and-saltwater-laden squirming baby! I've tried many swim diapers on the boys from disposables to reusables and these swim diapers are, by far, our go-to for both the beach and pool.

What's not to love about a swim diaper with a telltale front and back? I can't tell you how many times I've put other swim diapers on backwards only to have the boys complain about their boy parts being all squished once suited up and ready to go. 
Want to give Huggies Little Swimmers a try or stock up on your favorite brand of swim diaper? Here's a coupon for $1.50 off Huggies Little Swimmers for your little ones!

3. MD Moms Babysafe Sunscreen Towelettes Spf 30 (20 count) The only thing more frustrating than trying to peel a diaper and swimsuit from a sandy, sweaty baby, in my book, is trying to apply sunscreen to them. Although a bit pricey, I absolutely love these sunscreen towelettes and use them every chance I get. With enough sunscreen in each towelette to cover baby from head to toe, these wipes are perfect for energetic, wily little kidlets. Although I also insist on double-coating the kids with pump sunscreen, I especially love these towels for gentle places such as their ears, faces and backs of their necks. These wipes are also a great addition to your diaper bag for every day use, especially at places like the park and zoo. 
4. Babyganics Cover Up Baby 50 SPF Bug Spray Combo Pack, Net Wt. 12 oz. Hypoallergenic, fragrance free and with an SPF of 50, Babyganics sunscreen is one of my absolute favorites. If I could dip my ultra fair-skinned toddler in this, I absolutely would but until they make a bucket large enough, I'll continue to just pump some into my hands and coat him from shoulder to toe. After many long mornings on the beach which turned into many late afternoons, neither of my boys ever turned pink with sunburn. It deserves to be noted that I do reapply every 1-2 hours. Success in my book!
5. Burt's Bees Baby Bee Dusting Powder Talc Free, 4.5-Ounce (Pack of 3) What's the secret to de-sand-ifying your little beach cruisers? Baby powder, of course! Hands down this is one of the greatest secrets that the Internet has ever taught me. All-natural and talc-free, I love using this power on them to wick away all that irritating wet sand! 
6. i play. Baby-boys Infant Bucket Sun Protection Hat, Blue Octopus, Tod (2/4 yrs)   There are few things I love more than an adorable little baby in a beach bucket hat and the beach hats by i play. are the bomb dot com. Sadly, my older son has outgrown his i play. hats and wears only Big Boy baseball caps but that doesn't mean I don't steal every chance I can to put the baby in one! The tractor print and sailboat print are my favorite and I love how they come with a chin strap! That's the only way that sucker is staying on my baby's head!
7.  Huggies One & Done Wipes I've waxed poetic before about how much I love these wipes. You rarely need more than two wipes for even the messiest of messes and they never come apart in your hands mid-wipe. Or how about those times when you go to wipe and the wipe is so thin that it slides down suddenly leaving your hand to come in contact with the mess? Yeah. We've all been there but not with these wipes. These wipes are in my house, my car, my diaper bag and of course, our beach bag. 
8. Happy Tots Stage 4 Coconut milk and Mixed Berry Pouch (16/4.22oz) This flavor fruit pouch is so delicious I've started using them in my morning smoothies. Even though we always leave the beach and head back to the house for lunch and naps, I always make sure to toss a few of these easy-to-eat pouches in my bag to snack on. They are crowd pleasures, for sure! 
9. Oxo Straw Cup, Pink, 11 Ounce   I ordered these cups on a whim and had them shipped to the beach house early last month shortly before our inaugural arrival (in blue and green, of course). BPA, PVC and phlalate free, these cups are easy to use, easy to hold and especially easy to take apart and clean. They are spill proof and have a lid that twists close to conceal the drinking straw when not in use. Perfect for the countless times they get dropped in the sand! Love them. That is all. 
10. Innobaby Packin' smart Four Tier Travels Stack N Seal Food Storage System, Blue   I first received one of these Innobaby snack stackers in a monthly subscription box and after filling it with goldfish and puffs and tossing it into my diaper bag for routine errands, I was so pleased with it that I had to order another for our beach bag! Yogurt drops, puffs, goldfish and more, these snack keepers are perfect for beach snacks on the go!
11.Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Seaside Sidekicks Sand Baking Set   It wouldn't be a trip to the beach without toys! This beach set was given to the boys as a gift from our neighbors and it's such a fun little set for them to play with on the beach! 
12. Not pictured is the ziplock gallon baggy that I often fill with extra swim and disposable diapers as well as a change of clothes for each of the boys that I always throw into the bottom of our beach bag where it stays for safe keeping until it's time to leave the beach! Don't forget your beach towels, either! We love our Green Monster beach towel!
Tell me, what are some of your beach bag necessities?