Best beaches for children on the Costa del Sol

A good beach for children combines easy access, supervision during the bathing season, nearby services and a comfortable setting for spending several hours. This selection is drawn from the data in our beach pages and prioritises beaches with lifeguard cover — but the state of the sea has the final word on any given day.

Recommended family beaches

What to check before you set off

  • Flag of the day: green means swimming is allowed with normal care, yellow means take particular care, red means no swimming.
  • Lifeguard hours: cover is seasonal and does not run all day. Outside those hours you are on your own.
  • Shade: most Málaga beaches have no natural shade at all. Bring a parasol.
  • Seabed: several beaches on this coast are pebble or shingle rather than fine sand. Water shoes make a real difference with small children.

A note on the sand

Beaches in the Axarquía and much of the coastline have dark, volcanic-origin sand. It gets considerably hotter underfoot than pale sand, which catches many visitors out at midday in August. It also means the shallows warm up faster, which is good news for small children.