Ten Fun Family Day Out Essentials
Over the last couple of weeks, the children and I have got our day out Essentials down to the most needed and essential items for a successful day trip. We have by trial and error come up with the Top Ten Items that you need for a successful fun family day out, that will hopefully save you the trouble that we have had on past day trips.
Back Pack
Just something small and not messy, so no chocolate or chocolate covered biscuits. Ours tends to be cereal bars or bread sticks as they are small and compact and have a longer shelf life. This will save a lot of moaning about being hungry, will help if someone is starting to feel the effects of low blood sugar and maybe most importantly will distract some children from doing something they shouldn't!
Water
We have several water bottles and will take them filled with cold water when we go out on a trip. This means we don't have to buy a drink whilst we are out and we don't have to worry about stains from accidental spills! The other great thing is that water is of course good for you.
Sun Cream
It's hot and sunny and so you need to keep your sun lotion topped up, in fact even if it is just sunny you need to keep adding the cream. We like spray bottles with the sun cream being a different colour until it is rubbed in so we can see where we have rubbed the cream on to our bodies! Just don't forget to do the back of your neck and your ears as they are spending time in the sun too!
Sun Glasses and Hats
If it is bright out do yourself a favour and put on some sun glasses and a hat. It doesn't matter if you hate your hat, if you get sun stroke you would wish you had worn it. Your sun glasses will protect your eyes if you make sure the glasses protect from UVA and UVB and you will look cool. Everyone looks cool in sunglasses.
I used to joke that I couldn't walk 100 yards without falling over (turns out I was long sighted in one eye and short sighted in the other) but it turns out that my children can't manage it either. A small first aid kit or at the very least some plasters and some antiseptic cream will always be handy!
Spare underwear
Even if your children are well past the potty training stage it is always worth while to have a spare pair of underwear and a plastic bag in your back pack (and if you can manage it a spare change of clothes is useful but not essential!). Just trust me on this one without the details okay?!
Of course you should always have your wallet, mobile phone, camera and keys with you but if your like us you never go anywhere without them!
Back Pack
A back pack is the easiest thing to put everything into when you and the family are heading off out for the day. Just remember that when you wear the backpack properly (over both shoulders) it spreads the weight and doesn't cause damage to your back. Plus with it being on your back it means you have two free hands and everyone knows you need two hands for eating ice-cream with!
Snacks
Just something small and not messy, so no chocolate or chocolate covered biscuits. Ours tends to be cereal bars or bread sticks as they are small and compact and have a longer shelf life. This will save a lot of moaning about being hungry, will help if someone is starting to feel the effects of low blood sugar and maybe most importantly will distract some children from doing something they shouldn't!
We have several water bottles and will take them filled with cold water when we go out on a trip. This means we don't have to buy a drink whilst we are out and we don't have to worry about stains from accidental spills! The other great thing is that water is of course good for you.
Sun Cream
It's hot and sunny and so you need to keep your sun lotion topped up, in fact even if it is just sunny you need to keep adding the cream. We like spray bottles with the sun cream being a different colour until it is rubbed in so we can see where we have rubbed the cream on to our bodies! Just don't forget to do the back of your neck and your ears as they are spending time in the sun too!
Sun Glasses and Hats
If it is bright out do yourself a favour and put on some sun glasses and a hat. It doesn't matter if you hate your hat, if you get sun stroke you would wish you had worn it. Your sun glasses will protect your eyes if you make sure the glasses protect from UVA and UVB and you will look cool. Everyone looks cool in sunglasses.
Wet Wipes
Big Boy seems to attract dirt. We could be in a white room and he would still find something to get in a mess with; Luckily with Wet wipes on hand we can soon make him look less grubby again! Wet Wipes are also great for using instead of toilet roll, cleaning seats or tables and very useful if someone steps in something you would rather they hadn't.
Tissues
Not just for wiping noses, but they really come in useful when the toilet you go in has run out of toilet paper.
Not just for wiping noses, but they really come in useful when the toilet you go in has run out of toilet paper.
Hand Gel
There is nothing worse than having gone to the toilet and discovering the taps aren't working properly. So instead of hoping for the best have some anti bacterial hand gel on hand to use when needed. This is also great if you have just been touching something that you shouldn't too!
First Aid Kit
I used to joke that I couldn't walk 100 yards without falling over (turns out I was long sighted in one eye and short sighted in the other) but it turns out that my children can't manage it either. A small first aid kit or at the very least some plasters and some antiseptic cream will always be handy!
Spare underwear
Even if your children are well past the potty training stage it is always worth while to have a spare pair of underwear and a plastic bag in your back pack (and if you can manage it a spare change of clothes is useful but not essential!). Just trust me on this one without the details okay?!
Of course you should always have your wallet, mobile phone, camera and keys with you but if your like us you never go anywhere without them!