As beautiful as the sunshine is, its rays can be very harmful, especially for the little ones. Our favorite way to get outside and protect babies from the sun has always been a baby beach tent. Our family has been doing this for a long time. We let our pro moms try out the best baby beach tent and give you the breakdown of which are really the best for a small baby beach umbrella.
We know baby sunscreen can be a choice that will really tear you apart as a parent as many pediatricians disapprove of its use. That’s why a tent is a great compromise. It provides a lot of shade and keeps it off the ground, which is lovely if your excursion includes sand. Now that they’re so popular, there are tons of great options that are easy to open and have special features to accommodate babies. Check them all out before tackling your summer plans!
Important functions in a baby beach tent
This is going to be very important because let’s face it, if it’s not easy to set up, it will never actually get built. That’s life with children. The best choice is a pop-up baby beach tent. It will have to deal with very few pieces! I still remember my husband using some fine words when trying to repack the pop-up tent.
You want your baby to have the ultimate protection from the sun. If you can find a tent that suits your needs and has UV protection, you have found a winner. Some tents only offer shade, which is still great. However, look out for the certified UV protection label for the added bonus.
- Something to keep it in the ground
You don’t want a flimsy tent that won’t stand still. Check for stakes, sand bags, or some type of peg to keep it on the ground. You should also make sure that it is made of sturdy material.
One of the most important things to look out for when looking for the best beach tent for your babies is to check if there are windows or sides that can be opened to let in a little air. Your little one wants some of that ocean breeze too! Any ventilation prevents your tent from turning into a sauna inside.
This really depends on you and based on your needs. Some moms may just need a tent for a baby, but others of you may need to put a few more munchkins in it. It’s always great to have a little more space for everyone else to get a break from the sun.
The best baby beach tent
So we got our pro moms to try different beach tents, and here is a list of the crème de la crème.
Mark & Graham Pottery Barn Beach Tent – Best 2-person tent
This baby beach tent is my all time favorite because not only is it super cute, but it’s also light and easy to assemble. There is an integrated UPF 50+ protection. This tent packs up nice and small so that it easily fits into your vehicle for your trip to the beach or even on a flight. Check it out here!
Dock a Dead Cabana plus Dock – Best Infant Beach Tent
If you have a newborn baby, we think this is the best beach tent for toddlers. Give your baby a little cabana with the Dock a Tot Cabana plus Dock. We’re fans of Dock a Tot products, and this little cabana is just adorable and practical. The Dock a Tot protects your baby from the son with its UV mesh coating, which can be closed with a zipper or simply let down if necessary. The baby beach tent is light and only takes a few seconds to set up.
They come in two colors, pink and blue, and are available from Target and Buy Buy Baby.
Schylling UV sun tent for babies
This play screen is a favorite of most of our mothers and has consistently been voted the best baby beach tent. It’s great with its closed bottom to keep sand out, lockable and open at the front with great vents. Plus some stakes to keep it in the ground. It even comes with a small carry bag that makes it easy to take with you on any adventure. This tent is also made of fabric with 50+ UV certified fabric, so your baby is super well protected. 
Striped pop-up baby beach tent
This was a clear favorite with our mothers as well because it’s so darn cute. It’s super easy and the perfect pop-up baby beach tent. This can be a special place for your kids, whether you’re just in the garden, exploring the beach, or on some type of adventure. It has a UVF sun protection value of 50+.
Summer Pop ‘n Play Deluxe Ultimate Playard
If you are looking for something to give your baby or babies some space, this is the baby beach tent for you. It has a play area of 14 square meters and is perfect for children aged 6 to 24 months. As big as it looks, it is surprisingly easy to set up, it only took us 5 minutes and we are not handy people. There is a UV-resistant canopy you can put in that blocks 98% of the UV rays.
This baby beach umbrella is great in that it is super easy to assemble and, most importantly, dismantle. (My husband doesn’t have patience with pitching tents so it’s a great feature for us) The tent is SPF 30 and is also well ventilated to keep your baby cool.
Beach Baby Family Size pop-up shade tent for 5 people
This is our rookie mother-troop favorite among the larger tents on the market. This pop-up family tent is HUGE and it can definitely fit a lot. Usually advertising for a capacity of 5 people is based on very small people. Not this one. It is a bit difficult to fold it back up but they have a youtube video that if you watch it a couple of times it makes it a lot easier.
Pacific Breeze beach tent with easy assembly
This is not a baby tent, but rather a family tent with plenty of space for about four people. It can protect everyone in the family from the sun’s harmful rays! The easy go shelter also has a flap that stays open and plenty of UV protection on the inside. It pops up easily.
Babymoov anti-UV tent
This tent is very popular with many parents and you can see why it comes in fun, bright colors! It has a lot of UV protection. Make sure you put the inserts in, however, as they are pretty light and could just blow away without them.
Fisher Price On the Go Baby Dome with Windmill
If you are looking for a place where your baby is safe, this is a wonderful option. This small beach tent for toddlers is like a mini porta cot. You can have it half closed or fully closed depending on how much shade you want your baby to have. You can be sure that your baby is comfortable because the bedding is super padded, but the cute windmill will also keep him entertained.
Aqua Leisure Fish parasol
This is the baby beach tent for you if you want to keep it simple. It’s just a tiny mat with a fish-shaped sunscreen which, by the way, is adorable! It can be folded up very easily and has a UV protection of 50 UPF. Another bonus, it’s definitely on the cheaper side.
Joovy Gloo baby travel cot
This baby travel cot by Joovy Gloo is perfect for beach days with the family. This travel cot with tent is a self-inflating sleeping mat for ultimate comfort and comes with washable cotton. It’s dew-resistant, bug-proof tent and UPF 50 sun protection! What’s even better is that it’s small enough to take with you wherever you go and easy to open. Available in 6 colors and 2 sizes! It is suitable for ages 6 months to 3 years for the normal size and 6 months to 5 years for the large size.
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