5 must-have beach games for your summer holiday
19/6/2024
Translation: Elicia Payne
Beach holiday approaching and still looking for suitable games for your kids? Here are 5 I highly recommend.
If you have children, you’re probably familiar with beach trips. Splashing around in the water isn’t enough for the little ones, they want to be kept busy and use every bit of energy they have. So I’ve scoured our store for new games worth packing in your beach bag this year.
Reusable water bombs
I’m so sorry, but balloon water bombs are so last year. After all, it’s important we reduce waste. While the reusable alternative was hard to find last year, the good news is it’s now available everywhere – including in our shop. I’ve purchased some already and can highly recommend them. They open in the middle, then you fill them with water and close them again using the magnetic closure. They open automatically when they hit the target – splash!
Ring toss game
This game is relatively self-explanatory. You put the stand in a T shape (poles facing upright) and place it some distance away. Then you and your kids try to throw the rings over the poles so they hook on. Before the game, you need to work out how many points each player must score in three throws to win. But it’s also fun without rules and it trains coordination, especially in younger children.
Velcro ball set
This game simply never goes out of fashion. You probably remember it from your own childhood. Each player has a racket and tries to catch the ball of their opponent by coming into contact with it. If you want to give your kids a real workout, you can try the Pro version I found in our shop. It’s called «Catching old Dutch ribbons» for some reason. You and your children wear colourful vests with Velcro straps or «ribbons» dangling from them. Then you have to chase each other and try to steal each other’s ribbons. The first person with no more ribbons left has lost.
Propeller game
Another thing from my childhood: the propeller game. I don’t know why it’s all the rage again this summer. But a friend brought it with her on our family holiday in spring and was happy to tell me she’d seen an influencer with one. And that her children have become more popular since owning the toy. The influencer in question goes by the handle Busytoddler and has probably fuelled the hype surrounding the toy – after all, she has 2.3 million followers.
I've bought the propeller game twice and I’m telling you: it’s a disaster. The propellers always land in a tree and stay there. Gone forever. A waste of money! Unless you take it to the beach with you. Then you’re guaranteed a good time. Where’s it going to land there? In the sea? Then you can have a swimming competition.
Source: Anne Fischer
Don’t forget the classics
Water pistols, balls, shovels, buckets, sand moulds – despite all the hype, please don’t forget the classics. You should be well equipped, especially for building sandcastles.
Finally, a tip for tired parents: take some chalk with you to the beach. On most beaches you’ll find rocks or pretty stones your kids can draw on. It’s an ideal activity when you’re exhausted.
A true local journalist with a secret soft spot for German pop music. Mum of two boys, a dog and about 400 toy cars in all shapes and colours. I always enjoy travelling, reading and go to concerts, too.
