Lake District Family Photographer’s list of everything you need for a fun day by the lake with your family.

Lake District Family Photographer photographing mother and son

A day by the lake is a day well spent. Beautiful scenery, calming water lapping gently against the shore, the kids paddling and keeping themselves happy and entertained, cosy picnics together. Everyone can relax, take time off from the busy-ness of everyday life, and just be. It will barely cost anything, and will be a gorgeous, wholesome day you’ll love. Priceless memories.

There is something about the water that calms children, isn’t there! Marnie can spend the entire day on the beach or by the lake and be so entertained - just paddling, throwing stones and watching the ducks and boats go by.

I’ve put together this blog post to help you prepare for a lovely day by the Lake this summer - and take one thing off your to-do / think-about list!

The safety essentials.

1.Suncare. SPF, sun hats and sunnies.

2. Life jackets. Please do your own research on life jackets but they’re essential if going out in/on the water.

3. Little first aid kit. In case any little feet need a plaster!

Clothing.

4. Swimwear. If you’ve got a dry robe, this is an easy way to help you get changed by the lake. Otherwise, go oldschool and build a towel fort!

5. Towels. Microfibre beach towels are a game changer. I spoke about these in my blog post about how to travel with carry on only - not only are they super tiny and lightweight to pack, but they also dry quickly so they’re great for multiple dips in the water!

6. Warm layer. A jumper or cardy to warm up after the water, even if it's a super sunny day. Also handy for when it cools off later.

Refreshments.

7. Picnic supplies in a cool bag. Here are some easy picnic food ideas for inspo.

8. Napkins!

9. Lots of drinks. A big bottle of water to fill up the kids’ bottles.

10. Plenty of snacks to keep the kids going throughout the day.

11. If you’re in it for the whole day, I also live to take a disposable BBQ and simple food for the evening. You’ve already got your cool bag so pop in your bbq food of choice and make a full day of it. Don’t forget the grown up drinks and the marshmallows!

12. A bin bag to take your rubbish with you.

Entertainment.

13. The kids probably won’t need much by way of entertainment. But it’s always worth taking a few things to help keep them happy for the day. If you’re at a lakeside with a little sandy beach, some sand toys would be great. Any water toys for playing on the shallow shore. A beach ball / bat and ball for older kids. Frisbee or football. And, you know, the tablet for emergencies!

14. If you have a paddleboard, kayak or similar, this is one of the best ways to spend some of your lake day. Get it set up at the beginning of the day and take turns heading out, pop the toddler on the board with you, go for a solo paddle (if there is someone else with the kids of course!) and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Or hire one / some from a local water sports centre. There is one here at Windermere.

Super helpful to have.

15. Water shoes for all. These are super helpful on the stony shores and shallow depths of the lakes. Those stones hurt your feet more than expected!

16. Camping chairs. So you can be comfy the whole day.

17. Picnic blanket. For the kids to sit on, eat your picnic off, nap time even!

18. Blanket - in case it gets a bit windy / you stay a bit later on.

19. A waterproof carry case for your phone. So you can get some snaps of the kids in the water without risking your phone!

20. Wagon. We’ve recently invested in a wagon so we can carry all our gear to the lake. Marnie plus all our stuff for a full day out can fit in - gamer changer!

Hope you have a gorgeous, memorable day! Don’t forget to take lots of photos, but also pop your phone away and be present - making memories with your little team!