With the end of the school year, I’m going to be soaking up my time with my kids. As I begin my 4th summer with kids – one toddler and one baby – I’m finding that there are things that just make summer manageable for all the activities and health. So here’s my list of summer must-haves for kids!
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Summer Must-Haves for Babies
Kiddie Pool
A great way to introduce water to babies is through a kiddie pool. I highly recommend a cushioned blow up one that is easy to store when it starts to cool back down.
Baby Tent
If your baby still doesn’t move too much, get the baby tent to protect their skin! There’s so many different ones to get, but I really like this one because it’s 3 in 1 – pool, tent, and activity center. Plus it folds up really well too!
Swimming Suit
Of course, if you’re doing anything with water, a swimming suit is a summer must-have for kids! Something that I’m always mindful of is the color of the swimming suit and how it can save your child’s life. That article has a great chart that shows you just how quickly the bathing suit can get lost in the water and honestly, it’s terrifying to think about. But I always make sure to have bright suits in orange, yellow, and lime green, especially if we’re going to the lake.
Summer Must-Haves for Toddlers
Water Table
My toddler absolutely loves playing in the water and when I break out the water table, she is entertained for quite a while (which is a win for me!). While there’s the basic one that I have right now, I want to upgrade it to this one as soon as my son starts to stand more consistently!
Aqua Socks
My daughter LOVES going swimming, so we’ll take her to the lake pretty often. I love these water shoes to protect her feet as she walks on the beach, as our lakes are pretty rocky in the Pacific Northwest!
Sand Toys
Although our lakes tend to be rocky, there are some that have sandy beaches! So having a good set of sand toys is a summer must-have for kids. I really like this one with the mesh bag to throw in and dunk into the water to wash off – easy! Or even just to have them for the dirt is great too!
Bubbles
Bubbles are a fun classic for the summer! And if you get a bubble gun or bubble machine – you’re set! I also learned that a bubble machine running can keep mosquitoes away as well. Who knew?
Chalk
Another summer classic for kids – chalk! I always try to get lots of colors for chalk and then use these chalk holders to help with the messy hands.
Scooter and/or Balance Bike (and Helmet!)
For those walks in the neighborhood or at the local park, I love to have my toddler ride her scooter or balance bike! She has been obsessed with her scooter lately, but she’s starting to adventure out with her balance bike too!
Swimming Suit
As mentioned above, a swimming suit in a bright color is a summer must-have for kids!
Beach Tent
After doing our summer vacation in Hawaii, I have loved having our beach tent to bring with us. It provides that much needed shade and is a great place to just relax when you’re having an all day beach day!
Summer Must-Haves for Kids – Health Edition
Stroller Fan
A must-have for warm weather is a stroller fan! I’m always so sensitive about the baby’s temperature, so this is something that I carry in my car to have at all times!
Swim Lessons
While this isn’t an item, I feel that it’s a must-do before summer gets going, especially if you’re going to be around the water. It helps to have those important conversations about water safety while at the pool and our swim lessons also have a life jacket wearing demonstration to help you understand what to look for!
Insect Repellant
No one wants to have an itchy kid with sores all over. So definitely get some insect repellant. And if there are some bites that get through, I love this itchy stick to alleviate the scratching!
Sunscreen
An absolute summer must-have for kids (and yourself!). I always have tons of sunscreen – one in the car, the diaper bag, at home, everywhere. There’s the usual lotion like type, but I also love the powder one with the brush for super easy application!
Sunhats
This goes hand-in-hand with the sunscreen. Get the UV-protecting hat for your kids! It’ll protect their cute faces and ears!
First Aid Kit
With all the outside adventures, scrapes and scratches are bound to happen. Make sure you have a first aid kit handy in a few places to help with those ouchies! I try to keep a small one in my car and in the diaper bag so there’s one everywhere I go.
Summer Must-Haves for Kids – Car Edition
The Noggle
Every time we get into the car and it’s over 65 degrees outside, my toddler first says “It’s too hot” and then follows it up with “Turn on the cold air!” I love that The Noggle makes sure the air conditioning gets to my rear-facing car seats and that she can control it as well!
Car Organizer
I love my trunk organizer that I can put anything and everything into. Right now, it usually has things that I need for changing diapers on the go, but come summer? It carries all the sun protection items, fun outside toys, and an outdoor blanket too! This is definitely a must-have for parents to organize that chaos and stuff for summer!
Window Shades
If your kids are anything like mine, they hate having the sun in their eyes. So I highly recommend some window shades for your car! It’s definitely a summer must-have for kids. I have ones that stick to my window, but I also found these ones that are like curtains and they are so cute!
3 Comments
Really nice post! Also, I really like the format and readability of your blog.
Such a cute post! Little children are so precious aren’t they? The summer is the perfect time to spend time with them and have some fun! It’s definitely important to take the time, because children grow up so fast!
I cannot wait for the Summer to start. It is much better to be outside and spend time with family. Thank yo for all the tips. I am taking 2 weeks off from work to spend with my kids so I need these little tips to entertain them.