I am all about being prepared, especially in the car and when we travel.  When my kids were younger, road trips were definitely a challenge. Summers are busy, so I would always keep a little “kit” in the car to stay on top of things. When it comes to traveling with kids, you can never be over prepared!

Cute dog looking out of a car window.

Water

I like to keep some water bottles in the car.  You can also keep other drinks on hand, but I like to keep water on hand for anything from needing a drink to rinsing dirty hands, cleaning a wound, etc.

Snacks

Although I am usually prepared with food, summers are extra busy.  When we leave the house, I am never quite sure when we will return. Keep some snacks in the car that can handle the heat, like pretzels or goldfish.

Change of clothes

Summer to us means dirt under our fingernails.. enjoying the summer weather, being out and about.  So from splashing in puddles to ice cream spills, it is nice to have backup clothing in the car, including a change of socks and some cheap flip flops. Flip flops are great for when the kids get dirty, wet, and overheated.

Sunscreen & bug spray

I can’t seem to have enough of both, whether it is for an unplanned outing or for the times I forget to bring it.

First aid

It is nice to have some basic first-aid supplies on hand, from band-aids to anti-itch bug bite cream.

Entertainment & chargers

While I like to make sure that the kids have a break from digital devices, especially when it is beautiful in the summer, sometimes we needed devices for entertainment on the road. This could even be in the form of music, so be prepared. As our kids got older, they liked to listen to their own things with headphones, so we made sure they could have separate devices.

Sun shade & sun protection

It is always good to have some extra sun protection, including sunglasses, hats, sunscreen, etc.

Plastic bags

Plastic bags are a must in the car year-round, from garbage to dirty clothes, to kids getting carsick or a backup for picking berries. There are always uses for plastic bags!

Towels and paper towels

Towels are useful for a variety of things — drying off after an unexpected rainstorm, etc. Paper towels can also be useful for any kind of cleanups.