15 Beach Games for the Whole Family

Below we have listed some of our recommended beach games for the whole family. So, on your next rip to the beach try a few of these games to make that day even more memorable.

No Cost Games

These games you can play with nothing extra, things you may already have in your home or things you can find on the beach,

1. Tic Tac Toe

Here’s a game you can play anywhere, anytime, whether you’re 4 or 94. Draw just one board, and use toys, balls, shells… or anything else that you have as playing pieces.

2. Sharks and Minnows

This beach game can be played on the shore or in shallow, still water. One person is designated as the shark, with the other players being the minnows. If the players are older, blindfold the shark to make the game more challenging.

The shark has to tag the minnows as they run around the shark. As each minnow is tagged, he or she becomes a member of the shark’s team and now help the shark tag the rest of the minnows. The last person who is tagged is crowned the fastest minnow.

3. Sand Darts

There are many ways to play this beach game. One of the easiest is to draw a large circle in the sand, with several concentric circles inside that one. The players stand several feet away from the dartboard and toss pebbles or shells onto the sand trying to get as close to the center as possible.

4. Shell Shuffle

Scoop a pile of dry sand onto a spoon and then rest a shell on top. Challenge the kids to get from one line to another without dropping the shell.
Shell Sort — Sorting shells is a fun way to start a new collection and also teach the little ones a thing or two. Have each child run up and down the beach gathering as many different kinds of shells as they can. Draw a grid in the sand and have them sort the shells into different categories; the kids can sort them by color, size or type. Make it even more interesting by combining two elements; keeping each large white shell together and each small brown shell together.

5. Treasure Hunt

The beach is the perfect spot to look for buried treasure. This beach game can be as simple or as complicated as you’d like. Take a container (plastic storage containers work just as well as a real treasure chest), put a small treasure such as coins or costume jewelry in it and bury it in a location that is easy to remember. A spot near an unusual bush is much easier to find than in the middle of a wide, empty beach. Write up some “clues” before you get to the beach that will lead the players along the route until they find the treasure. Clues can be things like: “He’s looking out to sea, but unless he looks down, he won’t see me.” (the base of the lifeguard tower) The players will then dig to find the next clue on the hunt. See if you can get other beach goers and vendors involved in the clues for even more fun.

6. Sand Angels

They drop down and do it in the snow, so why not in the sand? At least at the beach, your kids can clean off in the ocean.

7. Shell Sort

Sorting shells is a fun way to start a new collection and also teach the little ones a thing or two. Have each child run up and down the beach gathering as many different kinds of shells as they can. Draw a grid in the sand and have them sort the shells into different categories; the kids can sort them by color, size or type. Make it even more interesting by combining two elements; keeping each large white shell together and each small brown shell together

Low Cost Games

You may have to spend a small amount of money to buy equipment for these games.

7. Fill the Bucket

This is the beach version of a classic party game. You will need two large buckets and two smaller buckets or cups. Separate the family into two equal teams and place the buckets up on the sand, about 50 feet from the edge of the water. At the word “go,” the first person on each team races to the water, fills the smaller bucket or cup and runs back to dump it into the big bucket. Once the person has dumped the water, the cup is handed to the next person on the team who repeats the process. You can continue the game until the buckets are full, or set a time limit and see who can put the most water in the bucket before time is up.

8. Beach Bowling

Dig three holes in the sand—small, medium and large. Line the kids up and have them roll a ball towards the holes, awarding higher points for sinking a ball into a smaller hole. A heavier ball, like a tennis ball, that won’t blow away in the beach breeze is best.

9. Beach Ball Balancing Act

This beach ball game is fun for all ages and is easy to play. You need one inflatable beach ball for every team of two players. The players try to carry the ball across a finish line without using their hands. The ball can be balanced between their heads, pressed between their backs while walking backwards or set between their stomachs and crab-walked to the end.

Moderate Cost

These games involve cost. You’ll have to purchase equipment to play these games. The price for things can be costly. However, you can find cheap alternatives with a little of creativity.

11. Beach Volleyball

Beach volleyball games are a tradition with many families. Some are more competitive, following all the rules to the letter while others take a much more casual attitude toward the game. If you don’t have a net, the courts are crowded or you have very young children, draw a line in the sand and practice lobbing the ball over the line rather than the net.

12. Beach Blow

With a stick or spoon, dig a channel in the sand, about as deep as the height of a ping-pong ball. Drop the ball in the end of the channel, and blow it from one end to the other. Dig as many lines as there are kids, and have a race!

13. Channel Race

This beach game works best if there is a slight slope leading to the water. You will need as many Ping-Pong balls as there are teams. Each team digs a channel from the starting point to the water. At the starting line, the teams set a ping pong ball into the channel, then dump buckets of water into the channel so that the ball moves down to the water. The longer the channel, the louder and more frantic the race becomes.

14. Bocce Ball

Also called bowling, this is a classic beach game in many parts of the world. You can invest in an actual bowling set, or make your own with one small ball and one larger ball for each player. One player throws the target ball onto the sand, and each player has to toss the ball, trying to get as close to the target ball as possible. Check out the beach bocce rules to learn how to play this fun filled game.

15. Beach Golf

You can use any kind of Frisbee or flying disk for this beach golf game. It can be as simple or as complicated as you would like. Set out a number of objects such as overturned buckets, plastic water bottles and umbrellas on the course and have each team try to hit the goals in order.

Conclusion

Spending time at the beach is a great family time. These are just a few beach games for the whole family. Just about any game can be turn into a beach game. Be creative! Take some of your favorite games then play them at the beach. The possibilities are limitless.

Do you have a favorite beach game or suggestion that is not on our list? Share your ideas. Comment below or email us.