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- Going to the beach is always tons of fun, but sitting there in the sun can get dull after the first hour or two. A selection of great beach toys ensures your waterside outing is exciting and enjoyable all day long.
- Spikeball is our top pick for the best beach toy becomes it's an engaging, action-packed game that's easy to learn and that can be played by kids and adults alike.
When you imagine a beach, you probably think of equal parts relaxation and fun. You likely picture kids frolicking about while adults stretch out and relax. In short, the modern conception of the beach is as an idyllic place to be sought out and enjoyed.
But it wasn't always so. In fact, up until the later decades of the 18th century, beaches were generally avoided when possible, used only as necessary for maritime purposes such as launching or retrieving boats, harvesting seafood, and so forth. A new interest in the restorative benefits of fresh air inspired by the ever-more choked air of industrializing cities paired with the ease of travel offered by trains and improved roadways led to a gradual changing of opinions about the beach. Over the course of the 19th Century, the seaside changed from a vaguely ominous swath of sand to be avoided to the beloved vacation destination we think of today.
What's better than a day at the beach? A day at the beach with fun stuff to do.
If you showed up to the beach empty handed and sat on the sand staring at the water all day, that wouldn't be much fun. It's really the items we bring along with us that makes a beach day a success, and that goes for the basics like a towel and an umbrella to the common diversions like a book or some music to the great beach toys that can make a seaside sojourn truly enjoyable.
Whether it's you and the kids or you and the crew headed to the beach this summer, we've assembled a list of some of the best beach toys for ensuring you have a great time. What you won't find here is badminton because it's impossible or those giant inflatable balls you can get inside of because they're begging for personal injury. What you will find are a few high-energy beach games, an exciting but slow-paced option, the best water gun I've ever used, and some things for the kids, too.
Here are the best beach toys you can buy:
- Best beach toy overall: Spikeball
- Best beach toy for kids: Melissa & Doug Seaside Sidekicks Sand Baking Set
- Best water gun: Stream Machine TL-600 Water Launcher
- Best low-impact beach game: Yard Games Giant Tumbling Timbers
- Best flying disc beach game: Kan Jam Ultimate Disc Game
- Best beach kite: Singare Octopus Kite
- Best beach toys for the sand: Green Toys Sand Play Set
Updated on 5/24/2019 by Les Shu: Updated prices, links, and formatting.
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