Anyone Have a Toddler Afraid of the Beach / Sand?

When my sister and I were kids I was afraid of grass and my sister sand. So when we went to the beach we would put a blanket down and she never leave it. He will get over it, it's only a stage he is going through. After the sand thing she was afraid of the drain in the bath tub. lol don't worry. Good luck.

my LO does not do this but I have worked w/ lots of kids and it should pass. just let him go at his own pace and dont push it. some kids dont like to be dirty, some dont like the feel of it, maybe it was hot and it bothered him? you can ease him into it by letting him sit on his towel/lounge in the sand and just play near him having fun....not talking to him or making a big to do. buy some really cool toys that might make him want to join you stuff like that. good luck, it should pass!

I would have to agree with the other posters who answered this question - it is usually just a phase. My friend's daughter was like this about grass and wood chips (which I found out about when we went to the park, and she refused to walk on any surface other than concrete - kind of made sense, since she is a city baby, and rarely sees nature ^___^). She had this fear last year, but this year, we had a play date again, and she was able to run and play in the grass, no problem.

My son also did not like the beach when he was around your son's age, but he was more afraid of the loud sound of the ocean. Just reassure your son and play with him, and allow him his fears - if you show him that there is nothing to be afraid of, he will probably warm up to his environment eventually. Sometimes the beach can seem overwhelming to such a tiny kid. Also, if you determine that his fear is specifically of sand, and you have a little sand table at home, or access to a sandbox, it might be a good idea to do some sensory work with the sand table, so he gets used to the feeling and quality of sand.

R.,

We are going through the same thing with our daughter- and learned quite by accident that if we left her socks on she was fine! It seems to be the feeling of the sand on her feet- mind you the same feeling did not bother her last year! (she's 22 months). Try socks or water shoes and he may be okay.

M.

My son did that at about that age. He also has a serious misgiving about grass.

He grew out of both, but it took a long time. And in order to accustom him to even being in the presence of sand or grass, he would suit up like it was nuclear waste we were asking him to go out it. Socks pulled up to his knees, shoes, long pants, long sleeved shirt, gloves, and if he could have convinced us to put a bag over his head, he would have worn that as well. He could. not. stand. the idea of getting dirty, OR the "feel" of sand or grass.

2 years later we were fishing him out of mudholes, and unburying him at the beach, and sweeping grass out of the house and having to check pockets for "treasures" before they went in the wash. ((And 5 years later, even if he JUST had a bath, he still ends up dirty 2 seconds later)).

We just slowly and casually made a big deal about how everything washes off... and that he could change his clothes... and that he didn't have to touch it if he didn't want to... but it wouldn't hurt him AND would wash off if he did touch it.

I know for him, part of his fears were temp based. Grass is cold. Sand is either hot or cold. The next part was texture. & The last bit was the whole "contamination" thing. We also didn't avoid areas he was afraid of. I'd carry him, with a big smile, but we WERE going to walk across the grass and not take the long way around. Sometimes he would freak out... and I'd smile and comfort him as we walked, and at the "end" would set him down and point out none got on him, and that wasn't so bad was it? He'd be horrified for ME having to touch it, but I would lay down and roll in it. "See kiddo? I LIKE sand/grass. YOU don't have to, that's okay, people like different things... but I LIKE _______. But I'll carry you for as long as you want. Mom's tough."

Anyhow... just our story.

take him closer to the water where the sand is wet and packed down. The first time we took my then 3 yr old son to the beach was a nightmare. we walked across the parking lot fine. down some little wooden steps find small slab of concrete at the bottom fine step into sand "FREAKED OUT" now he had on a bathing suit / tshirt / flipflops. so first got sand in the flipflops. screaming and having a fit. flopped down on his butt while trying to get the sand out of the flipflops with his fingers. no he has sand in the flipflops and sand up the shorts. really screaming now. and then wiped at eyes with same hands he tried to get the sand out of the shoes. so now we have sand in the shoes , sand up the shorts and sand in the eyes. this all happened in like 30 seconds. We still laugh about it today. I swooped him up over to the shower thing have standing at all the stairways. rinsed him off. dried him off and back we went to the hotel. boy were the other 2 kids pissed lol. But when I talked to the hotel person she said carry him to the edge of the water where the sand is wet and a little more packed down. he can walk on that without it sticking to him. so thats what we did and it worked.

my mom has pictures of me as a toddler sitting on a turned over bucket at the beach because i didn't want to sit in the sand. i was terrified of all dirt, sand, mud- anything dirty as a child. i eventually got over it as dirt is inevitable. maybe he needs to play in a sand box or play in some dirt in the back yard. the sand may also be too hot onhis feet so maybe he could get some aquasocks too! good luck! this will make for a cute story to his future girlfriends :)

Children need to become acclimated to different textures. Initially children may dislike the feel of grass or sand on their bare feet. It usually diminishes, but may not entirely disappear. We all have different sensory tolerances----(for instance I dislike dirt under my fingernails when I garden---can't wait to wash it off! My husband is content to not wash his hands until he is all done working.) That's also why children are exposed to a variety of textures in preschool (sand, rice table, finger paint etc). You may also notice that when kids are exposed to a new texture there may be increased salivation, even drooling. It's all about the maturation of one's sensory system.

Of course, but you can't make it happen. What you're doing sounds perfect. Even a think blanket or quilt on top of the sand might give him more room to move. He'll decide when he's ready.

Sure - perfectly normal. Mine doesn't like grass either at 19 months, and my first didn't do either until he was about 3. The phase will pass! Use it to your advantage.... :)

I am sure he will get over it! As an infant, he was very interested in everything around him and now that he's moving around and has gotten used to the stable ground under his feet, the beach is very different! My daughter did the same thing and it took a few trips between 18 mos and 3 yrs old before she was comfortable. She watched other people play and warmed up to it a little, eventually testing out the sand but stayed fearful of rushing water for a while! Toddlers don't like things rushing beneath them, even bath water or water in the toilet!

I have to think he doesn't like the feeling of the sand. I know I never did til I was about 40! My oldest daughter didn't like the feeling of grass. I could put her on a blanket in the yard and know she would not go anywhere...pretty handy actually. I think he will get over it. Keep taking him to the beach. When he sees other kids having fun digging and playing in the sand he will probably join in...eventually. No worries.

All my children didn't like dirt/sand/grass at a young age.
It's normal.

I can almost 100% gaurantee that this phase will pass :) my son went through that phase also, I think maybe even around the same age as yours...now he loves the beach (or in MI lake :) Just keep exposing it to him, he'll get brave again...2 years ago my son wouldn't go near the splash pad in the park, now he's running around with all the kids no big deal :) no worries...it'll pass my son will be 4 in July and lately he seems fearless (in his cautious way ;)

Ya, its normal for kids to become more aware of their surroundings and suddenly realize that they are different then expected and even scary. He'll get over it, just be patient and kind and keep exposing him to sand. :)

My son (now 7) has been going on our annual beach vacation since he was 6 mos old. He has never really "liked" the sand. He's still more of a pool kid!