A $3 shower curtain liner is the essential item every parent needs for a stress-free beach day

• For parents of young kids, a beach day involves a lot of packing, planning, and supplies.
• A simple shower curtain liner, new or used, is an essential item for any family beach bag.
• Parents can use the liner to create a kiddie wading pool to entertain young kids, away from waves.

In theory, beach days are great. In practice, they can be a lot of work, and if I'm being honest, a little annoying —  especially if you're a parent of young kids.

Parents already have so much to do during a beach day — you need to keep kids safe, nourished, hydrated, protected from the sun, and entertained — that it can end up being more stressful than relaxing. It's hot and sunny, there's sand everywhere, and the water may be rough or have "icky" seaweed floating in it. 

Plus, while my kids say they "love" the beach and beg to go, when we actually get there they complain about the sand and sunscreen getting in their eyes, the gross seaweed (which is actually something worth avoiding now).

So anything that can make the experience easier is a welcome addition to my family's beach bag.  

Luckily, there's a slim, inexpensive item that can help keep kids safely and happily entertained close by, allowing parents to actually relax at the beach too: A shower curtain liner.

Creating a safe place for kids to play away from the waves

A waterproof shower curtain liner, new or upcycled from your own home, can easily be turned into a DIY kiddie wading pool that can keep kids safe and entertained for hours.

First, use a shovel or your hands to dig a depression in the sand, to a size that you feel comfortable with. Place the liner over the depression, making sure the liner goes all the way up the sides and out onto the area surrounding your hole. Use your hands to tuck the edges of the liner into the sand. Then use a bucket to fill with water from the ocean or lake.

Once constructed, you can add toys, shade with an umbrella, and then pat yourself on the back. Creating a safe place for kids to play in the water without the danger of waves crashing ashore will hopefully give you and the other adults in your group some time to relax a bit.

If you don't have an extra shower curtain liner lying around you can grab one for as little as $3 at Target or any store that sells linens. Alternately, a waterproof tarp, oilcloth or vinyl tablecloth, or heavy-duty trash bag could also be used to line the pool.

Big kids enjoy this play area too

I started bringing a shower curtain liner to the beach when my kids were babies, but continue to bring one now that they're 3 and 5 years old.

Now the pool is mostly used for imaginative play. The kids have enjoyed using it as a makeshift construction site, a dinosaur breeding ground, a mermaid college, and more. As for me, I still appreciate appreciate having a shady spot, away from crashing waves for them to play in.