If you have ever spent time outdoors in the summer, you know the relief felt when finding a spot of shade to play or relax. The temperature difference in the shade can offer just enough recharge to keep the fun going, without having to take activities indoors.
There are times, however, in which shade is not easily found. The beach, a park, a recreation complex, or any open field can sometimes be devoid of trees or any shelter. These settings are when a tent comes in handy! Babies are especially prone to getting overheated in the sun or suffering skin damage from harmful UV rays. Tents made especially for babies are a must-have item if you enjoy time outdoors.
Things to Consider Before Purchasing a Baby Beach Tent
- Size. Beach tents for babies come in several different sizes. Consider the amount of storage space you have for the tent. If you are bringing the tent on vacation, make sure you have room in your car or luggage to take it along. Many of the tents below come with storage bags as well, making them perfect for travel. Some of the tents in the article can also accommodate adults. If you want a beach tent for babies and other children or adults, you will want to find a tent that is large enough to provide shade for everyone.
- Use. Consider how you plan to use the baby tent. If it is for a day at the beach, there are some types that have built-in pools that will keep baby cool. The baby tents can also be used at the lake, during sports events, at a picnic, or any outdoor activity that requires shade.
- Pop-Up Tent or Pole Tent. Most tents, especially ones sized just for babies, are simple to assemble, but some models require poles, while others are automatic pop-up style. Consider the type that you would prefer before purchasing. Pole tents tend to be sturdier, especially in wind and rain, but require more assembly. Pop-up style tents typically set up as you unfold the tent, which is perfect for fast set-up and take-down.
Now that you have considered how you will use a baby beach tent, take a look at the below best beach tents for babies and families!
18 Top Baby Beach Tents
| Model | Features |
|---|---|
Fisher Price Baby Dome Read Review | |
Lil Nursery Tent Read Review | |
Summer Pop ‘n Play Read Review | |
Schylling UV Play Shade  Read Review | |
Easthills Outdoors Instant Shelter Read Review | |
Monobeach Baby Tent Read Review | |
Babymoov Beach Tent Read Review | |
Pacific Breeze Beach Tent Read Review | |
Oileus 4 Person Beach Tent Read Review | |
Sunba Portable Shelter Read Review | |
Kelty Sunshade Read Review | |
WolfWise Pop Up Beach Tent Read Review | |
Bend River Pop Up Beach Tent Read Review | |
G4Free Family Beach Tent Read Review | |
Ocoopa Beach Tent Read Review | |
Sunba Youth Beach Tent Read Review | |
Zomake Instant Beach Tent Read Review | |
Gorich Beach Tent Read Review |
Pop Up Beach Tents and Baby Beach Tents
1. Fisher Price On-The-Go Baby Dome
The Fisher Price On-The-Go Baby Dome is a great tent option for the beach or park for infants and babies. The sturdy structure of this outdoor play pen will ensure years of use and can withstand breezy beaches. The dome folds flat and has two handles for easy transport.
A domed cover on both sides of the play area can connect to form a complete cover over the baby or pulled halfway over to offer shade. The fabric features SPF 20 UVA protection. Two toys are included with the baby dome as well.
The floor of the baby dome is padded, making a perfect space for a baby travel bed and play space for your little one!
2. Lil Nursery Tent
The Pacific Play Lil’ Nursery Tent is a three-foot by three-foot tent, with traditional poles for setting up. Mesh panels on either side of the tent allow air to flow through, while keeping bugs, sand, and the elements out. The solid walls of the tent are flame-retardant and coated with UV-protectant.
The bottom of the tent is washable, making it perfect for diaper changes or a sand-free place to have a snack. The door of the tent shuts with Velcro strips and packs away in an included carry bag. While this tent does not come with pegs to secure it into the ground, a small cooler or bag placed inside the tent would work to keep it down.
3. Summer Pop ‘n Play Playard
The Summer Infant Pop N’ Play Ultimate Play Yard is a great option if you have multiple kids or need a larger, shaded space for your baby. The play yard frame sets up with one easy motion as it folds out to an impressive 14 square feet of play area. A padded floor makes this perfect for napping as well!
The included UPF protected sun canopy covers half the play yard, although you could drape a blanket over it for even more sun protection. When finished for the day, the play yard packs into an included carry bag.
I like that this play yard has a sturdy metal frame that will prevent it from blowing away. This is also a great option for babies and toddlers who tend to be escape artists, since it is sturdy and the walls are higher.
4. Schylling UV Play Shade
If you are looking for a tent that pops up and is quick and easy to take down, consider the Schylling Play Shade. This beach tent for toddlers is lightweight and easy to transport. It folds down and fits into the included travel bag. Tie down pegs and sand pockets make it easy to weigh this shelter down so it won’t blow away.
With an SPF of 50+, this tent will protect your little one from the sun. It is big enough to fit several toddlers. On the back is a mesh screen with a cover which can be opened to improve ventilation. The front flaps can be tied back to stay open or left alone to stay closed.
5. Monobeach Baby Tent
Designed specifically for children under 3, this cute baby tent measures 47.2″ wide, 30.3″ deep, and 23.6″ tall. In addition to a light canopy that conveniently pops up automatically to provide UV 50+ protection, this tent has an optional air vent to help cool off its inhabitant in hotter temperatures. A 7″-deep kiddie pool sits in the middle of the tent’s floor, just waiting to be filled with water for your little one to safely splash in.
The canopy for this tent can actually detach from the pool base and be attached to the handles of an inner tube using zip ties, making it more versatile than other baby tents on the market. Should you choose to use it the traditional way, however, the Monobeach Baby Tent comes with four pegs to secure it on the ground and prevent it from being knocked over by wind, rowdy siblings, or even the baby occupant inside. It also comes with a carrying bag for added convenience.
6. Babymoov Beach Tent
The Babymoov beach tent is a dome-style pop-up tent that is perfect for the beach. This tent offers enough room for a baby and a toddler, making it perfect for families with multiple small children. Mesh panels and a Velcro-enclosed door allow breeze and air to flow through the tent, ensuring your child does not get overheated in the hot sun. Other solid panels offer the shade needed and 50 SPF to protect from UVA rays.
This tent is a pop-up style and refolds down to then be packed in a carry case. This tent also comes with four pegs to secure it into the ground so that it will not blow away in the beach wind.
7. Sunba Youth Beach Tent
The Sunba Youth Beach Tent is a pop-up tent with wind resistant features, SPF coated panels, and enough space for two or three children to play in the shade. Ventilated side panels ensure a fresh breeze can come through, while solid panels keep sun rays out of the tent. The access door can be rolled back and secured or zippered shut, perfect for nap time or to keep out rain.
Inside storage pockets are perfect for cell phones or tablets. The tent comes with anchors for the sand as well as a carrying bag.
A unique feature is the floor of the tent. It extends out past the opening, offering additional area to play and relax in the sand!
8. Sunba Youth UV Protection Beach Tent
The Sunba Youth Baby Tent is most suitable for babies through toddlers and offers an Anti-UV coating on the solid portions of the tent covering, providing a UV protection rating of 50+. A breathable mesh is used on all sides of the tent, allowing air and breeze to flow through, while keeping elements out. The tent door is also made of a mesh material, with another layer of solid, UV coated material that can be zipped to fully enclose the tent.
This is a great option for the beach, as it sets up in three seconds with the pop-up style elasticized metal frame. Two pegs are included to keep the tent securely in the ground. When finished, the tent folds up and stores away in the carry case. It weighs just over a pound, making this a perfect solution for vacation travels in a car or plane. I could see using this as a sleeping solution for babies and toddlers as well for rooms that do not have a crib. It does not have a cushioned bottom, so that is something to keep in mind.
9. WolfWise Pop Up Beach Tent
This portable beach tent is big enough for 3-4 adults. Weighing only 4 pounds, this tent folds up small so it’s easy to store and transport.
This baby beach tent offers protection from the sun (UPF 50+) and has ventilation all the way around. The polyester construction is great quality and will last. Also water repellent, it’s a great choice for the entire family. Four corner pockets are designed to be filled with sand to keep the tent in place.
10. Bend River Pop Up Baby Beach Tent
An excellent choice for babies and toddlers, this pop up baby tent has a design that includes a kiddie pool in the floor of the tent. While at the beach or pool, the pool can be filled with a little water, allowing a child to play safely in cooling water. Remember to always supervise children when they are in water.
Three windows in the tent allow for breeze and air to flow through, while the tent door can zip completely closed when it is time to nap or feed baby. The tent is a pop-up style and comes with four stakes to secure it to the ground as well as a storage bag.
Top Family Beach Tents
11. Easthills Outdoors Instant Shelter
This tent has the look and feel of a full-size camping tent but is specially designed for the beach and outdoor recreation activities. Large enough to fit adults and kids, this pop up beach tent has built-in poles that easily collapse when it is time to put the tent away in the included storage bag. Instructions are written on the inside of the tent, so there is no losing a how-to guide on setting up and taking down.
An extended porch of the tent attaches to the floor and can be lifted to create a door that zippers to the structure for privacy. Large mesh panels on either side of the tent offers breeze a way to get through the tent as well. Included anchors and sandbags to weigh the tent down prevent the wind from blowing the tent over.
12. Pacific Breeze Beach Tent
With an easy three-step setup, this tent allows your family to spend more time playing and less time getting situated. Made from lightweight polyester, it is water-resistant and light, weighing less than five pounds. But that doesn’t mean it’s small! At 87″ wide, 47″ tall, and 49″ deep, it can easily accommodate a decent-sized family.
The tent’s polyester material provides SPF 50+ protection, while large mesh windows allow for good airflow to keep everyone cool on hot summer days. Internal pockets in the tent allow you to easily store your belongings for easy access. In addition to included stakes that keep it from falling over, the Pacific Breeze Beach Tent’s design includes integrated sand pockets, which can be easily filled with sand to provide extra stability on even the windiest days. Just dump the sand back out when you’re done, and you’re go to go.
As an added bonus, Pacific Breeze offers a 1-year warranty for this tent.
13. Kelty Sunshade
Providing 78 square feet of interior space and standing 87″ tall, this large tent is made for more than just a baby. Its tripod design allows you some flexibility in how you set it up, whether you want it to be taller and narrower—to allow even tall people to stand comfortably under it—or you want it to be stretched wider with a lower profile, to allow for more sitting space. All you need to do is place the three poles either closer together or farther apart to achieve your desired setup.
The best and most unique characteristic of this tent is the extra side wall, which is easily adjusted to shelter you from the wind or provide additional UV protection as the sun moves throughout the day. Just be aware that if you plan to sit under this tent without chairs (or place a baby under it), you’ll likely need a blanket or tarp to account for the tent’s lack of a floor.
In addition to stakes to keep the tent in place and storage pockets to store your belongings, the Kelty Sunshade has a duffel bag for easy storage and transportation. And unlike a lot of other tents, it comes in a couple of color options.
14. Oileus 4 Person Beach Tent
You’ll find everything you want in a beach tent with this product from Oileus. Since it only weighs four pounds and fits in a compact carrying bag, it is the definition of portable. Plus it is super easy to set up or take down; in fact, the manufacturer boasts that it takes less than thirty seconds to do it. How awesome is that?
Whether you’re fishing, hiking, or camping, or lounging at the lake, you’ll be grateful for the shelter from the sun the Oileus beach tent offers. It blocks out 99% of ultra violet light but also provides effective protection from water and wind. With a sturdy floor, durable poles, and breathable polyester, it will be a comfortable place for up to four people to relax in the shade.
15. G4Free Family Beach Tent
The G4Free beach tent is a large sized sunshade, perfect for a family to fit inside. With a length of nearly 80 inches, this is big enough for parents and their kids. The windproof design comes with stakes to tie it into the ground, sand bags for further weight, and pockets on either side of the tent to fill with sand as well. The steel wire frame pops open for instant assembly, then folds securely in a carrying bag.
There are four sides of ventilation, creating enough openings to provide air and a cooling breeze. This is a great option for families who want shade for everyone, including the youngest members of the family!
16. Ocoopa Beach Tent
The Ocoopa Beach Tent has a domed design that is large enough to fit a family of four. The tent pops open and requires no assembly and folds back up into a carrying case. Each side of the tent features a mesh window or door opening to allow breeze in the interior. Made of durable fabric, the solid panels have SPF protection.
The floor of the tent extends out just past the opening, creating additional areas for relaxing. The doors and windows are closable and waterproof, creating shelter during a surprise rainstorm as well! This is a great option if you want a tent that can accommodate your baby and you!
17. Zomake Instant Beach Tent
The Zomake Instant Beach Tent is good for a family trip to the beach or any outdoor activity. This tent has enclosed poles that set up in minutes and are easy to take down as well thanks to a unique hydraulic system. The poles provide a sturdy frame to resist wind, along with stakes to secure it in the ground, as well as side bags to fill with sand.
The tent can be completely enclosed with solid SPF protected panels or rolled up to let a breeze through to keep occupants cool on a hot day. Mesh windows also allow air to circulate.
There are storage pockets beneath the windows for cell phones and other small items. This tent is a great size for two beach chairs, or several towels and a cooler.
18. Gorich UV Protection Family Beach Tent
The Gorich Lightweight Beach Tent assembles with traditional poles that are inserted through tent sleeves. This a great option if you need a tent that can fold to be very compact. The tent comes with a carry case, as well as stakes to secure it to the ground.
This large beach tent can hold a family of four and features a door flap that can be zippered down to create additional room for playing. Three mesh windows can be opened as well for breathability. If needed, the windows can be closed with solid panels, as well as the entrance, for privacy. The solid panels feature SPF 50 material that can repel sun rays, keeping the tent cool. This tent is perfect for parents who want to join their kids in the shade!
Final Thoughts and Highest Rated Top Picks
My pick for a beach tent just for baby would be the Fisher Price On-The-Go Baby Dome. While it might not be the typical “beach tent,” this option is a good way to keep your baby safe at the beach. It is high quality and will hold up better than most others.
My choice for a family beach tent would be the Easthills Outdoors Instant Shelter. The design is sturdy and large enough to accommodate beach chairs, kids’ floaties, towels, a cooler, and other items that you bring to the beach. This could also be used as sporting events, the park, or even the pool for extra shade. The set up and break down seem easy as well and I like that the poles are built in and durable.
Beach tents for babies have risen in popularity over the past few years and it is a must-have item for any family. The convenience it offers is well worth the price!
FAQs
What are important features in a baby beach tent?
Think about the size of the tent and ensure you have sufficient storage space for it but also that it will be big enough if you want to fit more than baby inside. Also, consider how you’ll use it; if you just need it for the beach you may appreciate a built-in pool. Finally, decide if you want a pop-up tent or if you want one supported by poles.
Is a baby beach tent hard to put up?
Your experience putting up a baby beach tent will vary depending on what type of tent you have. Pop-up tents are generally easy and fast to assemble or disassemble since they setup as you unfold the tent. While pole tents take more time to put together, the process is not difficult and produces an especially sturdy source of shade.
How much sun protection does a beach tent provide for babies?
Beach tents offer significant sun protection, which is particularly important for babies who tend to overheat and get sunburned. As you browse through beach tents, you’ll see that manufacturers typically advertise their tent’s UV-protection or SPF rating. This will give you a good idea of how effectively the beach tent protects you from harmful UV rays.
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