Nine tips that will significantly improve your family beach holiday

The hot weather hacks every parent needs – from using a balloon as a ‘tracking device’ on a busy beach to hiding valuables in nappies

• Parents shared the hot weather family holiday hacks they swear by
• Advised using talc to get rid of sand sticking to your children’s feet at the beach 
• Bring your own inflatables to save money, use nappies as hiding place on beach

With the summer holidays just around the corner, many families will soon leave their homes for warmer climates.

But as any parent knows, packing for the whole family can be a tricky and stressful affair, especially with young children. 

Mumsnet has came up with nine easy tips to help families have a stress-free holiday, which promise to save parents time, effort and money. 

Mumsnet users reveal their hacks to enjoy a family holiday at the beach without stress (pictured: a stock picture of a nuclear family enjoying themselves on their holiday) 

1. Talc is a secret weapon against stubborn sand

A holiday at the beach is usually followed by finding pesky sand stuck everywhere, even following us home.  

In order to avoid that unwanted souvenir, use talc to get rid of the sand sticking to your feet. 

With a bottle of sand costing as little £1, this practical hack is also a cheap way to keep the grains at bay. 

2. Pack a multi-socket extension leads

As electronic gadgets have become an essential part of family life, so have chargers. 

When leaving for a holiday, it means packing several USB cables, plugs and adapters, taking up precious packing space. 

3. Follow two simple packing rules 

Rolling clothes is a good way of saving up on space in a luggage and avoids unsightly creases as well. 

Meanwhile, instead of packing separate suitcases for everyone, pack a little bit of everyone’s clothes in each suitcase in case something goes wrong and one of them goes missing. 

‘Roll all clothing into tight cylinders. These take up less space and keep the clothes relatively wearable,’ one mum wrote.

‘Spread everyone’s clothes out in different cases, in case – god forbid – one goes missing.’

Using an extension lead allows you to plug all your devices while only using one power socket. 

One mum advises: ‘Sometimes you only get one plug socket in a room so it gets tricky when trying to plug in iPads, phone charger, hairdryer, mosquito repellent, camera battery… Take a short extension lead so you can plug in multiple appliances at once (with only one adaptor).’ 

4. Nappies make great hiding places

Would would suspect that your valuables are in that discarded nappy? And who would dare open the nappy to find out? 

‘Wrap all valuables (wallets, phones etc) in a clean nappy. Any potential thieves wouldn’t think to look inside what they think is a dirty nappy,’ a parent wrote. 

Careful, however, that the nappy doesn’t get thrown away.   

5. Bring your own inflatable toys

Bringing your own inflatable toys – packed flat, of course – will save you money, as they are more affordable to buy a home than in the overpriced shops on the seafront. 

‘Take kids’ inflatables with you, but new so they’re flat-packed. So much cheaper to get them at home than in the beach-front shops abroad,’ a parent wrote. 

After a day at the beach, parents advise using talc to get sand of little ones’ toes. Stock image

6. Balloons double as tracking devices

‘When on a busy beach, tie a balloon onto your child’s arm. You can see where they are playing at a glance,’ one Mumsnet user advised. 

7. Hammam towels are very light-weight 

Hammam towels are lighter compared to the sponge towels we usually have at home, and they are easy to fold and take less space in the suitcase. 

‘Five of them take up less space than one beach towel, and they dry so much more quickly,’ one Mumsnet user said. 

‘My husband was skeptical (to put it mildly) that they could replace a proper towel – but was absolutely won over,’ another commented. 

Of course, vigilance is key, and you’ll have to keep an eye on your child at all times anyways, but a balloon would be great to give that extra level of reassurance. 

8. Zip-lock bags are a great multi-use tool

From carrying wet swimming costumes to sectioning off ‘leakable’ essentials like sun cream, the uses for zip-lock bags are endless on summer holidays. 

One playful parent even suggests using the zip-lock bag as a ‘refillable’ water balloon to keep mothers and fathers occupied.

9. Invest in a cool sleeve 

Cool sleeves are great for keeping your drinks safe from the increasing temperatures.

One of the parents wrote: ‘Buy a cool sleeve for your water bottle. Keeps them cold for around four hours. We also take a small insulated lunch box with the gel (to freeze once there). Handy for all sorts of snacks you are carrying around.’ 

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