1. Write your name or funny messages in the sand with shells
2. Decorate sand-pies and sandcastles with different shaped shells
3. Have a rock-pool ramble Learn about the food chain of this natural aquarium so your child understands how it works: look at the different seaweeds, then periwinkles, crabs and seagulls. There are also the beautiful sea anemones. Remember to leave the plants and animals on the seashore as you found them. Also handle animals and rocks with great care, returning them to the place where they were found originally.
4. Build a sand monster ...instead of a sandcastle, then tell each other stories about where it comes from, who its friends are, what it lives on.
5. Hold a competition to see who can find the smallest or the largest shell on the beach as well as who can find the smoothest shell, the most brightly coloured shell, the heaviest shell
6. Play sand bullseye Draw a large circle in the sand and mark a ‘throw line’, then take turns tossing shells or small stones to hit the bullseye.
7. Run a shell race Ask everyone to line up shells where they think the waves will come to. The shell that moves the furthest wins the game.
8. Play beach detective Make a list of things you might see at the beach, then have a competition to see who can find them all first.
9. See how many different types of shell you can find, and draw pictures of them in a pretty design on some paper, to hang on the wall at home
10. Fly a kite
