5 Must Have Items In Your Car When You Have Sports Kids
This year, just like many years in the past, I have kids playing multiple sports. Luckily mine are old enough to get their uniforms together and their equipment for the most part. I still find myself responsible for getting them drinks and snacks, rides if needed to and from the events. The good news for me is I am not responsible for coaching, and team management now. This has made it much easier for me to remember the other stuff. My wife actually made a checklist we use, and I wanted to share some of it with you. My wife is one that doesn't like to spend extra money on these weekends of sports due to a lack of organization and memory, so she typically has the car jammed with everything you could possibly need for a sporting event. Here are the top 5.
Blankets
This is one of my favorites that you can't ever have to many of. You never know what you are getting into when pulling up to a field, court, etc. Will they have bleachers? Is there enough room to bring the pop up canopy? What is the weather going to be like?
If you are like us this is what is going through your mind when packing up the vehicle. When it comes to Blankets, these can be used in so many different fashions.
- Seat Cushion
- Picnic
- Nap for the Siblings
- Towel to wipe off wet bleachers and chairs
- Napkin for some of the kids 🙁
Spare Sweatshirts or Jackets
Where we live (Indiana) You never know what the weather is going to do. I have literally been to ball games where at the beginning I had on a long sleeve shirt, a hoodie, and a winter coat gloves and toboggan. By the end of the game I am down to the long sleeve shirt and wishing I had worn a short sleeve under it.
There is nothing worse at a game that you are trying to enjoy for one kid than to have another kid whining about being cold the whole time. So make sure to pack an extra jacket or sweatshirt for each of the kids. If you have the room and the means I would leave these in a duffle bag for all purposes, not just athletics.
Plenty Of Hydration & Snacks
No matter how good of a parent you try to be you will likely forget something. For me it was ALWAYS the Gatorade or Water. I am not sure why it was always that, but that is what my most forgettable item is. That is before we started making our own Homemade Powerade. That's right, I make our own now, and you can access by just clicking the link above. I wanted a healthier and cheaper option, so I found a way to make homemade powerade. Drinks and snacks are one of the most important Must Have Items In Your Car When You Have Sports Kids. Here are other things we have in our emergency snack bag.
- Sunflower Seeds- Great for a snack or something to keep the kids quiet.
- Graham Crackers- Universal. Peanut Butter and Cinnamon is our healthier go to.
- Kind Bars- Full of nuts, fruit, and goodies for energy
- Nuts- Pistachios or Almonds
- Protein Packs- If you are packing a cooler I love to have these little packs made up in a tupperware container that have littel blocks of cheese, nuts, and dried fruit.
Plenty of Seating and Extra Equipment
I always want to have plenty of chair options. From camp chairs, to bleacher padded chairs I want to be comfortable for whatever the event we are headed to.
Dont forget those shin guards, cleats, extra pants, etc. You never know when your kid or his/her friend from the team may need a quick replacement for something broken or forgotten.
Sunblock, Bug Spray, and Shade
There are few things that will frustrate you while trying to watch a game that your kid is playing. One of them for me is a kid being tormented by bugs or fried by the sun.
As you may or may not know, but I am an advocate of all natural products where available. Sunscreen is really tough to replicate using only all natural ingredients. I did play with an oil only recipe and it worked great. The only problem was the stinch of one of the essential oils in the blend forced my wife to move lounge chairs last time on vacation. (Dang Carrot Seed Oil). Read the label and stay away from parabens, and anything that says aluminum on the label. Google natural sun screens for more info.
Hands down the best all natural bug repellent, and I am telling ya this stuff is better than anything I have used including OFF, Deet, etc. and that is Route 4o Home & Wellness product called BUG-A-WAY. Definitely one of the top Must Have Items In Your Car When You Have Sports Kids.
It is made with a blend of insect repelling essential oils and botanicals. It is a must try!
