You know the routine, it’s time to make sure you’ve thought of everything before setting off in the car for a day out with the kids, and you know you’ll have forgotten something important. Don’t stress; nothing is ever as important as having fabulous quality time with your tribe, but in this article, we’ve compiled a brief list of some of the more important things you should remember to take out with you on your next adventure.
Packing for Summer or Winter?
There are certain essentials you need to remember depending on what the weather is most likely doing outside. When the sun is blazing (admittedly this may only be for a few weeks of the year in the UK) you should make sure you have a high factor sun-cream to make sure everyone is always protected from harmful rays, perhaps some mosquito spray or wipes if you are heading towards midges country, a picnic blanket to make impromptu outdoor mealtimes comfortable and ant-free alongside the always useful wipes.
When the weather turns, and mud becomes the familiar terrain again, it’s time to transfer out the picnic blanket and sun-cream and draft in the wellies and waterproof clothing. Don’t forget to lay down some protective covering in your boot (so the muddy pushchair doesn’t make a mess when you put it away) and perhaps take some spare bin bags, dry clothes, and towels for any happy accidents.
Whatever the time of year, don’t forget to make sure you have a first aid kit to hand at all times. It’s better to have and not need, rather than need but not have, as the saying goes.
When it’s time to eat
Wherever you’re going, you can be pretty certain that you will be up against two guarantees when it comes to mealtimes: 1. Kids are fussy, and you can never be certain that one of their accepted items are going to be on the menu (or that there will be a healthy choice), and 2: You can always be certain that the menu will be unnecessarily expensive. Save time, money, and mitigate tantrums by taking a picnic full of preferred yet healthy treats for lunchtime. Don’t forget you can also mitigate mess in the car when it comes to journey time snacks by having the correct protective equipment to hand such as this exceptional dribble bib by Bibado, for example.
When you get to your destination
Whether it’s the zoo, the local park, or visiting Grandma, there are certain essentials to every trip. Always make sure you have some appropriate entertainment, preferably not screen related (there’s enough of that already and a break from screens during family time is a great habit to get into), such as favourite books, toys, art and craft essentials or just a good knowledge of some family favourites such as Eye-spy that you can whip out whenever a slow moment occurs.
The most important thing to remember on a family trip is to pack yourself! Always be present on your family adventures; these are memories that your children will cherish for the rest of their lives. Make the most of every moment because the joys and privilege of parenthood rush by in a blur; soak it up and make the most of every opportunity you have with your family.
*Collaborative post*
