Married with children…
Games in the sand for the young and the old. Every single child adores the sea; they can’t wait finding themselves swimming and playing on the beach. What happens though when their initial enthusiasm is succeeded by nagging and boredom? In this case, you need to fuel your fantasy and figure out how you will keep them as happy as a clam! Take all the appropriate sun protection measures, get the suitable “equipment” and… have fun!
The all-time classic sand-bucket and its related “accessories”!
Buckets, shovels, rakes, mini tracks, watering cans and plastic moulds in different shapes are only a part of the necessary equipment that you need to get in order to make your offspring happy on the beach! The sand fuels enormously the fantasy of children; they love to dig, to rake, to fill their buckets with sea water and create their own “art work” on the sand- from all-time classic “sand-balls” to small sculptures, such as castles and towers or small “lakes” and moats. Your own participation will motivate the kids to enhance their creativity and feed off their fantasy!
Drawings in the sand
Look for a wooden stick, hand it out to your children and let set their inspiration afire so as to draw beautiful images– little houses, turtles, ships, starfish and little fishes- in the sand. They can even “decorate” their drawings with pebbles, shells or parts of seaweed.
Sea shell treasure hunt
A women’s favourite, especially among the most romantic ones: they take pleasure in leisurely strolls along the beach searching for beautiful sea shells, usually of unusual colour and shape, as a souvenir of a summer holiday.
Rackets
Who doesn’t know-or haven’t played- the all-time classic beach game? Rackets are a perfect body workout, they account for our skin getting a unique golden colour and they are easy to transport. If you are a beginner, opt for a less crowded place so that you don’t bother the other bathers. For the most tactful of you, Frisbee is a perfect alternative.
Frisbee or Flying discs
No beach day is complete without someone getting hit by at least one Frisbee. To make sure you’re not the one getting hit, be the one throwing it. If you have a few beach items as targets, you can even start a beach version of disc golf. If you’re playing Frisbee in the water, consider getting a soft flying disc so it doesn’t sink or hurt when you accidentally toss it at someone.
Beach volley
Serve, hop, hit! Beach volley is one of the most fun and spectacular group games, ideal for work out, have fun and… make new friends. Look for beaches with the appropriate beach volley infrastructure.
Backgammon and other table games
Backgammon is a Greeks’ favourite, especially among men, who particularly enjoy playing their favourite game with friends on the beach while sipping their coffee. The more sophisticated ones opt for games like chess, draughts, cards (on the condition that the wind is not blowing!) or knowledge games.
NERF Balls
Whether it’s shaped like a football or some weird hybrid, Nerf balls make a great way to kill time while on the beach. The best part, if you accidentally hit someone, a Nerf ball won’t typically do a lot of damage. Some even absorb enough water that if you’re playing catch in the surf, it’s just like having a water balloon fight, minus the messy balloons..
Water Gun Fight
You are on the beach, so where better to have a water fight? Think about packing a few plastic water guns and balloons with you, and have an all-out water war on the beach.
Bocce Ball
One game which was popular among the ancient Romans and which is gaining fresh traction today in Croatia and around the world is bocce ball.
Bocce ball is traditionally played in a court, but you can also play it on the beach or pretty much anywhere else that you want. You need eight large balls and one smaller one called a “pallina.”
To play, you need to form two teams. Each is given eight balls. They should be in different colors so you can see which balls belong to which teams.
There is a coin toss at the start of the game, with the winner tossing the pallina anywhere past the center line within the court boundaries.
Players on both sides must then attempt to throw their balls as close to the pallina as possible. They can also attempt to knock each others’ balls away from the pallina. Points are then awarded. The first team to achieve 16 points is the winner.
Have a great summer!
Enjoy yourself!
