I remember when summer used to feel relaxing. When my biggest problem was deciding what time was considered “too early” for a glass of wine on a sunny patio. Now, most days look like a work call at 2 p.m., summer camp pickup at 3 p.m., a pool play date at 4 p.m., and exhaustion hitting before the sun even sets. And because I’m constantly on the go, feeling unprepared when I leave the house isn’t an option–especially because my 6-year-old son can turn even the most low-key activities into an extreme sport. I need everything in my arsenal to keep me on top of the fun that quickly can turn into chaos.
But no matter how organized I think I am, it is physically impossible to remember every single thing while rushing out the door. That’s why I started keeping a permanent summer survival kit in my car. It’s essentially my backup plan for the backup plan—a stash of essentials that saves me when I forget the daypack, leave the extra outfit at home, or realize halfway to our destination that we’re completely out of snacks. A few simple items, like a change of clothes, extra water, and bandages, have saved me from countless summer meltdowns.
The anatomy of the perfect summer survival kit
Through lots of trial and error over the years, two kids, and more screaming fits from the backseat than I’d like to admit, I’ve narrowed down what deserves permanent real estate in my trunk. Here’s what I always keep stocked in my summer survival kit:
For messes and spills:
- An extra change of clothes for each kid, because mud, melting popsicles, and grass stains are basically inevitable at this point.
- A quick-dry towel for wiping up backseat spills without sacrificing a pool day towel.
- Wet wipes for…so many things.
For when they’re hangry:
- Non-perishable snacks (think crackers and pretzels) that can survive a few hot afternoons in the trunk.
- Extra insulated, reusable water bottles, because nothing escalates faster than a thirsty child stuck in traffic.
- A few emergency sweet treats for when desperate times are calling for desperate measures.
For when you hear, “Mom, I’m bored!!!”:
- Coloring books and a small pack of colored pencils (crayons will melt!).
- Simple card games that don’t require a million pieces.
- Small activity books that can live in the seat-back pocket indefinitely.
For unexpected ouchies:
- A dedicated first-aid pouch that’s quick and easy to grab.
- Bandages designed to actually stay put during active summer days (these are my fave, more on that later).
- The basic first-aid essentials for minor bumps and scrapes.
The unexpected hero of our summer survival kit
Of all the categories in my kit, the first-aid pouch is the one I use most often—and it’s also the area I’ve refined the most over the years.
When it comes to first aid in my summer survival kit, there’s one thing I’ve learned the hard way: basic bandages aren’t enough in the hot months. Between sweat, sunscreen, pool water, sand, and endless running around, summer puts bandages through a lot. If they’re not designed to stay secure and protect the injury, they just end up peeling off before you’ve even made it back to the car. The bottom line? Bandage quality matters.
After one particularly nasty playground accident that left us scrambling for supplies, I realized the random assortment of bandages I’d been throwing in my car wasn’t cutting it. My son is especially prone to heat rashes and itchy skin where sweat tends to collect, so skin comfort became just as important as healing scrapes.
Enter: The brand new line of natural bandages from CURAD, designed with active kids in mind. They’re lightweight enough to feel comfy in the heat but still absorbent enough to handle wounds. They also have a four-sided seal designed to keep out dirt, sand, and playground grime, which is especially important when kids insist they’re “totally fine” and immediately run back to playing. And because they’re designed to actually support healing instead of just covering up a scrape, I spend less time triaging boo-boos and more time watching my kids enjoy their summer.
Once I started matching the bandage to the problem, our first-aid kit became way more useful. I keep three types of CURAD Naturals bandages in my summer survival kit, each tackling my kids’ most common needs.
Skinned knees and elbows
The most common culprit, as we know. You know, the kind of scrape that happens when your kid insists they can absolutely jump off the third playground step by themselves.
These aloe vera and vitamin E-infused bandages are my go-to for these situations. Aloe vera isn’t only helpful after sunburns. It’s also used to treat a variety of cuts and scrapes thanks to its soothing and moisturizing properties, while Vitamin E helps support freshly scraped skin. These bandages help keep out dirt and germs with adhesive that stays on during play.
Bug bites and heat rash
Summer means bug bites, heat rash, and kids who cannot stop scratching for the life of them. Unfortunately, all that scratching can break the skin and make things worse. So, bandages saturated with baking soda are my pick for calming irritated areas while protecting skin from tiny fingernails.
Pool day ouchies
If you’ve ever applied a bandage only to watch it disappear in the pool 20 minutes later, you know the struggle. Hydrocolloid bandages with aloe vera are perfect for pool days, beach trips, and those painful spots where new sandals rub and get peeled off by sweat. The hydrocolloid creates a cushioned, second-skin seal that stays put while keeping your wounds moisturized. And they blend right into the skin, appearing basically invisible!
Can you plan for everything? No. Can you do your best to feel prepared? Yes.
The reality is that no amount of preparation will fix every single outing forever. A surprise meltdown or scraped knee isn’t completely avoidable—that’s just part of parenting during summer. But I’ve found that putting together a thoughtful summer survival kit to keep in the trunk makes a huge difference.
Having essentials stocked and ready in the car means fewer stressful moments, fewer emergency store runs, and a lot more confidence when we head out the door. Future you, standing in a parking lot after an unexpected wipeout, will be very glad you threw it together ahead of time.
Steph Alleva Cornell, Senior Branded Content Editor
Since becoming a young mama in 2020, Steph has found joy in creating beautiful yet relatable content surrounding the raw realities of motherhood. She believes showcasing both the wonders and struggles of being a parent helps other mothers understand that they are not alone in their journey.
McKenna Pringle, Assistant Editor of Branded Content
As the Branded Content Editorial Assistant, McKenna collaborates with our sales team by creating both written and social media content, collecting and analyzing performance data to report back to our partners, and assisting our editors with their everyday tasks to ensure a smooth and productive process.
This post is sponsored by CURAD, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board. We only feature brands we genuinely love.
