We are leaving next week for Surfside Beach. We will rent a house there for 7 days. 2 questions: how do you catch crabs in the sand/water? What are some fun things to do at the beach with a 2 1/2 year old? :) many thanks!!
sorry, no help on crabs but take or buy loads of sunscreen. When I went to gulf shores a few years ago I was religious about sunscreening every few hours and still got fried by the second day. The sun is so intense off the water. I'd buy or rent a beach umbrella just to get some time out of the sun. the house next door had a water tramoline anchored in the water, that was so much fun. Hope you have a great trip
I just got back from a trip to Long Beach, CA. with my 2 yr old...we stopped at Seal beach and she had the most fun playing in the sand!! We made a huge sandcastle...it was awesome! At first she was afraid of the water...because as you know when the waves go back out, you kind of feel like you are being pulled out with them and the sand beneath your feet gets pulled...so that took some time to get used to...but after explaining it like a huge bath (which is her favorite) she was laying belly down waiting for the water:)
As far as crabs go...you can rent some crab pots and throw them out into the water off a dock/pier/whatever and leave them and then come back and pull them up and usually "woa-la" you have dinner! Then if you are talking about the little ones on the beach you go down by the waters edge and wait for a wave to come in/ then out, then look for the lil' holes in the sand and dig..dig...dig!!!
Bring some shovels, pails etc. and she will be happy for hours...just you wait and see!
I don't have any suggestions but I am excited to hear some responses. We are heading to Surfside in July. Have fun!
If the beach has lots of shells, your child will have fun walking arround collecting treasures. Be sure to have a pail or something he/she can put them in. You'll want to bring some pails or other plastic containers for building sand castles and shovels for digging.
Have a great vacation!!!!
No idea on the crab hunting, but when we go to the beach we always bring a small inflatable pool for my daughter. Then we fill it up with water from the ocean for her so she can get water to play in the sand, just lounge in the pool or clean off her toys. We always go to Ocean City, MD so the ocean water is a little chilly when we put it in the little pool it warms up pretty quickly.
We bring plenty of toys, snacks, lots of water to drink, and an umbrella for shade. I am sure he/she will have a blast in the sand.
For catching sand crabs:
as you look out at the beach/sand... you will see "holes" in it. These "holes" are the sand crab holes. That is where they live.
The holes come in all different sizes. Big = bigger crabs. Small holes= small crabs.
Then, once you pick a hole, just dig with your hands... or a toy shovel. Just keep digging... until, you feel or see the crab! Or the crab will scamper away. They are really FAST... and are hard to catch. So once you see them run away... take off running after them. AND have a net on hand... (the small hand held kind ), and then try and land the net on them to catch them in it. But if you lift up your hand/net too fast and not carefully, the crab will runaway. So, use your hand, to pinch t hat area of the net, to "grab" the crab.. .and then dump it in a bucket with a small bit of sand. If you put the crab in a bucket with just water... it will not have anything to dwell on... so put some smallish rocks in there too.
Next, another way to catch the crab is... as you are digging into the hole... keep digging following the trail of the hole... then, using your finger tips... you "feel" for the crab.... and examine each clump of sand that you dig out from the hole because sometime the crab will be in that pile of sand you just excavated. And, you can keep your net nearby... with the other hand... just over the opening... to prevent it from escaping etc.
Remember, the crabs are super quick. AND, they blend into the sand, because they are sand colored. So look carefully.
Don't just dig fast and furious... because the crab could be at any depth of the hole.. .and sometimes, they have another hole... the "escape" hole which is located elsewhere. So sometimes you will see the crab escaping out of another hole! Clever critters.
Anyway, its fun. I spent hours doing that as a kid with my Dad. And I taught my kids how to do it and they love doing it too.
They are harder to catch, in the water.
I am talking about the type of sand crabs I have in my State... one of many.
As for things to do with your 2.5 year old: well they get entertained with ANYTHING at the beach. Just play with the sand... have a floating thing/ring for her to be in ... if in the water, and safety things.
Sunscreen... and some use a little pup tent for shade at the beach too.
This is an example:
http://www.amazon.com/ABO-Gear-Portable-Beach-Shelter/dp/...
Don't worry about "entertaining" your 2.5 year old... because, they will naturally be entertained and just digging around and running around. And with that and being in the sun... they will be quite tired after, and probably nap well! Its just about being out in nature and finding things to do with what is there... picking up rocks, seaweed, catching things etc. No need for lots of beach "toys." That kind of defeats the purpose. When I was a kid.... we just "played" with whatever was there... natural stuff. Climbing rocks and running around.
good luck,
Susan
