If you’re anything like me, a wander along the beach is one of life’s simplest joys and is an activity that I do almost every day. The salty sea air, sand underfoot, the endless horizon… perfection. But if you’ve ever taken little ones with you, you’ll know that their enthusiasm sometimes fizzles out faster than a melting ice cream.
So, if you’re planning lots of coastal adventures this summer, Beach School by Georgina Maw is a brilliant companion for your holidays. Packed with seaside activities from rockpooling and navigation to storytelling and beach bingo, it’s designed to help children play safely and creatively at the coast.
The book champions the wellbeing benefits of water environments and encourages families to explore, learn and connect with nature. Packed with inspiration and projects, it’s the kind of book you’ll dip into again and again throughout the school summer break.
During the summer holidays, families are always on the lookout for activities that are fun, free and outdoorsy – and the Journey Sticks project that the author has kindly shared below ticks every box. Kids get to explore, collect treasures and retell their seaside stories afterwards.
It’s a lovely way to encourage observation and imagination, all while soaking up that glorious wellbeing boost we get from being outdoors and near the sea. So get stuck into the Journey Sticks activity below the next time you’re heading to the beach – it transforms an ordinary walk into a mini adventure, full of discovery, creativity and chatter.
Journey sticks
Whether it’s a beautiful summer’s day or a blustery winter’s morning, a walk along the beach always brings out our happy feelings. However, to little children a walk can sometimes appear dull and so this activity lets us walk, talk and collect without the age-old question: ‘How much farther?’ Once back, we can retell our journeys along the beach with a drink and snack at the end!
AGE: 6 plus
TIME: 5 minutes to prepare
TOOLS & MATERIALS: Driftwood stick (you will need to be able to carry it!); twine
Step 1
Choose a stick from the beach. Tie the twine to the bottom of the stick using a clove hitch.
Step 2
Begin walking and when something of interest catches your eye, pick it up and hold it against the stick near the bottom. Wrap the twine around it. Don’t cover the whole item in twine – you want to be able to see what you collected at the end! After adding each item, secure it with another clove hitch.
Step 3
Repeat for each item as you walk along the beach. When all sticks are finished, take turns to retell the walk and what you found. Remember to return the items at the end!
Variations
• Give children set items they must include on their journey stick.
• Have sit and stop points every 10 minutes.
• If something funny happens, choose an item to remind you.
• Let different children lead the walk and choose where to stop and sit.
• Use bright coloured wool and change the colours to make a rainbow-coloured journey stick!
I hope you have a fun time during your own Journey Sticks adventure this summer, and you can easily turn a simple beach trip into a full day of adventure with the other activities and ideas from Beach School. Whether you’re collecting shells, spotting seabirds or building shelters, these activities help children feel confident and curious outdoors.
So, to make the most of those long sunny days with your happy little explorers, check out the Beach School book, which encourages families to slow down, look closely and enjoy the magic of the coast – no matter the weather! You can buy Beach School from Gifts to Me for only £14.40 (+P&P)! Usual RRP £17.99. Visit giftstome.co.uk and use the offer code R6130. Offer ends 30th September 2026. Enjoy!
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Some items in this blog post have been gifted to me and the pink links indicate a gifted product, affiliate link or information source. All thoughts and opinions in this post are based on my own experience and I am not responsible for your experience 🙂
