Packing a First Aid Kit for Day Trips with Kids

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Packing a First Aid Kit for Day Trips with Kids - Whether it's a day at a local museum or a walking tour of Paris, be prepared with some first aid essentials.

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I’m really looking forward to our trip throughout France bookended by stays in London. We plan to explore and experience as much as we can, as our budget allows. I’ve done a fair amount of research regarding our stops in London, Paris, Bayeux, Le Mont Saint Michel, Le Mans, Tours, Amboise, Poitiers, Sarlat-la-Caneda, Rocamadour, Carcassonne, and Collioure.

Yes, we’ll be covering A LOT of territory!

One thing is clear: although we’ll do a fair amount of sitting in planes, trains, and automobiles, we’ll also do a good bit of walking and exploring. We’ve got indoor amusements planned like museums and movie studios, but we also plan to hike, swim, and ramble around castle battlements and sandy beaches.

My hope is that the month will be full of play.

As such, I need to be prepared for first aid so that I’m not scrambling through an expensive tourist location trying to track down bandages or antibiotic ointment. I was a girl scout once upon a time; I believe in being prepared.

I also remember nightmare days when I wasn’t ready for the unexpected and paid for it in high prices or discomfort.

I know that I can’t plan for everything. There will be surprises and emergencies I haven’t planned for, but there are some things I know will happen for sure:

  • someone will be hungry
  • someone will have to go potty
  • someone will have sore feet
  • someone will get an owie

Since I don’t want these things to interfere with our playtime, I want to prepare for some of these particular instances.

Packing for play:

Packing a First Aid Kit for Day Trips with Kids - Whether it's a day at a local museum or a walking tour of Paris, be prepared with some first aid essentials.

For the daypack

A daypack is just that. A pack filled with stuff that you’ll need for a day’s outing.Whether from home or hotel, it’s always nice to have a few things on hand to make the day easier.

Here’s what can goes in your daypack for family adventures:

  • a backpack that is not too mom-like, so that the men in the party can carry the weight as well
  • a picnic pack
  • a first aid kit (see below)
  • phone or a guidebook, where applicable
  • cameras
  • umbrella and raincoats, weather dependent
  • water bottles and light snacks
  • hats, sunscreen, and sunglasses
  • extra socks
  • a travel potty seat

You might not think that you need to pack a first aid kit for city adventures, but I know all too well the experience of the child with a headache or a blistered heel and nothing to be found in the aquarium gift shops that could bring him comfort. I also know the six block hike to the nearest drugstore to buy supplies instead. Oy!

Packing a First Aid Kit for Day Trips with Kids - Whether it's a day at a local museum or a walking tour of Paris, be prepared with some first aid essentials.

What to pack in the first aid kit:

Johnson & Johnson sent me some products to put together a first-aid kit designed for a day of play. You know that your kids are bound to have some kind of owie on a great adventure.

Here’s what we’re packing in our travel first aid kit:

  • Neosporin To Go – I love it that it comes in a spray. I’ll probably throw in a tube as well.
  • Neosporin Wound Cleanser – Sometimes you’re lucky to find a bathroom, let alone one with soap!
  • Band-aid bandages – You should have seen FishChick6’s eyes light up when she saw the Barbie ones. Oh my! Likewise, the big boys sighed with relief at the Our Veteran Heroes styles.
  • Band-aid Advanced Healing Blister bandages – I think these will be great for walking blisters.
  • Benadryl Itch Cooling Spray – This is good for sunburn as well as bug bites.
  • Basic OTC meds for kids (and adults!) – We’re packing things like acetaminophen, ibuprofen, Benadryl, and other allergy meds.
  • Necessary prescription meds – My girl needs her epipens and antiviral meds.

Check out Johnson & Johnson’s Healthy Essentials website for how to build your own first aid kit.

What do YOU pack in your travel first aid kit?

Packing a First Aid Kit for Travel with Kids - Whether it's a day at a local museum or a walking tour of Paris, be prepared with some first aid essentials.

 Travel with Kids

This is part of the Travel with Kids series. Every day in October, I’m posting tips, tricks, and tutorials for making all your travels fun, frugal, and family-friendly.

Be sure to read through the archives in case you missed a post.

Disclosure: I’ve partnered with Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own.

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6 Comments

  1. One thing we discovered was little things such as thirst – and water bottles weren’t always readily available so one easy pack I gave our kids (4) were those kleenex packs that are fold over flat packs – remove the kleenex from one side and replace the other side with a snack size bag filled with a few single bandaids, a single wipe (always have leftovers from somewhere or buy a box), a couple of lifesaver mints (you can get those bags with the individually wrapped pepp-o-mints or wintergreen flavor at wal-mart or grocery stores) which helps your mouth feel cool and helps headaches too! Our kids either had daypacks to carry or purses so they had their own little “first aid kits.” One thing I’d add to yours that I added years ago is a few safety pins just pinned on – you never know when you need one and they can always fix a hem, splinter, ripped backpack strap (it’s happened!). Love all of your planning tips – hope you have a bon voyage 🙂

  2. My personal arsenal would include all those things plus
    chapstick with sunscreen
    sudafed [we get a lot of sinus headaches around here – plus new weather can kick it off or new allergens for those who aren’t taking daily allergy pills]
    eyedrops [small weight, big relief for tired or allergy eyes]
    cough pills if I were traveling afar [not a day trip from home] because a simple little cold can be seriously draining when you’re travelling, plus you can’t always get the stuff where you are] including those dissolving kinds for littles
    pepto bismol pills/chews – you never know
    bonine/dramamine if you’re taking ferries or even trains that may be rough – benadryl can sub but the sleepies – oy
    MORE blister bandaids LOL!
    that anti chafing kind of stuff – works to prevent blisters and discomfort of all kinds

  3. I totally understand the logic behind packing a nice travel kit- but for day trips I hate having anything along I am not 100% sure I will need. We travel a ton, and for day trips I have my toddler in an ergo baby carrier and literally only Bring what fits in the (fairly small) pocket of the ergo. Usually this is a change purse with a credit card and drivers license (I keep cash in my pocket), a couple of diapers, and my cell phone. That’s it. I do realize that when something does happen I am in the position of searching for/paying more for supplies. but honestly basic supplies of any type aren’t too hard to find most places, and even if I end up paying a premium for them it’s the cost of not having to lug a bunch of extra stuff along all the times I travel and don’t end up needing anything.

    1. I would agree with Meg, when in the US. However, traveling overseas is a different story. With language differences and a lot of unfamiliarity, it is easier for me to bring along a few items than spend my time searching for what is needed.

    2. So interesting. I prefer to have things with me in the US. Since we have a large car, it’s not a problem to leave stuff and come back for it. I’ve had one too many instances where it was hard to find what we needed.

      1. Last year I had the opportunity to visit Hawaii for my job. I stubbed my toe in the hotel room tearing off a large hunk of the nail on my big toe. I spent nearly $25 on a tube of Neosporin and a box of bandages. Not to mention, the cost of open toed shoes to wear for the remainder of the trip. Costs soar in tourist areas!

        The other item I add to the car first aid kit is a pair of small scissors and a small bottle of rubbing alcohol and a small bottle of hydrogen peroxide.