Okay, #1 is that you never know when you might need a "seat" where you are going. I always keep three of these bad boys in the back of my SUV. They are fairly comfy, fold up nicely, and don't take up too much precious space. Also, they have built-in cup holders.
I also keep a picnic blanket rolled up back there too. And beach towels. Because you never know.
#2 Water, water, everywhere...and not a drop to drink. Unless you want to spend $1-5 (yes, I said $5) per bottle from vendors. I recommend buying cases of spring water every time you see any on sale. I stack 'em up high in my craft room and keep about 6 at a time in the fridge in case we need to grab 'n go. If we know it will be an all-day excursion (like a beach day trip or hiking) we will put some in the freezer. The reason for this is two-fold. First, they act as ice packs in your bag. And second, you will have cold drinks any time of day.
#3 BYOS, as in bring your own snacks. These can differ based on where you are going. If we are doing Movies at the Park, we bring popcorn and candy. We get these giant sacks of popcorn from Dollar Tree that is surprisingly tasty (note, you do not want to eat this is you are watching your salt and cholesterol). We also bring red Solo cups because they are great for portioning out and holding the popcorn for everybody in your clan. We score the candy from either Dollar Tree, Dollar General, or Target. All of them have a section where they sell the candy boxes like they have at the movie theater (which go for almost $4 a pop there, ugh). I buy them for a buck each.
If we are going hiking or to the beach, the food is gonna look different. We tend to make our own trail mixes (which is healthier than store-bought AND the kids like to make their own concoctions), sandwiches are easy, fresh fruit in Rubbermaid containers is another great choice, and pretzels are good because sometimes when you are out and about and get all sweaty your body needs to replenish its salt stores along with hydrating with water.
#4 Let's talk bags. I have different bags that I like for different things. First on my list a big ole tote bag that zips up. Mine is insulated which makes it great for carrying food and drinks. I got it at Five Below years ago, but I've seen similarly priced ones at Big Lots.
I also love my backpack which is great for when I wanna be hands-free. If we are gonna walk all day (think the zoo) then I don' wanna carry anything. It's also great because it has so many compartments.
Let's talk beach toys. Get yourself a mesh laundry bag with a drawstring. I got mine from Dollar Tree. (I really don't get paid to mention them, I swear. I just find a lot of good stuff there!) Put the beach toys in it. Make your kids carry it. They can drag it along the sand all they want. When you are all done at the beach you can shake it out and put it in the trunk, or if you have a room you can rinse the entire bag off, with the toys in it). Leave it on the balcony to dry. Easy peasy!
You should also buy zip top baggies. They come in all different sizes and are great for holding tour sunscreen, etc in them in case they explode and you don't want your camera covered in Banana Boat! That's another story. The small ones are good for keeping your phone sand-free. The great big ones are also useful for holding wet bathing suits and aqua socks. I could go on and on all day.
#5 All that exposed skin needs protecting! I always carry a bottle of spray sunscreen, a sunblock stick for faces.
If I am going away for several days, I also bring aloe. A friend of mine recently went on vacation and got a bad sunburn. A small bottle of aloe was $20!
I also carry bug spray because South Jersey is a mosquito haven. I recommend Off! Deep Woods DRY. I was introduced to it when my son joined the Cub Scouts. It is strong and it is not oily or greasy. Mosquitoes and ticks and West Nile Virus and Lyme Disease is nothing to shrug off. Protect yourself and your kids. Okay, my PSA is over.
#6 Every good mom should carry a first aid kit. It doesn't have to be a ready-made Red Cross one from the store. It can be as as simple as a makeup bag filled with a few different size bandaids, a small tube of Neosporin, and some of those small alcohol wipes for cleaning up those boo-boos. That will tide you over until you can get to a First Aid Stand or back home.
#7 Last, but certainly not least, I always bring special souvenirs/snacks on the sly (hidden in one of my bags). At the beginning of the summer I stock up on all manner of glow sticks, necklaces, bracelets, etc. At Dollar Tree or Deals you typically get 8 for a buck. At Five Below and Target's Dollar Spot you can get 50 for $3-5 bucks. Sometimes I also buy glow wands, glow swords, light-up balls, and other flashing light toys which they always sell at fireworks for $5-7 each.
For going to the circus or zoo, I buy those $1 cotton candy bags and $1 animal cracker bags. I've also been known to stock up on small stuffed animals, those punching balloons, and other things they'll beg for when all the kids around them have these items.
For going to the ballpark I'll grab bags of peanuts and boxes of Cracker Jacks to munch on (again, from the dollar stores). If your kids are all about getting autographs, bring your own baseball for that purpose. You'd hate to have to run in to the gift shop and buy something to be signed! Those places are a fortune!
Before we hit the beach, I'll let everyone choose 1 or 2 new beach toys from Dollar General or Family Dollar. A new frisbee, beach ball, and a kite can provide hours of fun for little money.
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