Hobbies And Interests
1, 2, 3, Splash!
This game requires several kids as players. Have one player be "it," while the others stand around him in a circle. The player who is "it" should pick a number from 1 to 10. He then fills up a bucket of water and turns to the first player in the circle. Players take turns picking a number from 1 to 10. When a player picks the chosen number, the player in the center of the circle splashes him with the water. The two switch places, and the game begins again.
Ping-Pong Ball Racing
Bring a few ping-pong balls to the beach and encourage kids to dig ditches in the ground that the balls can roll though. There are two ways to race the balls. One is to challenge kids to build the biggest ping-pong track that actually works in a given amount of time. The second is to have kids build parallel tracks and blow their ping-pong ball along the track to a specific finish line. Either method is sure to produce a suspenseful game.
What Can You Find?
Kids can find all sorts of interesting objects on the beach--from seashells to seaweed, and from driftwood to live crabs. Offer a prize for the most exciting find, but make sure to emphasize that kids should not bring back anything that might be dangerous. Encourage them to note the location of the find and bring you to it instead. (Preface this activity with warnings about jellyfish, glass, cigarette butts, and any other live creatures, as well as the importance of staying within your eyesight.)
Buried in Sand
Ever wonder what it feels like to be buried in sand? It's never too late to find out. Let your children dig a shallow ditch, and lie down in it. Then let them pile sand on top of you--emphasizing that they should never cover you above your neck, and that they must let you come out when you want to. Your children will have a blast burying your legs, your stomach, and eventually everything else. The best part of this activity is that you'll be able to relax, or even read--until they want to bury your hands, that is.