We recently got back from Mexico on a family beach vacation. We rounded up some of our most used items from the trip in hopes of helping you plan for your next vacation with kids. Here are the things we used and loved the most! Please note, none of these are sponsored and we do not earn a commission off sales. Links are provided purely to be a help to you!
Sunscreen: My kids are as pale as can be after a winter in Chicago so we needed highly effective sun protection. The ones we used the most were the blue lizard face stick (recommended by our pediatrician) and the sun bum kids 50 clear sunscreen spray I actually used the sun bum spray on myself as well and walked away from the trip without a single sun burn.
Kids Swimsuits: We brought a bunch of swimsuits and used them all but these were our favorites. Since our kids are no longer in swim diapers and need to use the bathroom quite a bit throughout a day spent swimming, we found the two piece suits to be a lot more convenient. Hayden's go-to suit was this one from a brand called Pepita and Me. We bought it at our local kids' boutique, Red Balloon. This suit is old and mostly sold out but they have tons of adorable options in stock in the same body style. For Julien, I am a sucker for the bathing suits from Minnow. He wore these shorts as well as these with this rash guard. The rash guards have a nice thick material and the quality of the pieces are unmatched, so for me it justifies the price point. I recommend sizing up in the shorts as they run pretty snug. Julien just turned 3 and is close to 37 pounds and 5/6 is the right size for him. I find the rash guards and the girl's swimsuits fit more true to size.
Floaties: Don't come after me. I know that it's not ideal for kids to wear this type of floaty in the pool because it teaches them to be vertical in the water, however, my kids are both in swim lessons and I feel comfortable that they will learn how to swim, so on vacation, we enjoyed some floaty time so the adults could relax while the kids played. For the first family vacation ever since having kids, I was able to read my book and enjoy a beverage while my kids swam safely. These are the floaties we have and enjoyed.
Pool and Sand Toys: We brought a variety of pool and sand toys for the kids to enjoy. These are the ones they used the most.
Pool Lounger Float *we didn't bring this one but they had something similar at the Airbnb and the kids loved pretending it was a boat and taking each other on rides and getting on it together
Clothing faves
Both of my kids brought their Dear Hayden zebra cardigans in their carry-ons because airports and planes can be chilly. It also cooled down in the evening so these came in handy. My daughter is obsessed with hers and even wants to sleep in it.
My kids also slept in their Dear Hayden modal pajamas every night while we were gone. The modal material is light and buttery soft so it works in hot weather just as well as cold.
Sandals: We recently got these cute ones from a Spanish brand called Igor (purchased online from Just Shoes for Kids). For my son we went with the sandal style and for my daughter we got the closed-toe style. They are light and comfortable and will be staples all spring and summer.
Goggles: The kids used these goggles for swimming. I like them because the back part is soft and doesn't dig into their heads/hair the way the rubber ones do.
Hats: For Julien, we love this one from Rey to Z. We forgot Hayden's hat at home and ended up buying her a straw hat when we went grocery shopping but I love this one from Anthropologie.
Beach/Pool tote: Love this one from L.L. Bean. It comes in a variety of colors and sizes and you can add a monogram as well!
Hope this helps you prepare for your next pool/beach vacation with kids! Have something to add? Let us know in the comments :)