10 Interesting Beaches Facts for Kids (Fun Facts) (2024 Updated!)
Beaches are some of the most relaxing places on earth, with clean sand and clear blue water.
They are a type of landform that exist all over the world, and in this article, we’re going to take a much closer look at what beaches are.
Since there are so many types of beaches with so many different elements to them, it’s important to note that this article won’t contain everything! Still, we’ll do our best to explain in detail, so let’s dive right in.
What is a beach?
A beach is a landform that exists along a large body of water.
The land that exists next to the beach usually consists of different types of particles; these include sand, rocks, or pebbles, and in some cases, algae or shells.
Most beaches are found in coastal areas, wherein the land meets the sea.
However, beaches can also be found inland, near freshwater rivers or lakes.
Over the past few years, climate change has greatly affected the topography of beaches, which means that the ocean is growing large, and the beaches’ sandy areas are growing smaller.
Why are beaches important?
Beaches are incredibly important to the ecosystem! Even though we might see them as a place to go on vacation and relax, beaches play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of nature.
Let’s look more closely at how they are important.
- Beaches help sustain aquatic and onshore ecosystems.
Natural Beaches serve habitats for both flora and fauna. For example, birds roost and nest on sandy beaches, and sea turtles lay eggs in the sand before they hatch and swim into the ocean. Beach Plants and trees like pampas, grass, and pine trees rely on the salty air and wind to survive.
- Beaches protect humans from strong winds.
Even though it might seem like many natural disasters involve the ocean, beaches actually help protect humans from natural elements like strong winds and heavy waves.
The beach acts as a kind of barrier that protects crops and prevents people that live near them from getting affected by the winds.
- Beaches are important for a country’s economy.
Aside from serving as a natural habitat for animals and plants and protecting humans from natural disasters, beaches are also important to a country’s economy.
They help promote tourism and travel, and recreational beach activities can help boost a city or town’s local economy. Additionally, people can earn money by selling food and souvenirs on the beach.
How are beaches created?
Beaches are created by the currents and waves. The waves move the sand and other sediments that make up the land portion of the beach. It is worth noting that the sand and other natural materials that make up a beach come from the erosion of rocks that are off the shoreline.
There are some fish species that eat algae to survive and create particles of sand throughout the course of their lives.
The algae that these fish eat is often attached to rocks and coral reefs in the ocean. After the fish feed on the algae, their bodies digest the necessary nutrients and excrete the rock and coral particles.
Those same particles wash up on the shoreline and exist as the sand particles we walk on when we go to the beach.
Are there beaches in different colors?
Yes, there are beaches in different colors in different parts of the world.
The sand’s color and composition depend on the location of the beach and the minerals commonly found in the area.
Some of the different beach colors and mineral types are as follows:
1. Black sand
Black sand is often found in places like Hawaii, Portugal, and the Canary Islands.
The sand is made up of volcanic rock, which is why it is black.
2. Pink coral sand
As its name indicates, pink coral sand gets its color from coral reefs.
This type of sand is made up of calcium carbonate and is often found in places like the Bahama Islands and Bermuda.
3. White sand
White sand mostly consists of limestone and quartz and is commonly found all over the world.
4. Red sand
Just like black sand, red sand is also composed of volcanic rock. However, red sand is created because the iron in the volcanic rocks have oxidized.
This type of sand is found in places like Prince Edward Island in Canada and Santorini, in Greece.
5. Orange sand
Orange sand is found in places like Malta and on islands located in and around the Mediterranean sea.
This type of sand has a high concentration of iron, and consists of orange limestone, deposits from volcanic eruptions, and crushed shells.
The world’s largest sand island is called Fraser Island. It is located off the southeastern coast of Queensland, Australia.
The title of the world’s longest beach is often attributed to the Bangladeshi sea beach, Cox’s Bazar. It is around 120 km long.
Following are the Best Beach Facts for kids.
Facts about beaches
1. Beaches have been a recreational spot since the Roman times.
Beaches have played a popular role in recreational activities since the early Roman times! At the time, visiting the ocean was something that only wealthy people were able to do.
However, as time went on, going to the beach and staying in a resort became a regular pastime for the aristocratic class by the mid-19th century.
2. The development of the railway system made the beaches more popular.
For a long time, only the wealthy were able to afford to travel to coastal areas.
However, after several decades, the railway system offered working-class people cheap tickets to coastal towns like Blackpool.
3. The beach has an official doctor!
Stephen P. Leatherman is an ecologist and geoscientist who also goes by the name Dr. Beach.
He is famous for releasing an annual list of the best beaches in the United States of America.
Leatherman releases his list every year over Memorial Day weekend, and has done so every year since 1991. He also studies beach erosions.
4. Beach volleyball was invented in Hawaii.
Beach volleyball is an Olympic sport that was most likely invented in Hawaii over 100 years ago on Waikiki Beach! The game is similar to indoor volleyball but is played on a court of sand instead.
It has been an Olympic sport for over 25 years now.
5. The most photogenic beach in the world is in Seychelles.
While you could argue that every beach is photogenic in its own right, others might disagree! The most popularly photographed beach in the world is located in Seychelles, a country consisting of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean.
6. Essex is home to the longest pier in the world.
The Southend Pier in the United Kingdom is the longest pier in the whole world.
It was constructed so that people could reach the seaside at any time of day or night! Before the pier was constructed, travelers could only visit the sea by the Thames steamer or sailing boat, but unfortunately, boats could only dock when the tide was high. Therefore, the pier was built to remedy this problem.
7. Many beaches are Blue Flag certified.
It is interesting to note that many beaches around the world are certified with a Blue Flag, which is awarded by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).
The certification indicates whether or not a tourism operater, marina, or beach meets its standards. Beaches in South Africa, Europe, Canada, and New Zealand have all been Blue Flag certified.
8. Many countries have artificial / created beaches.
Artificial beaches have become quite popular in many countries. They usually have large wave pools with a mechanism that mimics the ocean’s natural waves.
These types of beaches are quite popular in cities without a coast.
9. The first public beach in the US was in Massachusetts.
The first public beach was opened in 1896, in a town called Revere. There were more than 40,000 people who attended the beach’s opening!
10. Many types of creatures can be found on the beach.
Even though beaches can be an unstable habitat for natural life, a large number of creatures live in and around the beach. Some of these include sea turtle, ghost crabs, coquina clams, and white beach tiger beetles.
Conclusion
In this article, we walked you through a ton of interesting facts about the beach.
Even though beaches might seem like a place with a lot of sand and water, there’s so much more to them than meets the eye! Now that you’ve read this article, we hope that your knowledge has increased.