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You are here: Home / Family / 10 things to keep in your car for better summer adventures

10 things to keep in your car for better summer adventures

June 12, 2013 by Amelia

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Confession: I’m a type-A planner who lives by lists and who struggles with spontaneity. Shocking. I know.

I married a non-planner who loves spontaneity. You know the kind. They throw everything into a suitcase the night before a trip, possibly even the morning of and never even make a checklist. *Gasp.* Meanwhile, I’ve made checklists of my checklists. Ahem.

This made for an interesting few years early in our marriage. Over the past sixteen years, we’ve found a balance between planning and leaving room for spontaneity. In the process, I’ve learned that the best memories and stories are often the ones that are unplanned.

Summer is the season where I’ve learned to kick back and let go of plans. Sort of.

Ok, not entirely. In reality, I found a way to “plan” for spontaneity. After a few unplanned outings that left us cold and wet and hungry, I discovered that if I kept a list of things in the car during the summer season, we could enjoy our spontaneity, make the adventure last longer, and not have it end on sour, grumpy notes.

Here are 10 things that I keep in my car for summer adventures, both planned and unplanned.

1. Sweatshirts

In Michigan, temperatures can drop significantly once the sun goes over the horizon. With sweatshirts on hand, our adventures don’t have to end just because the sun went to bed.

2. Change of clothes

I thought once everyone was out of diapers I wouldn’t need to carry extra clothes. Wrong.  I’m terribly accident prone, and I’ve passed those genes along. Go to a cookout and get marshmallow all over your shirt? No need to attract ants all night long! Or if you decide to make an impromptu stop at the beach and your boy decides to swim in his clothes….it could happen….

3. Picnic Supplies

I keep a bag with a plastic tablecloth I found in the camping aisle, plasticware, napkins, and paper plates in the trunk. Decide to grab sandwiches and stay out a little longer than intended? Turn it into an impromptu picnic without worrying about getting bird poop on your bread. Just saying.

4. Sunscreen

We do see the sun now and then in Michigan. You never know when that will happen, so I carry sunscreen just in case.

5. Bug Spray

The mosquitoes have been awful this year. Nothing like stopping to watch impromptu fireworks by the roadside and getting carried away by bugs.

6. Snacks

There is nothing worse than driving home from a fun activity and finding yourself in the middle of no where listening to the tune of “I’m hungry!! Now….Huuuuunnnngggrrry!” Who else has used the line “I don’t have a magic pantry in the car!!” Just me?

7. Umbrella.

When it rains, it pours. Sorry. Couldn’t resist. Nothing so miserable as rain on your parade. Ok. I’ll stop.

8. A sheet or stadium blanket

I keep both in the car. A sheet is perfect for unexpected stops at the beach. The blanket is great for roadside fireworks displays after the sun has gone down.

9. Car activities

I keep a couple notebooks and a box of pens, pencils, and markers in the car. Because too many movies and video games rot your brain. Or so my mom always said. I’m keeping creativity alive!

10. A frisbee

Just for fun. Great exercise at a rest stop in the midst of a long road trip too. Just don’t toss it onto the highway. Or near a dog.

Bonus: First Aid Kit

This one isn’t just for summer, although we tend to use it more on our summer adventures. I always keep one in my glove compartment. Summer is a good time to check and re-stock it!

Anything you’d add to the list? Do you stock your car with things for adventures?

Filed Under: Family, motherhood, summer Tagged With: family, friends, friendship, kids, motherhood, parenting, summer

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mom says

    June 12, 2013 at 10:04 pm

    Well well well I didn’t know you were that kind of people to keep so much stuff stocked in your car. Or so I was told by Little Miss a couple years ago. Your Dad could have used a spare shirt a couple nights ago when we stopped at a Burger King for an ice cream cone. He took one bite out of his and it all ended up on his shirt. Well that put an end to our night out! Tee Hee!

    • Amelia says

      June 12, 2013 at 10:11 pm

      LOL! I’d forgotten about Little Miss’s comment to the waitress that we weren’t “the kind of people who keep forks in our car.” That was a funny story. See, everyone could use a spare set of clothes in the car! And now I know where the messy, mishap gene comes from! 🙂

  2. Dad says

    June 12, 2013 at 10:34 pm

    Hey, it’s not my fault Burger King doesn’t know how to make an ice cream cone.

    • Amelia says

      June 13, 2013 at 7:40 am

      Lol! Sure…ok 😉

  3. Pam says

    June 14, 2013 at 11:47 pm

    Great ideas Amelia! Don’t forget sanitizer and wipes. I also pack a mini sewing kit and tweezers in my first aid kit as my son was bitten by a tick a few years ago at the beach no less! Enjoy summer in our most beautiful state!

    • Amelia says

      June 17, 2013 at 3:08 pm

      Oh yes, all great additions. Ok ticks give me the creeps. I’m grabbing the tweezers now. Ugh.

  4. Peter DeHaan says

    June 18, 2013 at 2:50 pm

    What a great mom you are! And you family benefits.

    (Of course you realize that your planning “enables” them to be spontaneous!)

    • Amelia says

      June 18, 2013 at 9:32 pm

      Oh thank you Peter! And yes, that was the goal of my planning – to “enable” spontaneous activity. It seems to be working!

Trackbacks

  1. Amelia Rhodes » Your kids don’t need you to entertain them (a.k.a. the mud puddle escapade) says:
    June 17, 2013 at 9:05 pm

    […] 10 things to keep in your car for better summer adventures […]

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