Packing essentials for a family beach trip

Start with sun protection, not sandcastles

British beaches have a reputation for grey skies, but the sun still bites through cloud, and it bounces off wet sand and shallow water in a way that catches families out. A child can burn quite happily on an overcast afternoon in Cornwall while you are convinced it is too chilly for anything more than a light breeze. Treat sun protection as the first thing into the bag, not an afterthought you remember in the car park.

• Sun cream — factor 30 as a minimum, factor 50 for babies and young children. Bring a full bottle rather than the gritty remains of last summer's, and apply it half an hour before you leave the car.
• Sun hats — wide-brimmed or legionnaire styles with a neck flap. A plain cap leaves ears and the back of the neck exposed, which is exactly where children burn.
• Sunglasses for older children, with a strap so they do not vanish into the surf.
• UV swim tops or rash vests — these cut down how much cream you need to reapply and keep children warmer when they are in and out of the water all afternoon.
• After-sun or a plain moisturiser for the drive home, particularly if anyone has caught a bit more than you intended.

Reapply every couple of hours and immediately after swimming, even if the bottle claims to be water-resistant. Towel drying wipes most of it off, and so does a long session in the waves.

Dress for four seasons in one afternoon

Coastal weather changes faster than inland weather. A warm still morning can turn into a stiff, cool wind by three o'clock, and the sea breeze will make twenty degrees feel like fourteen. Pack layers rather than one big coat, and always pack more spare clothes for children than you think you need.

• A complete spare set per child — top, bottoms, socks and pants. Sand and seawater get everywhere, and a dry child is a happy child on the journey home.
• Fleeces or hoodies for everyone, even on a promising day.
• Water shoes or old trainers for pebbly beaches and rock pooling. Pebbles are painful in bare feet, and rock pools are slippery.
• A large towel each, plus a spare one for the car seats.
• A dry bag or heavy carrier bag for wet costumes and towels, so the rest of your kit stays dry.

Wellies are brilliant for crabbing off a harbour wall and hopeless in soft sand, so think about which beach you are heading to before you load the boot.

Food, drink and keeping everyone upright

Nothing sours a beach day faster than a hungry, thirsty family. The combination of sun, wind and salt makes everyone far thirstier than they expect, so take more water than seems sensible.

• Insulated bottles of water for each person, refilled before you leave. Frozen cartons work well for younger children and double as cool packs.
• Easy snacks — oatcakes, fruit, vegetable sticks, sandwiches, flapjack. Avoid chocolate, which becomes a puddle, and anything that melts into the picnic blanket.
• A flask of tea or coffee for the adults. It sounds eccentric until the wind picks up.
• A proper picnic if you are staying for the day, with melamine plates and reusable cutlery rather than glass or anything that shatters.

Keep food in a cool bag in the shade of a windbreak or under a towel, and bin anything that has been sitting in the sun for hours.

Shelter, comfort and a windbreak worth carrying

A windbreak transforms a blustery beach into a pleasant one. It blocks sand from blowing into sandwiches, gives children a base to return to, and creates a spot of shade when the sun is at its strongest. Look for one with wooden slats and long metal spikes, and push it in at an angle towards the wind.

• A groundsheet or backed picnic blanket — sand works its way through ordinary blankets within minutes.
• Low folding chairs for anyone who finds sitting on the sand a chore.
• A beach shelter or pop-up tent for babies and toddlers needing a nap out of the sun.
• A parasol, but only if you can anchor it properly. A loose parasol on a windy beach is a hazard.

The bag that keeps the beach tidy

Leave nothing behind but footprints. Take a dedicated rubbish bag and a few smaller bags for nappy waste or wet rubbish, and use them as you go rather than trying to remember everything at packing-up time. Litter hurts wildlife, and most coastal councils provide bins near the main beach entrances.

Check tide times before you settle, and keep an eye on the water's edge. Choose a beach with lifeguards if your children are keen swimmers, and follow the flag advice. Leave shells and pebbles where you find them — they are part of the beach, and removing them slowly erodes it.

Before you pull out of the drive

• Sun cream, hats, sunglasses, after-sun
• Spare clothes, towels, dry bag, water shoes
• Water bottles, snacks, picnic, cool bag
• Windbreak, blanket, chairs, shelter
• Rubbish bags, wipes, hand gel, first-aid kit, plasters
• Cash or card for parking, and a note of tide times

Load it the night before, keep a permanent beach bag in the boot, and you will spend far less of your day hunting for things and far more of it in the water.