If you have already planned a beach vacation but are struggling to think up relatively inexpensive activities your family would love, trying something new may help add a bit of excitement to your normal trip. With a bit of ingenuity, you can include everyone in these fun games.

Make Up a Sport

Many younger children may want to participate in beach volleyball or other sports but are not quite big enough to do so. In lieu of those activities, you can try making up ones of your own.

Using an inflated ball and a beach towel, you could try setting up a two-person competition to see who can keep the bouncing ball on the towel the longest. You can also adjust the rules as you go along based on what each child enjoys most, which also helps prevent any fights or meltdowns for younger players.

Collect Souvenirs

With seashells, sea glass and other items scattered all around you near the waves, it is easier than ever to encourage your kids to interact with nature on your North Carolina family vacation. Rearranging anything you find into a picture in the sand near your beach chair can also help encourage creativity in yAour kids while you relax. Afterward, you can even pack up what your kids find in a plastic bag in case you want to scrapbook or save them for future memories.

Use Sand to Your Advantage

While it may be irritating to some, sand can be a great basis for drawing up common sidewalk games while you are far away from home. Hopscotch and tic tac toe are more fun for any kid when they are standing in soft sand with waves nearby.

It also is infinitely easier to draw and redraw potential boundaries or outlines, as well as add in extra twists to make the games more interesting for slightly older children who want to play along.

Go Sightseeing on Your Own Terms

Walking along the coast allows you to point out new sights to younger kids. Make laminated flashcards of words ahead of time and bind them up in a ring for easy carrying, and you can help expand your children’s vocabulary even while on vacation.

You can even add an extra challenge by making it a game to point out what is on the pictures, such as a dune, riptide or kite. This idea allows you to make lasting memories you all can talk about for years to come as well as get some exercise in.