My parents live at a lake and in addition to that my family belongs to a local lake community so pretty much all of our summer days are spent lakeside. The key to be ready to go swimming at a moments notice is definitely having a plan and being prepared. For me, I can’t live without our Grab and Go Summer Essentials Bag.
It makes my life easier because since I have a specific bag that I use my stuff is always packed and when we get home from our fun day I just have to replace anything that was used up that day. It saves me time and aggravation from having to search for everything every morning when we are trying to get out the door.
I highly recommend that you take a few minutes to put one together too. You will thank me next time the kids want to go swimming NOW!
Here is what I include in my bag but you may find you want to include different items. That is what is so great, you can customize it to YOUR family!
Grab and Go Summer Essentials Bag
1. First things first, a great bag. Mine is a sturdy tote bag from 31 but you can use something like this beach tote here.
2. Bathing suits/towels/cover ups– When when we walk in the door after swimming my kids know to head right into the bathroom, drop their wet towels and bathing suits in the washer and then I wash/dry/fold everything and put it right back in the bag, ready to go for the next day of fun!
3. Sunblock and Aloe- I always have a variety of sunblock in my bag, from spray on to baby lotion. Remember that even if you apply before you leave the house you should reapply throughout the day. I also always have Aloe in my bag because it is great for bug bites and dry, itchy skin.
4. Baby wipes–Wipes are great for lots of things and not just for cleaning up after dirty diapers. They are a great thing to have to wipe down hands before having a snack or to clean up spills and messes. They are also a great way to wipe down and freshen up after sitting in the sun.
5. Swim googles and water balloons to keep the fun going! My kids and their friends love to check out what is on the bottom of the lake and the water balloons are great for having fun battles with each other!
6. Snacks–I always make sure to have snacks on hand since we end up spending hours of our day away from home and eating from the snack stand can be pricey quickly! I like to take cut up fruit, popcorn, pretzels and other easy to eat snacks.
7. Water bottles– At the beginning of the summer I like to have the kids pick out their own water bottles and they are then responsible for making sure that their water bottle is filled and brought with them in the car before we walk out the door. That way I know that we are all staying hydrated when we are out in the hot sun. Bottles like this from Amazon are great because they come in a wide variety of colors so everyone has their own color-that way there is no mix ups!
Do you have a grab and go summer fun bag? What do you include in your bag?
Looking for some more summer fun activities? Here you go!
I have partnered up with 7 other bloggers to bring you a new monthly series called “Moms Tell All: Moms Spilling the Truth about Motherhood.” Make sure to check out all the other great posts that the other bloggers have put together!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links which means I make a small percentage when you purchase using my link. It is no cost to you. Thank you!
Baby wipes are a great one! I need to add those to my bag! Have a great summer!
Yes, wipes can be used for just about everything! Thanks for stopping by!
We always have our swim bag loaded and ready to go! Just bring on the sunshine!
We’re at the beach a lot over the summer and I love your list. Snacks and sunblock for sure, and somehow I always forget the baby wipes. I’m going to add those to my grocery list right now!
I need to add wipes to my swim bag. I have several packs in the car, just not in the swim bag. Great tip!