I know there two weeks until it’s officially summertime but the heat, mosquitoes, and smell of smoked meat in the air is telling me otherwise. I have lived in Houston my whole life but without fail I am always unpleasantly surprised by how hot and humid it is by May. Despite the conditions, the kids always want to be outside and active during the summer. For the past couple of years I have kept a few essentials in the car that have served me and my family well as we play outside, take a summertime road trip, or have fun exploring our city.
1. Activities For Outdoor Play
My kids can make a fun time out of anything. Our go-to games and activities that I would consider summertime essentials include sidewalk chalk, bubbles, and giant yard games (like tic-tac-toe) .
By keeping the activities in the car we are always prepared, whether I just pop the trunk in our own driveway or if we are on a road trip and find a nice picnic area.
2. Snacks And Drinks
If you are a parent then you know that your kids want snacks all day long, one after another. When we are outside playing at the house I set up a picnic area with snacks that the kids can munch on throughout their time outside. For the car, I keep easy snacks packed so that I can have them on hand if we are out exploring for the day and they get a little hungry.
Snack essentials include items like juice boxes, water bottles, goldfish, veggie sticks, crackers, granola bars, and pretzels. When I know that we will be gone for the majority of the day, I keep a small cooler in the trunk with cheese cubes, fruit, and meat (my kids love salami!)
3. Skin Protection
This is a huge summertime essential for me and my family! All things that protect the skin is a must and I keep several versions all around the car, haha! Essentials include: Sunscreen, bug spray/patches, bandaids, bug bite soother, cortisone cream, and wet wipes.
I am always prepared for scrapes, bug bites, UV rays, and sticky hands at all times! As a mom it makes it easier to go with the flow during the summertime knowing that I have everything I need should the unexpected happen.
Here Are A Few Of My Favorites:
