Need an excuse to go to the beach? If the answer is yes, this is a perfect time to grab a picnic basket and a beach blanket because Play in the Sand Day is taking place this month. A beach outing offers multiple benefits. Searching for seashells by the seashore keeps the mind sharp and eyes focused; walking the beach improves the body; building sand castles encourages creativity; and putting your toes in the sand exfoliates the skin. Hooray!
Of course, you don’t have to go to the beach to play in the sand — a local park or a backyard sandbox will do. My big brother built a sandbox for me when I was little, and oh boy, I loved it! There is a photo of me sitting in the middle of the box, cheerfully dirty and apparently curious about the flavor of sand. Playing in sand, good. Eating sand, bad.
To get ready for a beach trip (or in place of one, in case beach travel is not in your future), I recommend beach reads … about real beaches. I’ve also included a cookbook for picnic fare, an ode to the razor clam, and the history and science of sand. How often do you get to read about clams and sand? They go together like fish and chips.
- “Beaches” by Gray Malin.
- “How to Beach: The Professional Beachgoer’s Guidebook” by Tim Rayborn.
- “Max’s Picnic Book: An Ode to the Art of Eating Outdoors” by Max Halley and Benjamin Benton.
- “Northwest Know-How: Beaches” written by Rena Priest, illustrated by Jake Stoumbos.
- “Razor Clams: Buried Treasure of the Pacific Northwest” by David Berger.
- “The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How it Transformed Civilization” by Vince Beiser.
