If you have kids, you know they can come with lots of things. But you don’t have to transport all of those things to and from the car each time you leave. Instead consider these 10 things to keep in the car!
Related: The Ultimate Diaper Bag Checklist
First aid kit
When your kid has a cut it’s really nice to be able to put a bandaid on to prevent a meltdown or stop the blood from getting all over the car.
Jumper cables
If you have kids and you live somewhere cold, you don’t want to be stuck in a car that won’t stop. Kids can also forget to turn the car lights off when they leave the car.
Comb & hair ties (if you have a girl)
Sometimes you don’t have time to get your girls hair done before you leave. Having some hair ties and a comb can give you that opportunity if you need it.
Towel
You never know when a towel can be useful. One great way to use it is to dry off wet slides in the summer. Another time is if you go to a park or pond and they get wet, it’s nice to have a towel to dry them off. One that is light weight and compact is great for a car.
Wipes
Baby wipes are great for everything. Dirty fingers? Baby wipe. Dirty window? Baby wipe. Marker on the face? Baby wipe! Blood all over the car? Baby wipe!
Phone charger
If you are out and about with kids, a phone charger is a must have. You want to be able to contact someone incase of an emergency.
Blankets
One or two light weight blankets can keep you warm while you wait for help. They can also help your kids stay toasty while it warms up. Additionally you can use them as an extra towel if you need to.
Snacks
Kids are always hungry. Snacks can stop meltdowns and keep the peace on car rides.
Extra clothes
When you have kids, plan for the unexpected. Extra clothes can make sure you can change them if they get wet, muddy, dirty, have an accident, or anything like that.
Books or small toys
Books, boogie boards, or other small toys can be great for entertaining your kids. My kids love to be handed a book with lots of pictures to look at while we’re driving. Sometimes they like drawing on an LCD writing tablet. We’ve also kept a variety of small toys in the car to entertain our kids, our favorite is Jaques the peacock or Mortimer the moose.
Bonus:
Extra Socks or gloves
In our cold climate, extra gloves and socks can be helpful to keep toes and fingers warm.
Flashlight
If it’s dark, a flashlight can be good to give your kid to look at the books or toys you give them. Or the flashlight can be a toy all by itself.
