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Since we live so close to the mountains, we take a lot of day trips! Our day trips are typically from before sun up to after sun down. This can mean it’s an extremely long day for the kids. It’s hard to know exactly what we’ll need every time we head up the mountain, but I have come up with a general list of things I always try to bring!
Kids are always tricky! Sometimes they can be totally content and sometimes forgetting that specific stuffed animal can send them into a frenzy! I have found that I would rather be over prepared than underprepared when it comes to day trips, especially since running home to grab something is not an option!
So here is what I always bring!
1. Extra Clothes and Shoes
If your kids are anything like mine, they get dirty! I love watching them play and explore in the mountains but man, they never stay clean! Even if you aren’t going anywhere dirty or outdoors, it’s always a good idea to bring extra clothes and shoes. Kids are notorious for spilling on themselves or having blow outs!
Extra shoes have been a life saver so many times! Kids seem to be drawn to the mud and they can not help but step in it! We always have to make pit stops on the way home and I hate having to put muddy shoes back on my kids when I forget extra shoes!
Also, I try to always remember a swim suit for my children. They love the water and 9 times out of 10 they will get in no matter what. Having a swim suit and an extra pair of clothing is necessary when this happens!
2. Towels
Like I said above, my kids love to jump in the water! I am the worst at remembering towels but I am trying to be better! Not only are towels great if your kids are going to get in the water, they can be used for so many other things too, like a blanket to sit on or a way to keep your car clean from other dirty items.
Sometimes towels seem like a silly thing to bring, but I have never once been mad at myself for bringing them! Plus they are easy to just throw in the car. I actually keep a couple towels in my car just in case now.
3. Activities and Toys
Trips to the mountains typically mean a long car ride! My kids are ususally fine once we get to where we are going, but the car ride can be sometimes brutal! Jeffery hates being contained in the car for long periods of time. I try to pack them each a small backpack of toys. I make sure I pack the bags myself so that they don’t know what is going to be in them before we leave. I also make sure that I pack different toys from prior trips so they don’t lose interest in the toys.
Tablets can also be a great way to entertain kids in the car. We have a tablet that has movies on it for long car rides. The only problem we find is that Jeffery won’t leave the screen alone to watch it and then gets jealous if Lotus has a tablet and he doesn’t. You can find seat back organizers that will hold a tablet like this, and then little hands won’t be able to mess around on it!
4. Snacks and Containers
My children (and husband) are snack monsters! They love them! More often than not, we will get somewhere in the mountains where we are far away from any food source, and the fist thing my kids will say is “I’m hungry”! It’s best to have snacks on hand so you don’t have to stop and get food!
Also, I have learned to always bring containers for each child. If one kid gets to hold the snack box then the other one is upset. Plus, if they are playing in the dirt and mud, I really don’t want their hands in the snack box. I use these snack containers and I absolutely love them!
5. Sunscreen
This is an item that I always leave the house with (or at least try to)! My children are very fair and burn very easily! In Colorado, the sun can be brutal and unpredictable. Even when it looks over cast and dreary outside, you can still get sunburnt. Even when it snows, the sun can be overbearing and reflect off the snow. Almost all of our outdoor adventures require sunscreen! I like to use Babyganics sunscreen for the kids!
6. Chapstick
This one isn’t actually just for the kids! When we go up into the mountains, I always seem to need chapstick! Between the dry air and the wind, my lips can get so chapped even on just a day trip! I know if my lips are getting chapped, then my kids lips are getting chapped as well. My favorite chapstick to use for both the kids and I is Burts Bees!
7. Hair Ties
Once again this one is not for just the kids. When the wind starts blowing, I have to have a hair tie and so does Lotus. It’s always just a good idea to throw a couple extra hair ties in the bag! Also, sometime when Lotus plays she loses her hair tie, or she’ll pull her hair tie out in the car!
8. Wet Wipes
I always bring wet wipes because Jeffery is still in diapers and it would be disastrous without them! But even if he wasn’t in diapers, I would still bring them! They are great for wiping messy faces, messy hands, wipe down messes in the car and so much more! I recommend The Honest Company for baby wipes!
9. More Snacks
I know, I know I already mentioned snacks! But I would bring more than less. My kids seems to get bored of snacks. Or they want one kind of snack in the morning and something new in the afternoon! I like to bring a couple different snacks when we travel. Also, I like to bring snacks that have variety in them. I typically try to bring some sort of trail mix.
10. Jackets
The weather can be unpredictable and change in an instant. Also, in town it can be warm and sunny, but in the mountains it could be a lot cooler and windy. I always make sure I have packed the kids jackets even if it is in the middle of July! There is just no knowing what the weather is going to do and I would much rather have a jacket and not need it then have to pack up and leave early because the kids are too cold.
11. Bug Repellant
This one is important to me but might be useless depending on where you are traveling to. In the mountains, there are always bugs. We find a lot of mosquitos around water where we fish and for some reason my daughter always seems to get eaten alive! Once again I like to use Babyganics! Be very careful of the bug repellant you use because many contain harsh chemicals that are not good for you.
This might seem like a lot to bring on a day trip but it really does make our trips a lot easier! I typically just pack it all up the night before and grab the bags in the morning! I like love the reusable tote pictured above! I got it at my local King Soopers but you can find some pretty awesome ones on amazon like this!
I hope some of these items are helpful on your next day trip and happy adventures!