Finding swimwear that works for an entire family on a beach holiday is rarely as simple as buying whatever is on sale that week. Between comfort, sun protection and the fact that everyone in the family has a slightly different idea of what looks and feels good, it takes a bit of planning to get right. A good starting point is choosing a brand with genuine range across styles and coverage levels, and Bydee fits that brief well for parents shopping for themselves alongside the kids. Here is how to think through the rest of the family’s swimwear properly.
Start With How Much Time You Will Actually Spend in the Water
A family that plans to spend most of the day swimming needs swimwear built for movement, with secure straps and linings that will not shift constantly. A family spending more time lounging poolside or on the sand has more flexibility to prioritise style over pure function, so be honest about how the holiday will actually be spent before you shop.
Sun Protection Should Shape Your Choices, Not Just Sunscreen
Clothing plays a bigger role in sun protection than most families realise. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, densely woven, darker-coloured fabrics block considerably more UV radiation than lighter, looser weaves, and a long-sleeved rash guard can offer protection roughly equivalent to that of a very high SPF sunscreen.
Choosing Swimwear for Babies and Toddlers
Very young children need the most coverage of anyone in the family, since their skin is far more sensitive to sun exposure. Look for a one-piece swimsuit with built-in UPF protection, ideally with some coverage over the shoulders, paired with a wide-brimmed hat that has a chin strap so it actually stays on during play.
Choosing Swimwear for School Age Children
Kids this age want to move freely and often spend hours actually in the water, so prioritise secure-fitting swimwear over anything with loose ties or straps that can come undone mid-play. A rash guard for particularly sun-sensitive children adds meaningful protection without sacrificing their ability to swim comfortably.
Choosing Swimwear for Teenagers
This is usually the age group with the strongest opinions, and giving teens some genuine choice within a reasonable budget avoids unnecessary friction before the trip even starts. Encourage a rash guard or cover-up for long days in strong sun, but let them choose the actual style and colour themselves.
Choosing Swimwear for the Adults
Parents often deprioritise their own swimwear while focused on the kids, but comfort matters just as much for the adults managing an entire day at the beach. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, clothing with a UPF rating of 50 blocks around 98% of UV rays, making UPF-rated swim shirts and cover-ups a genuinely practical choice for adults spending long stretches outdoors.
Shopping Ahead of the Trip Rather Than Last Minute
Popular sizes and styles tend to sell out quickly in the weeks before peak holiday season, so shopping a month or two ahead gives you a far better selection than trying to piece together a family’s worth of swimwear the week before departure. This is especially true if you are hoping for coordinated colours or specific coverage levels across several family members.
Trying Everything On Before You Travel
A swimsuit that fits well in a fitting room at home saves an enormous amount of frustration compared with discovering a poor fit once you are already at your destination. This matters even more for children, whose sizing can shift considerably between one season and the next.
Coordinating Without Overdoing It
Matching family swimwear photographs beautifully, but it is not essential to enjoying the holiday, and forcing it on reluctant teenagers rarely ends well. A simpler approach is choosing a shared colour palette or print family across everyone’s individual pieces, which photographs just as nicely without anyone feeling like they are in a uniform.
Packing Enough Without Overpacking
Two swimsuits per family member is usually enough for most beach holidays, giving everyone a dry option while the other is drying out. Any more than that becomes unnecessary luggage weight for very little practical benefit.
Caring for Swimwear During the Trip
Rinsing swimwear in fresh water after each swim extends its life considerably and keeps chlorine or salt water from breaking down elastane fibres too quickly. A simple mesh bag for damp swimwear also keeps the rest of your luggage dry and organised throughout the trip.
Budgeting Across a Whole Family
Outfitting an entire family in new swimwear adds up quickly, so it is worth spending a little more on pieces that will genuinely be worn again next year rather than treating everything as single-use holiday purchases. Durable, well-made swimwear tends to outlast a full season of regular pool and beach use.
The best family beach swimwear balances genuine sun protection, comfort for actual swimming and enough individual choice that nobody feels stuck wearing something they dislike. Shop with the whole family’s actual holiday plans in mind rather than aesthetics alone, and you will spend far less time adjusting straps and far more time actually enjoying the water.
