Amber in AUS Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 We live 150m from an awesome, calm, kid friendly beach but we hardly ever go :thumbdown: so i am trying to come up with some ways of incorporating going to the beach for a swim/paddle into our everyday routine. This last couple of days we have gone right after breakfast as that is the best time of the day, before the wind gets up and it has been great, but the kids come back wiped out and become grumpy later in the day. I would love to go everyday, even on school days, is it practical? The kids have been very good whilst there and have come home showered and changed without any hassle. Morning is also the best time for school and my own homely chores. How do i find a balance and fit it all in :confused: Suggestions please ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elfgivas Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 hi amber - how i wish we had a beach that close! here, in the summer, the girls go out to play before 8am (when its still under 100F). if they stay out an hour, its great. if they stay out 1.5 hours, then they're tired and grumpy. so the questions i can think of are: how long did you stay at the beach? maybe if its an everyday thing, the time can be shorter and they won't be as tired? what is it like at the end of the day? (i'm guessing windy!). in winter, maybe you can go right before lunch when its warmer? have fun! ann Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucy in Australia Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 I totally get what you're saying about the wind - if you go at the wrong time here in Perth, you come back with sand in your back teeth, it's so windy :D Having said that, would it work for you to go at around 4:30 - 5? When my boys were little I found that was a great time. They were a bit ratty at that hour, and the fresh ocean air (and even a bit of wind!) seemed to do them good. They would come home tired and hungry, eat well and then sleep well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 (edited) We actually prefer to go after lunch. If there is anything we need to get done, we do it, and then they or we go. We always bring something to drink, and sometimes we bring snacks if we think we will be there a bit. But it's so close we don't need to make hug preparations. If they are grumpy, feed them , let them rest. Maybe watch a movie or Magic Schoolbus as they recover. Showering is nice, but not a huge priority. Nothing bad will happen if they shower the next day...or not. :tongue_smilie: Edited December 29, 2009 by LibraryLover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 I used to live very near the beach, and now live very near a wonderful, wild outdoor area that isn't beach. Surprisingly, a similar strategy works well for both. I have opportunity at least 3 days a week without obligations in the afternoon - and I keep it that way. When the days are shorter in winter, we go right after lunch or take a picnic lunch. When the days are longer, we go right before dinner if dinner is something that can cook unattended or we go between dinner and bedtime (leaving the after-dinner dishes until after bedtime). When school is out for the summer, we take at least one full day outside every week. Alternately, you could get a really big dog that needs daily walks or take up a sport that involves the beach. I have friends that love windsurfing, surfing, snorkeling, and spear fishing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cera Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 We live walking distance to the beach and my kids are 3 and 5. I like to go in the morning to stay out of the noon sun. We go on Wednesdays and Fridays (the kids don't have outside activities these days) right after breakfast and stay until 11 or so. We come home, shower, eat and get dressed then the kids take a nap while I work around the house (the beach wipes them out). We do light school in the afternoon, usually just reading or read alouds and a bit of math. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in AUS Posted December 28, 2009 Author Share Posted December 28, 2009 I totally get what you're saying about the wind - if you go at the wrong time here in Perth, you come back with sand in your back teeth, it's so windy :D You are spot on there. We are in Perth too :D Some days you can get away with very late afternoon, but certainly you could not count on it everyday. I am thinking if i can be up and have some house chores done before breakfast then we could go right after breakfast for 30 - 40min or so actually on the beach. That gives us a little time for showering when we get home (they actually just get a hose off in the yard to get the sand off :D). They could then have some morning tea while chilling out and then get into school. Hopefully we could all get started with school by 9.30 - 10am. I would think that they will get more used to it and less grumpy as time goes on. And i think you are right Ann we have probably spent a little more time there in the last couple of days than we would have if we were going everyday. We already have a dog Karen, just waiting for her to get her last vax so we can take her too :) I guess i will just have to try it out over the next few weeks and see if i can get a new kind of routine going for all of us. I know the kids would LOVE it, they are always asking to go to the beach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsabelC Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 Have you tried just going for a shorter period so they're not as tired out for the rest of the day? Maybe plan some activity they like right after beach time so they don't ask to stay longer when it's time to go home? If I were you, I'd probably be living at the beach with this 40 degree weather! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole M Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 I also lived very close to the beach growing up, walking distance. What worked for our family was morning swim, then afternoon rest time. That took care of the grumpies. Do your children still nap? Or would they be amenable to a quiet time for an hour to recover? Also, you might want to start with scheduling just a few days / week, and then work up to a daily paddle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 I second a short time at the beach. we live about 5 minutes walk from the beach ( Gippsland, Victoria) we go for 1/2 hour, then back home again. the kids don't mind the short visit, as they know they can go again tomorrow. I look at it as P.E. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 I'm thinking that if your oldest is 5. . . you really should just go to the beach every day. Only the 5 yo needs schooling, and 30 min/day should do ya'. I'd go to the beach in the a.m., have lunch, have kids (incl 5 yo) nap, then do 30 min of school after nap with the 5 yo (with any luck the littlers will still be sleeping). Done. Wish I had your problem, lol!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nono Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 The problem with short visits is that my kids aren't satisfied with a short visit! I try to think of games to play on the beach that are educational. So, right now, my younger has decided he likes to count to 12. I draw boxes on the sand and then number them and have him hop around to the numbers I call out. Before, when he decided he wanted to know colors, I drew boxes and brought small bean bags of different colors and called them out. Simple things like that. My kids also practice printing letters and Chinese character writing in the sand with their "writing sticks" that they find on the way to the beach. My husband calls it "Sand School." :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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