Be Prepared For Family Fun With These 12 Things in Your Car

It is a hot sticky Saturday afternoon in the middle of summer. The humidity here in South Florida makes the air so thick you can cut it with a knife. The kids are hot, sweaty and cranky, even though we are inside chilling in our air conditioned house. The clock on the microwave says 2:13, which means the babies are supposed to be napping, but no such luck.

Everyone is overtired and slightly annoyed. There is nothing left to do than to implement plan B, immediately. We quickly bark orders for everyone to get their pants and shoes on. For some reason, they are all pant-less on days like these… well, the kids are at least.

(Thank you Diono for providing our family with a Radian RXT car seat. This post contains affiliate links.)

We load the car up with all four kids, double-check that they are all there and off we go… driving, just driving. Eventually, someone will fall asleep, others will zone out to the Barney DVD we have been playing on endless-loop and there will be peace in the land.

Get your car ready for #SummerFun and #RoadTrips. Don't forget any of these 12 items! @DionoUSA Click To Tweet

My husband and I secretly love these impromptu afternoon car trips. We would gladly do without the meltdowns leading up to the drive, but once we are seated, buckled and each other’s captive audience, then we enjoy our quiet conversations as the kids recuperate and rest.

Once the kids wake up, refreshed, we are ready to have fun – and with a properly stocked car there is no limit to the possibilities! We have been known to take a trip to the beach, out of dinner or even an overnight trip to LEGOLAND. A car fully prepared for summer fun is your golden ticket to act impulsively and live carefree.

Right before summer break we clean our cars, remove all unnecessary items left over from a long travel soccer season and sitting in school-pick-up lines every day. We then prepare and stock our cars with these summer fun essentials.

Be Prepared for Family Fun With These 12 Things in Your Car: 

• Carseats!! (Obviously, they were in the cars before!)
  • We remove all the car seats and booster seats and clean them thoroughly.
  • This is a great time to revisit the seating arrangement and make sure that all the kids are in the right seat for their size.
  • Jonah has been complaining that his back hurts in his car seat, so we recently got him a new Diono Radian®RXT car seat. The reviews spoke for themselves, so the decision was easy to make. I worried about Jonah comfort, but after using it for over a month, I have not once heard him complain that his back hurts.
  • The Diono Radian®RXT is a trim seat with an incredibly secure and easy installation. It leaves no room for seat wiggling, which usually happens in other seats. It is perfect for road trips, especially during nap time. A total win.
  • The Diono Radian®RXT Car Seat is designed with security and safety as top priorities. With features like a steel alloy frame, aluminum reinforced side walls, energy absorbing EPS foam, and a five-point harness it is a safe and comfortable ride. The reinforced adjustable head support provides additional side impact protection.
• Diapers, wipes and diaper rash ointment!
  • I normally stock our car with at least a full pack of wipes and 10 diapers, giving us the flexibility to stay overnight somewhere without having to go out and buy diapers.
  • I keep this diaper changing “station” in a plastic bin under the seat.
• An outfit for everyone!
  • Having a complete set of clothes for each family member in your car will make it easier to impulsively decide to spend the night somewhere.
  • Besides, on a long car trip, someone is bound to spill on their shirt or pee their pants. It happens to us on every.single.trip.
• Small compressor to charge the car battery and inflate the tires!
  • Because if you bring it then you won’t need it!
• Quarters! 
  • Eventually, you will stop somewhere that has a vending machine with the EXACT snack or drink your child cannot live without – and you will kick yourself for not bringing change.
  • So this solves that problem rather proactively.
• Car travel potty or large bottle!
  • No, I am not kidding.
  • Even potty trained kids have the uncanny ability to desperately need a restroom the minute you pass the sign that says “next rest stop in 128 miles!”

• Motion sickness bands and Dramamine!!
  • So far we have been able to get by with the motion sickness bands, but having a small “emergency kit” on hand will go a long way.
• Snacks: crackers, lollipops, granola bars!
  • I always have a stash of snacks that can stand being stored in a hot car. We never leave home without them.
• One gallon zip-lock bags!.
  • A box of these will save your sanity and keep the inside of your car relatively organized and clean.
  • The bags will come in handy for so many uses, such as:
    • Car sickness “catcher”
    • Wet clothes
    • Trash
    • Beach treasures
• Toys!
  • I keep two small baskets on the floor of the van with entertainment for the kids.
  • The content is rotated every few months to keep the entertainment value high.
    • Sand toys for the beach.
    • Books, LEGO and DUPLO for the car.
    • Wipe-clean activity books and fun car entertainment.
• Towels and blankets!
  • I keep these in a big tote bag in the trunk of my car, so we can make a quick exit for the beach, cover up on chilly evenings or have a picnic – the possibilities are endless.
• Sun protection!
  • Sun shades: because eventually the sun WILL hit the wrong side of the car.
    • If you have ever tried to explain the position of the sun in the sky to a toddler blinded by the brightest light he has ever encountered, then you too will drive around with sun shades on every window.
  • Sun screen: I live by the motto: “There is no such thing as a healthy tan!”
    • Therefore, we slather the kids in sunscreen as much and as often as possible.
  • Sun glasses: because their beautiful eyes also need protection.

Now that our car is fully stocked and ready for adventure, I am almost “hoping” the kids will have a rough afternoon full of epic meltdowns! – that’s how much I enjoy our afternoon family drives into the unknown! Bring it on, kids! We are ready for you!

Which of the items listed do you NOT currently have in your car?