Best beach toys

Encourage your child to engage in creative and sensory play with the best beach toys around.

Best beach toys
(Image credit: @Gene Gallin on Unsplash)

Beach toys are a great way to bond with your children while encouraging them to engage in sensory play. Not only will fun beach toys keep kids entertained, but they fuel creativity and refine engineering skills too. Here's a roundup of my favorites when it comes to the best beach toys.

Staff pick

best beach toys

(Image credit: Amazon)

Click N Play 18-piece beach sand toy set

All the toys in a convenient backpack

Get everything you need for a day of digging in the sand with this 18-piece beach toy set.

Pros:

  • 18 pieces
  • Come inside of a mesh bag
  • Made from BPA-free materials
  • Sand molds included
  • Great for solo or group play

Cons:

  • Bag is fragile
  • Toys may be smaller than expected

This 18-piece beach toy set is comprehensive and can be stored inside of the included mesh backpack. The toys included in the collection include sand molds, shovels, a watering can, a bucket, and more. Whether playing in a group or alone, these BPA-free toys will keep your kids entertained. 

Best for ocean play

Bali Bobbi Surfer Dudes Classics wave-powered mini surfer and surfboard toy

(Image credit: Amazon)

Bali Bobbi Surfer Dudes Classics wave-powered mini surfer and surfboard toy

Rides real waves

This beach toy can be tossed into the water to ride the surf.

Pros:

  • Surfs real waves
  • Patented boomerang design
  • Multiple colors available
  • Two character options

Cons:

  • Not for kids under 6
  • Should not be used unsupervised

This beach toy is extremely unique and interactive. It is designed for the water and is available in vibrant colors and two different character options. Simply toss this surfer into the ocean and watch as it catches real waves. Designed with a patented boomerang rutter, the toy knows to turn around and come right back.

Best sand molds

best beach toys

(Image credit: Amazon)

Prextex 10-piece beach toy set

Great for molding sand and building

This beach toy's storage bucket can be used to construct a sandcastle.

Pros:

  • Comes with a storage bucket
  • Great for building sandcastles
  • Sand molds included
  • Made from non-toxic latex

Cons:

  • Not extremely durable
  • Shovels can be a little flimsy

This beach toy set is great for creating sandy shapes and structures. Featuring four molds, a shovel, a rake, and a storage bucket, they are ready for a day at the coast. If your child likes to build sandcastles, the storage bucket can be flipped to create a medieval-style castle. Each of these items is made from non-toxic latex that is strong and long-lasting.

Best for digging

best beach toys

(Image credit: Amazon)

TEMI beach sand toys

Fun sand and water tools

This beach toy set includes large-sized shovels, a dump truck, and more.

Pros:

  • Various-sized shovels
  • Dump truck and water toys included
  • Made from eco-friendly ABS plastic

Cons:

  • Items may be smaller than image suggests
  • Plastic is quite thin

Made from eco-friendly ABS plastic, these beach toys are great for kids. The collection features a dump truck, shovels, a water wheel, and more that are great for use in the water or the sand. The 11-pieces are perfect for children aged three and up.

Best buckets

best beach toys

(Image credit: Amazon)

Matty's Toy Stop beach gear 7-inch plastic castle-mold sand buckets

Great for building sandcastles

The largest castles will be easy to build with these four colorful, turret-style buckets.

Pros:

  • Great for classrooms
  • Great for group play
  • Four different colors
  • Buckets mold textured castles

Cons:

  • Shovels not included
  • Handle may not be as strong as expected

Great for ages two and up, these beach buckets are great for group play. Each 7-inch bucket is the same shape but features a different color. The textured edges inside of these buckets are great for molding sandcastles. When you're done playing, simply rinse them with water and stack them to store.

The bottom line

Why you can trust Gardeningetc Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

The best beach toys are entertaining and safe for kids. The Click N Play 18-piece beach sand toy set includes 18 fun items to play with. These BPA-free toys come inside of a mesh backpack that makes bringing them to and from the beach a breeze.

The Bali Bobbi Surfer Dudes Classics wave-powered mini surfer and surfboard toy is a vibrant interactive option that can surf real waves. Simply toss this toy into the water and watch as it rides the waves back to you. It is great for bonding with your children at the beach.

Why trust us?

At GardeningEtc, we recommend the best products to enhance your life. As expert curators, we handpick products based on quality and usefulness to positively impact your day-to-day, from cart to doorstep. We take our responsibility seriously — testing products, reading reviews, and sourcing knowledgeable outlets to ensure our selections are worthy of your time and money. We deliver detailed product overviews, balancing objective information with subjective opinions, so making the best choice for your home and lifestyle is as easy as possible.

Camille Sanghera is a UX writer and copywriter for global brands as well as an author of self-help books. Although she has lived and traveled internationally, Camille is originally from British Columbia, Canada. She merges over 10 years of writing experience with a love of words to bring authenticity and human connection to every project. When not writing, Camille can be found exploring nature with her dog, sketching to music, or laughing with loved ones.

You can chat with Camille on Instagram at @projectpvo.