Before you pack up the kids and head to the beach (yay summer!), take my advice and do a quick inventory of last year’s beach toys. Between missing shovels, broken pails, and maybe some toys that are no longer in the best shape, it may be time to add a few new sand toys to the kids’ collection.
We’ve dug up (haha) a bunch of new sand toys for our kids to play with when they aren’t burying our feet in the sand or chasing waves. And since many of these toys make great playthings for their sandbox too, they can get even more playtime out of them on the days when you don’t feel like dealing with beach traffic.
Related: 5 fun new beach toys for kids that beat regular shovels and pails
Quut Magic Shaper Sand Toys
We love how Belgium’s Quut has been reinventing sand toys with a thoughtful designer’s eye, first with their ergonomic sand shovels and spherical low-spill water bucket, and now with their unique new sand molds that turn out looking great every time. Instead of packing the sand into a mold and needing to do that dreaded “flip” that little kids, and sometimes adults, don’t always get quite right, Quut’s Sunnylove and Starfish molds just press-and-lift to reveal their shape.
Green Toys Dig and Discover Set
Long-time, eco-friendly favorite Green Toys uses their recycled milk jug plastic to create a sturdy sand bucket and shovel that will stand up to many summers of play, unlike those cheap thin ones that don’t make it past August. Their Dig and Discover Set comes with a small yet clever booklet of ideas for playing in the sand or dirt with their new toy and is great for those days when the kids start whining for more screen time. Plus, this can also be a neatly packaged gift for a summer birthday.
HABA Baudino Sand Golf Toy
Take the tee with you to the beach with HABA’s clever Baudino Sand Golf Toy that lets kids practice their hand-eye coordination when they are taking a break from swimming. Love that the holes are buried into the sand and two kids can take turns trying to get their ball into it.
Beach Stamps Sand Toy
For the budding artist, sand becomes their canvas with Beach Stamps’ fun and clever impression stamps. Choose from their animal, cowboy, space, or other packs of flexible stamps and let the kids use their hands or feet to press the images into the sand. Made in the USA, older kids can use the stamps as inspiration to draw entire scenes around them, while the littlest stampers–or stompers–will get a kick out of running back and forth, leaving a trail of images behind.
Battat B.Wavey Wagon Beach Toy
If you need an entire set of sand toys to get your summer started, check out Battat’s B. Wavey Wagon which is packed full of ten sand toys like a sand sifter, rake, nesting cups, and a little boat. I love the wagon which keeps everything in one place when playtime is done. Though, take it from me, and empty that out when you get home, lest you find out your kids have hidden a few critters in there as well.
HABA Baudino Dinosaur Sand Digger
Why dig with a regular shovel when you can take a bite out of the sand with HABA’s Baudino Dinosaur Sand Digger? Your child’s hand opens and closes the mouth of this dino which can also sift sand through the eye sockets and nose holes. Just remind your kids that if they decide to play paleontologist, they’ll need to dig up the head before they leave the beach for the day.
Hearthsong Sandblox Sand Toys
Elevate the kids’ sand castle building with Hearthsong’s new Sandblox toys. The five geometric shapes make nicely edged blocks to form walls or other creations they dream up. The handles make it easier to lift the blocks straight up, helping to preserve those edges. That is, until the tide comes in. But isn’t that how every sand castle story ends anyway?
