A day at the beach is easily one of the best ways to spend time together as a family. But long exposure to the sun’s harmful rays does pose a danger to us and our children.
Rather than cutting short the family fun, more and more people are opting to take a beach tent with them. They’re essentially a pop-up tent or shelter offering sun protection for the whole family whether you’re there for the day or on a week-long beach vacation.
In years gone by, you may have seen the traditional beach windbreaker dotted along the sand, often in its classic blue, yellow and red striped design. Now, you’re far more likely to see parents erecting baby beach tents to keep their little ones safe.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at the features of a baby beach tent, what to look for when buying one, and of course, pick out our 10 favourites for you.
Table Of Contents
Our top three baby beach tents
Features of a baby beach tent
If you’ve ever seen a baby beach tent before, you know roughly what we’re talking about. If you haven’t seen a beach tent or a beach shelter before, you’d be forgiven for thinking some people turn up to the beach with a regular family camping tent. But that’s not quite the case.
There are two main types - beach tents and beach shelters.
Beach tent
These are very similar to their camping counterparts, but the front is often entirely open and have larger floors extending from the front of the tent. Some will have zippable front doors, offering privacy should you or the children need to change or dry off.
Many baby beach tents have mesh windows on the sides and rear of the tent to ensure ventilation on hot days. Some will also have additional ventilation flaps located in other areas of the tent.
Naturally, being a product designed to be used in the sun, UV protection is a big feature of these beach tents. They’re generally made from polyester with a specialised UV protection coating added to it.
While beach tents usually come with ground stakes to keep them in place, it’s not uncommon to find sand pockets on the outside of the tent, allowing you to add some extra weight and prevent it from blowing away in the wind. However, if you're taking an infant to the beach, you'll have plenty of baby gear to weigh it down.
Beach tents are typically the smaller of the two, particularly when it comes to height. You can get taller ones with room to stand, but most only have room to kneel or set up some beach chairs.
Beach shelter
A beach shelter (also known as a beach shade) is more akin to a garden gazebo than a tent, usually with a single, flat piece of fabric held up by a few poles. Some will stand on four equal sized poles - just like a gazebo - while others will have two shorter poles at the back creating more of an angled sunshade.
It’s much more common to find sand bags on beach shelters - particularly on the gazebo-type ones - as they’re the primary method of keeping the shelter on the ground.
Of course, beach shelters are also designed to offer plenty of UV protection. And with open sides, there’s no need for specific ventilation windows.
Beach shelters offer much more space than tents, but with no sides, the shaded area is always on the move and may even fall outside of the canopy itself (and they can take up a lot of space, so fellow beachgoers might not appreciate it on a busy day!).
What to look for in a baby beach tent
Make sure your baby beach tent or shelter has UPF50+ sun protection. This will block up to 98% of the sun’s harmful rays and should be a minimum requirement. If a product doesn’t list its level of UV protection, it’s probably best to avoid.
It’s almost become a cliche that setting up a tent will result in arguments. But they can be incredibly tricky. The last thing you want when you arrive at the beach is to have the kids sitting there in the sun waiting for you to erect something that looks like you need an engineering degree for. Look for one that is really quick and easy to set-up. The trouble is that most manufacturers will at least claim their beach tent is easy to set-up. The ones that really are quite simple will often have videos showcasing it. There are also pop up tents that, well... pop open... in one second.
If you’re getting a beach tent for infant, rather than a shelter, make sure it has plenty of ventilation. Without ample mesh windows and/or ventilation slots, the polyester material will quickly soak up the sun's rays and make it feel like a greenhouse.
Not all baby beach tents come with floors. It’s not essential and you could bring a floor mat along, but we think most parents would want a tent floor to give their child somewhere to play, eat, or get changed away from the sand.
A lot of baby beach tents and beach shelters will come with a handy carry bag, but not all of them do. So make sure you check!
Sand bags or sand pockets are almost an essential for beach shelters, because they’re the only way to weigh them down. They’re not quite as important for beach tents because (as long as they have a tent floor), you’ll have bags and bums to weigh them down.
The 10 best baby beach tents
Editor's Review
“This was fantastic for our beach trip with our seven month old. It was easy to assemble and disassemble. It stayed put with the wind and was very spacious (3 person). Our baby was able to sleep inside, and I was also able to nurser her with privacy."
An Amazon’s Choice product, the Gorich Beach Tent offers plenty of sun protection, good visibility, great privacy options and a super compact storage - all at a very reasonable price. The options range from a compact, three person up to a large eight-person beach tent, with the three person being more than enough for a couple with one or two young children. The eight person is ideal for going on a beach vacation with the whole family It features three large mesh windows that offer brilliant ventilation and a roll-up curtain on each for when you need some privacy. If you want total privacy, to change your baby or for Mum to breastfeed, the extended floor also folds and zips up to create a door.
Type: Beach tent
Material: Polyester
Size: 4.9 x 7.2 x 4ft (W x D x H)
Sun protection: UPF50+ UV protection
Key features
- Fibreglass frame
Storage bag and hanging hook
Roll-up window curtains & zip-up floor door
PROS
CONS
Editor's Review
“This is sturdy and it does a great job of protecting us from the sun. And the included side panels offer protection from the sun and wind. BUT, plan some time putting this up. It is not an easy task."
The UNP Easy Beach is a bit of a mix between a beach tent and a beach shade that offers loads of space, even on the smaller options. It comes with two UPF 50+ coated panels that can be attached to any side of the tent, allowing you to configure it in the best way for protection from the sun's rays and the wind. The fibreglass frame is really sturdy, even against wind - and allow there aren’t any sandbags to weigh it down, it has ventilation flaps that allow wind to flow through the tent rather than against it.
Type: Beach tent/shelter
Material: Polyester
Size: 64sqft, 100sqft, 144sqft or 225sqft
Sun protection: UPF50+ UV protection
Key features
- Dome shape
Two open side doors, and two detachable doors
Ventilated stabilisation
PROS
CONS
Editor's Review
"I got the XL size for our beach vacation this year and we loved it. So easy to set up and take down, and nice and cool underneath. My favourite part: we could sit under there in our beach chairs without wearing sunscreen and not get burned."
The SUN NINJA Pop Up Beach Tent is actually a large, spacious beach shade that is ideal for larger families or beach trips with friends and family. Available in 56sqft or 100sqft sizes, the spandex canopy creates a very large shaded area held up by four lightweight poles, with four large sand bags stretching out from each corner. It comes with a handy carry bag and a nice plastic shovel to help you fill the pockets. Despite the name, this isn't a 'pop up tent' that will simply open in a second or two.
Type: Beach shade
Material: Spandex
Shade coverage: 56sqft or 100sqft
Sun protection: UPF50+ UV protection
Key features
- Three-step set-up
Suitable for multiple terrains
UPF 50+ sun protection
PROS
CONS
Editor's Review
“Perfect for a sunny day at the beach. I bought this for my 6 month old and we enjoyed a day with family while being totally covered."
This option from WhiteFang is our pick as the 'best budget baby beach tent', offering great quality at a very affordable price. The half-dome shape features three large, mesh windows on the rear and sides that offer great views around you without compromising on sun protection. The zip-up door also doubles as an extended floor space. The tent's poles are also thicker than most of its rivals, providing greater strength and stability to the structure.
Type: Beach tent
Material: Polyester
Size: 4.5 x 7.1 x 3.8ft (W x D x H) - depth includes extended floor which is uncovered
Sun protection: UPF50+ UV protection
Key features
- 8mm thickened fibreglass poles
Double-direction door zipper
360° view
PROS
CONS
Editor's Review
“I normally don't do reviews but this tent earned one. Such easy setup and amazing shade for the beach. First use was in high winds and the tent held up great. It flopped some, but never moved."
The Neso Tents Grande is the mid-range angle beach shelter, with smaller and larger sun shades available. Using two poles - instead of four - the back of the tent is closer to the ground, offering a more stable and consistent shade coverage (it can be used with four poles, but there is an additional charge). The durable nylon lycra includes patented reinforced corners to give it extra strength. There are 14 colour and pattern options to choose from, however, some customers with lighter colours report still getting burned, so best to go for a darker one.
Type: Beach shelter
Material: Nylon lycra
Shade coverage: 82sqft
Sun protection: UPF50+ UV protection
Key features
- Skin Cancer Foundation approved
7ft height
Reinforced corners
PROS
CONS
Editor's Review
“We saw many people at the beach with the Shibumi last year so we purchased one. It is easy to set up and provides great shade. Only downside is that where there is little or no wind, it doesn't work well, and as the wind shifts you have to adjust the setup."
The Shibumi Shade shelter is one of the most unique baby beach tents on the market. With just one, arched pole and sand bag at the front, the rest of the sun shade canopy is kept up entirely by wind. The large canopy, with is made from 40% ocean-bound plastics, offers a generous 150sqft of shade coverage - meaning it’s great for larger families or giving the kids plenty of space to play. Shibumi claims it only needs a breeze of 3mph to keep the canopy afloat, but it does become quite redundant if there’s no breeze at all.
Type: Beach shelter
Material: Made from 40% ocean-bound plastics
Size: 150sqft
Sun protection: UPF50+ UV protection
Key features
- Kept up by wind
- One-pole frame
- Made from 40% ocean-bound plastic
PROS
CONS
Editor's Review
“This made for a great, long lasting beach day for our family. It was easy to put up and offers great shade that you don't have to constantly adjust like an umbrella."
The Pacific Breeze Deluxe XL is a half-dome beach tent that offers ample sun protection without closing yourself off from the rest of the beach. The back and sides feature large mesh windows with roll-up curtains offering some privacy. It has a unique assembly system that looks more complicated than it is - all the poles are already in place, you just have to pull on the rope cord mechanism to pull it into shape.
Type: Beach tent
Material: Polyester, Polyethylene
Size: 7.5 x 4.3 x 4.3ft (W x D x H)
Sun protection: UPF50+ UV protection
Key features
- Half-dome shape
Mesh windows with roll-up curtains
Extendable floor option
PROS
CONS
Editor's Review
“Wonderful pop up beach tent. Brought it as we were sick of having to spend ages trying to put up a 'traditional' beach tent. This is up and down in seconds, so the kids can enjoy the sun in no time at all - with no stress for us!"
If you’re happy to bake in the sun with some well-applied sun cream while the kids play in the tent, the Glymnis Pop-Up is the ideal baby tent. One of the cheapest and smallest beach tents on the market, there’s still plenty of space for one or two young children to play or take some shelter. This pop up tent opens in just one second, making it ideal if you're heading to the beach with young children who are itching to start playing and exploring.
Type: Beach tent
Material: Polyester
Size: 4.5 x 3.75 x 6ft (W x D x H)
Sun protection: UPF50+ UV protection
Key features
- One-second pop up tent
Extended floor
Rear mesh window
PROS
CONS
Editor's Review
“This beach tent is everything I have been looking for. This tent is a pop-up tent that doesn't have assembly poles. It is very lightweight by still provides sun protection. This is perfect for me to take to the beach with my kids."
The WolfWise AquaBreeze A20 is a compact but versatile beach tent that is ideal for small families, or a place just for the kids. This unique configuration offers two-way entrance, with an extended zip-up floor door at the front and zip-up tie-back doors at the rear. There are also two, large mesh windows on the side, meaning there’s plenty of ventilation on offer. It's also a pop up tent, so set-up is really quick and simple, too.
Type: Beach tent
Material: Water repellent polyester
Size: 6.5 x 4.9 x 4.4ft
Sun protection: UPF50+ UV protection
Key features
- Two-way entrance
One-second pop up tent
Easy hang hook and storage pockets
PROS
CONS
Editor's Review
“Great item to provide a good sized shelter on the beach. Private and a bit more secure than the open shelters. We find this really useful for our family of five - especially for UK holidays where beach days might be interrupted by the occasional shower."
The Family Beach Shelter from outdoor adventure brand LittleLife is the largest of its two beach tents, offering enough space for a small family. It has a unique, rounded shape to its structure which is held in place with shock-cord fibreglass poles. The front zip door can be rolled up or be used as an extended floor. However, unlike the rest of the beach tents on this list, there are any windows or ventilation.
Type: Beach tent
Material: Nylon
Size: 5.5 x 3.6 x 5.5ft (W x D x H)
Sun protection: UPF50+ UV protection
Key features
- Unique, rounded shape beach tent
Zip close door
Shock-corded fibreglass poles
PROS
CONS
FAQs
Is a beach tent or a beach shelter better for infants?
This all depends on how old your children are and what you want to use it for. If you have a young baby who is breastfeeding or children who will likely be getting changed, you will probably want to go for a beach tent. Beach tents typically offer a lot more privacy because they they're more structured. Mesh windows usually have roll-up curtains, and beach tents usually have a zip-up front door.
However, if you have a larger family or are heading to the beach with other family or friends, a beach shelter may be the better option. They usually offer a lot more space because they don't have side panels, making it easier for children to come and go. What they offer in space, however, they do lack in privacy.
Are baby beach tents hard to set up?
Tents in general don't have a great reputation for being easy to set up. You've got all the material, and the poles to fit into the right holes at the right time, then there's the guy lines and the pegs.
Thankfully, more and more beach tent manufacturers are really trying to find new ways of making life easier for parents. Plenty of beach tents are now relatively simple to assemble. Pop up baby beach tents are also increasingly common - they open up in a second or two, but can be a bit tricky to fold away.
What are the best baby beach tents on a budget?
We get it, cost is so often a determining factor for a lot of purchases we make as dads. It's good news, though, because there are certainly some great baby beach tents available if you're on a budget, or just want something for a one-time beach vacation. The WhiteFang Beach Tent is our pick as the best budget beach tent. It's a three-person half-dome beach tent available for around $40/£30 suitable for small families. If you're in the UK, the Glymnis is a great option, too. It's quite small, so it's only useful for the kids, but it only costs £24 ($30).
