Best Beach Toys

Updated March 2020
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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Read more  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Read more  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.Read more 
Bottom Line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Prextex Beach Toy Set
Prextex
Beach Toy Set
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Bottom Line

Hard, plastic beach toys that are very sturdy and come with 2 carrying bags.

Pros

Comes with 2 bags for storage – 1 zippered for long term storage and a drawstring mesh bag for the beach. Bucket shaped like a sand castle. Able to survive rough play. Mesh bag makes them easy to rinse clean of sand. Shapes do not crack or break easily.

Cons

The bags are not as sturdy as they could be.

Best Bang for the Buck
Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Seaside Sidekicks Nesting Sand Pails
Melissa & Doug
Sunny Patch Seaside Sidekicks Nesting Sand Pails
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Bottom Line

A simple and durable set of 4 stacking pails that include molds on the bottom.

Pros

Sturdy plastic. Kids like them. The molded sea animals help with counting. Last longer than other pails. Great for digging, carrying water, and building castles. Can hold up for hours of play in the heavy sand.

Cons

Pails are small – largest is only about 7" tall. Only 1 of the buckets has a handle.

Quut Alto Beach Toy
Quut
Alto Beach Toy
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Bottom Line

Heavy duty and easy to transport, this simple sand toy lets imagination shine.

Pros

Very sturdy and strong. Builds strong tiers that won't come crashing down. Great for basic sand castles. Clicks together for compact transportation. Good for beginners. Kids really enjoy them.

Cons

This toy is for molding, but is not a bucket that can carry water.

Click N' Play 18 Piece Beach Sand Toy Set
Click N' Play
18 Piece Beach Sand Toy Set
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Bottom Line

A set of beach toys that comes with a mesh bag that makes them easy to carry and shake clean.

Pros

BPA free plastic. Comes with several tools and shapes as well as 2 shovels and 3 rakes. 18 pieces total. Small mesh bag is lightweight backpack style that smaller kids can help carry. Inexpensive. Lots of molds.

Cons

Set is very small. Bucket is only 6" tall. Toys are made for very young children.

Top Race Sand Castle Pail Buckets
Top Race
Sand Castle Pail Buckets
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Bottom Line

A set of 4 beach buckets that are all shaped like sand castles.

Pros

Kids can use these to make easy sand castles. 4 bright colors. Sturdy buckets. Not very large – 8" base makes them easy to use for sand castles. Stack easily for storage.

Cons

The 4 buckets come in different colors but are all the same style castle.

Why trust BestReviews?
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Read more  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. Read more  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.Read more 
How we decided

We purchase every product we review with our own funds — we never accept anything from product manufacturers.

41 Models Considered
6 Hours Researched
1 Experts Interviewed
135 Consumers Consulted
Zero products received from manufacturers.

We purchase every product we review with our own funds — we never accept anything from product manufacturers.

Many people’s favorite childhood memories involve trips to the beach, and beach toys can make a trip to the shore even more fun. Many beach toys are designed for building with sand – a great idea for reluctant swimmers or kids who find the water too cold. When choosing a set, look for one that’s easy to carry along with all your other gear. Will your family prefer a classic castle set or something a little more creative? Younger children may prefer beach toy sets with more tools for digging. Mesh bags or lattice-style plastic baskets make for easy cleaning with a quick dunk in the waves at the end of the day.

Other Products We Considered
The BestReviews editorial team researches hundreds of products based on consumer reviews, brand quality, and value. We then choose a shorter list for in-depth research and testing before finalizing our top picks. These are the products we considered that ultimately didn't make our top 5.
FUN LITTLE TOYS
19 Piece - Beach Sand Toy Set
Top Race
16 Piece - Ice Cream Mold Set of Beach Toys
B. Toys
20” Large Sand Truck Colossal Cruiser
Hape
Beach Basics Sand Toy Set
B. toys by Battat
Beach Tote with Mesh Panel and 11 Funky Sand Toys
The team that worked on this review
  • Katie
    Katie
    Editorial Director
  • Melinda
    Melinda
    Web Producer
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Quut

Alto Beach Toy

Quut

Alto Beach Toy

Heavy duty and easy to transport, this simple sand toy lets imagination shine.
$21
×

Click N' Play

18 Piece Beach Sand Toy Set

Click N' Play

18 Piece Beach Sand Toy Set

A set of beach toys that comes with a mesh bag that makes them easy to carry and shake clean.
$16
×

Melissa & Doug

Sunny Patch Seaside Sidekicks Nesting Sand Pails

Melissa & Doug

Sunny Patch Seaside Sidekicks Nesting Sand Pails

A simple and durable set of 4 stacking pails that include molds on the bottom.
$8
×

Prextex

Beach Toy Set

Prextex

Beach Toy Set

Hard, plastic beach toys that are very sturdy and come with 2 carrying bags.
$13
×

Top Race

Sand Castle Pail Buckets

Top Race

Sand Castle Pail Buckets

A set of 4 beach buckets that are all shaped like sand castles.
$14

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