The best beach toys you can buy for kids of all ages

For kids ages 0 to 4 or even a bit older, you really can't beat a great set of sand toys, and the Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Seaside Sidekicks Sand Baking Set is certainly that.

My son started enjoying sand play when he was 7-months-old. And though the way in which he engages with the sand has changed in the ensuing four years, he still loves using sand toys when playing at the beach. Now he's trying to create trenches that channel water toward a reservoir instead of idly scooping and dumping, but sand play is sand play.

The Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Seaside Sidekicks Sand Baking Set is a low-cost beach toy set that has all basic elements a kid needs for enjoying the endless supply of play material found there on the beach. It has the different sizes of scoop, a little spoon, a sand whisk, a sifter, and a larger bucket with handles.

Whether pretending to cook, working on a structure, or simply digging and pouring, young kids will love this set. Just make sure they don't eat too much sand with that spoon.

Hundreds of Amazon customers have reviewed this sand toy set online, and they have given it a 4.5-star average rating. One reviewer calls it "very sturdy" and "absolutely perfect for" younger kids to enjoy at the beach. Others also report their kids using the toys at water tables or in the pool.

Pros: Great variety of toys, good for babies and toddlers alike, low price point

Cons: Sifter lid does not fit bucket well

Buy a Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Seaside Sidekicks Sand Baking Set on Amazon for $13.99 (originally $40.26)

The Stream Machine TL-600 Water Launcher is a low-cost, high-powered water cannon that blasts water dozens of yards across the beach, pool, or backyard.

The simplest effective design is always the best design possible, and it doesn't get much simpler than the design of the Stream Machine TL-600 Water Launcher.

You stick the muzzle of this powerful water gun down into some water — be it a bucket, a pool, the Indian Ocean, or whatever — and pull back on the handle. Then you point the thing at your "foe" and push the handle forward again as hard as you can, blasting that nemesis with a super-powered jet of water. With enough effort and decent arm strength, you can send a stream of water arcing more than 70 feet away.

Unlike with a Super Soaker, these water launchers are quick to load and fire, no prep work of pumping required. And unlike fancier multi-component and/or electric water guns, they are pretty hard to break even when treated roughly. Also, as a Stream Machine TL-600 Water Launcher costs less than $15, you can always just replace one that finally gives out.

One word of caution: Watch out for kids and for anyone's eyes, because these water launchers create enough pressure to cause serious discomfort and discontent, if not an actual minor injury.

Pros: Powerful long-range stream, easy to use, cheap yet durable

Cons: Can cause minor eye injuries if used improperly

Buy a Stream Machine TL-600 Water Launcher on Amazon for $12.99

You can play a larger-than-life game of Jenga with the Yard Games Giant Tumbling Timbers set for tons of fun without too much exercise.

Have you ever noticed that most adult beach toys are basically some variation of tossing or bouncing one object at a different object? Whether it's cornhole, volleyball, beach football, bocce, and so forth, most beach games involve throwing stuff around, and lots of them require at least moderately intense physical activity. Ah, but not so with Giant Tumbling Timbers from Yard Games.

This is, of course, just Jenga on a much larger scale, but the huge size of this set not only makes it a great outdoor activity, but it also increases both the level of challenge and excitement without making this a physically taxing game.

Kids above the age of seven or eight will love playing with this set as will adults of any age. Just watch out for smaller folks when it looks like the tower will soon tumble down because a wooden block to the head is a surefire way to ruin an otherwise great day at the beach.

The Yard Games Giant Tumbling Timbers has hundreds of reviews and a fine 4.5-star average rating on Amazon, with a customer calling this a "fun full-sized game... exactly what [she] was looking for" family fun.

Another said it was great for "kids and adults" alike. Others did note the rather steep price tag, but for the record, the Jenga-branded option costs 50 bucks more.

Pros: Low-intensity fun, great for various ages, fun for the beach or use in the yard

Cons: Injury risk for young kids from falling blocks

Buy a Yard Games Giant Tumbling Timbers set on Amazon for $79 (originally $99.99)

A good game of Kan Jam involves accurate throws, aggressive defense, and usually a lot of laughs.

Tossing a flying disc back and forth is lots of fun, but simply throwing and catching can get boring after a while, so spice things up with the Kan Jam Ultimate Disc Game.

Kan Jam is enjoyable because it still relies on the basics of accurate tossing, yet with the added excitement of playing with a teammate and against opponents.

Your partner can help bounce your tossed disc into the top of the large plastic cylinder (the "kan") that serves as a goal, or you can earn double points by getting the disc into a slot on the front of the goal. But beware: Your opponents can knock the disc aside, robbing you of your sweet, sweet points but increasing the challenge and excitement. You're playing what is essentially the sport known as Ultimate.

Or, you can play without the intervention of the other team to make things a bit less challenging. And you can also enjoy a Kan Jam set solo by challenging yourself to improve your accuracy.

I've spent hours playing Kan Jam over the years, and my only complaint about the game is that other people seem to get the disc into the goal more often than I do, but that's probably more my issue than a design thing, come to think of it.

RunnerClick calls Kan Jam a great "family friendly" game that "encourages physical activity."

Pros: Fun team play game, ideal for the beach or the backyard, made in America

Cons: Frustrating for some less-than-great throwers

Buy a Kan Jam Ultimate Disc Game set on Amazon for $39.65

The Singare Octopus Kite is charming to watch up there in the skies with its big googly eyes and colorful streamers, plus, it's easy to get it aloft and keep it there.

The beach is the perfect place to fly a kite what with the open expanse of terrain for running about and with reliable breezes coming in off the water. Kites are great fun for all ages, too, making them a perfect toy for use during family trips to the shore. But a kite is no fun for anyone of any age if you can't get the damn thing airborne, which is all too common a problem with all too many kite designs.

The Singare Octopus Kite is ready to use right out of the bag, no assembly required, thus removing the first obstacle many people have to successful kite flight: improper construction. The large, lightweight kites catch the breeze with ease and soar high with minimal need for control input from down below.

Thanks to the 200-foot line included with each kite, you can send your colorful octopus high in the sky. They remain easy to see even at altitude thanks to multiple bright streamers that stretch out nearly eight feet behind the "body" of the kite.

With dozens of reviews posted, Amazon shoppers have awarded the Singare Octopus Kite a high-flying 4.4-star average rating. One buyer says the kite is "super easy to fly" and "not too hard for a 4-year-old" yet still fun for his 8-year-old son, not to mention himself, the adult.

Pros: Easy to launch, two kites come with purchase, long line and handle included

Cons: Cheap materials (but offset by cheap price)

Buy a pair of Singare Octopus Kites on Amazon for $15.77

The Green Toys Sand Play Set comes with everything you need to build a sandcastle.

The Green Toys Sand Play Set is small and doesn't come with a whole lot, but it probably has the best chance of lasting a season out of any plastic beach toy set we could find, and these are, after all, the essentials.

Really, apart from maybe a Kindle what else does a child or an adult really need for entertainment at the beach? Made from BPA-free recycled plastics, the kit includes bucket with a sturdy rope handle that won't break, a shovel, a rake, and a sandcastle mold, which is all it takes to build the beach fortress of your wildest dreams.

Sure, you could buy a twenty-odd set for the same price, but what's the point? The plastic will be of low quality, and the small pieces have a good chance of finding their way home. — Owen Burke

Pros: Well made, made from recycled plastic, BPA-free, sandcastle building essentials

Cons: Pricey, not many pieces

Buy the Green Toys Sand Play Set on Amazon for $14 and up

The best beach gear you can buy

Summer is a great time to get outside and hit the beach. We've rounded up the best beach gear of all kinds so you don't have to waste precious time indoors looking for good beach gear.

Whether you need a beach umbrella, towel, chair, cooler, grill, toy set, or sunscreen, we have a pick for you.

Click on a link to jump to a topic:

• Best swimsuits and swim trunks
• Best sunglasses and sun hat
• Best beach sandals
• Best sunscreen
• Best beach towels
• Best beach blanket and mat
• Best beach chair
• Best beach umbrella and tent
• Best water bottle, wineskin, canteen, and mug
• Best coolers
• Best picnic baskets
• Best grilling gear
• Best beach toys
• Best beach cart and bag