Beach Games for Kids

Headed to the beach with kids? Take a moment to read about these beach games, designed with kids in mind.

The beach is a great place to spend time, both in the summer and in cooler weather when it's nice out but not warm enough to swim. Kids can think of lots of activities at the beach on their own -- many just come naturally when you put some kids together with a bunch of sand!

At times, however, an actual, structured game is what kids need, and of course games that make use of the sand are perfect for the beach.

Beach Image Gallery

Follow the instructions below for easy yet interesting beach games that kids will enjoy:

On a Roll

Digging holes in the sand is fun, but the fun doesn't have to end when the holes are dug.

Sand Memory Game

This game is perfect for nearly every kid, but it's particularly good for those who enjoy the game Concentration.

Start a collection of beach activities with the On a Roll game on our next page.

For some more fun activities for kids, check out:

On a Roll

On a Roll is a beach game that kids will love, and it's a terrific exercise in hand-eye coordination.

What You'll Need:

Sand
Shovel
Tennis ball

This is the perfect game for a day at the beach. First, dig one hole in the sand that's big enough for a tennis ball to roll into it. The hole should be about ten feet away from the water.

Then, move back about a foot and dig a row of two holes behind the first hole, making sure they face the water. The holes should be about a foot apart.

Now dig three holes in a row another foot behind the two holes. (With each row of holes that you dig, you should be

getting further away from the water).

Finally, dig four holes in the sand behind the row of three holes. You should now have a triangle-shaped game set up.

After all that hard work, it's time to get rolling! Stand back about 25 to 30 steps from the last row of holes and roll the tennis ball down the beach toward the holes. You're allowed five rolls and you get points for every ball you sink -- the hole closest to the water is worth 100 points, each hole in the row with two holes is worth 50 points, each one in the row of three is worth 25 points, and each one in the row of four is worth five points.

How many points can you get? Roll with it!

The Sand Memory Game on the next page will test kids' concentration! Keep reading to learn more about it.

For some more fun activities for kids, check out:

Sand Memory Game

The Sand Memory Game is a great beach game for kids, and all that's required to play it is two people with good memories! That, and a significant amount of sand.

What You'll Need:

Beach
Rocks or shells
Beach towel

Sit back to back on the sand and draw a grid. Decide ahead of time how big to make your grid. You might start with a grid 16 squares large (four squares per side), then make it bigger as you get better.

Have your friend turn away while you set out rocks on your grid. You can only put one rock on each square, but you don't have to put a rock on every square. Once you've created your rock pattern, cover it with a towel.

Uncover your grid and let your friend look at it for 15 seconds, then re-cover the grid with the towel. Your friend now has to duplicate the pattern on his or her own grid. When your friend is done, lift the towel and see how close he or she got. Switch roles and let your friend lay out a pattern.

Change the rules as you get better at the game. You might allow more than one rock per square. You could use different markers, such as shells, rocks, and twigs, or make bigger grids.

For some more fun activities for kids, check out:

ABOUT THE GAME DESIGNERS:

The following games were designed by Maria Birmingham, Karen E. Bledsoe, and Kelly Milner Halls:

On a Roll

Sand Memory Game