Keep Your Car Organized and Ready for Anything with These Car Kit Essentials
Parenting on the go? We get it—your car isn’t just a ride anymore, it’s your mobile HQ! Between snack crises, messy spills, and entertaining a cranky toddler, you’ve got your hands full. That’s where a fully-loaded car kit can be a true life saver.
Have no fear - we’ve scoured Google, reddit, Pinterest– you name it– and have some great suggestions to save the day with our guide to the ultimate car kit for toddler parents. We’ve got all the best items to keep you cruising smoothly, no matter what life throws your way.
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First things First: First Aid
We hope to never need it, but if you do you’ll want to have first aid supplies readily available in your car kit. Here are the ones we’ve always kept onboard:
For the simple version, the compact J&J Mini First Aid Kit is perfect for those unexpected bumps and scrapes. It’s got all the basics covered.
If you want something more advanced, especially if your kiddos are starting to play sports and injuries can be a little messier, then you can either augment with more and larger bandages, go with something like this which includes a deeper set of products.
We like to keep Kids Chewable Advil in the car for emergencies, especially for teething little ones who need to nap on the go. These are good for 2-11 years, so come in handy early on, but do have dye in them so use sparingly.
For the younger ones under two, this is a better Advil option, but requires you to administer the liquid.
Kids Bendadryl is also a must-have in case of an allergic reaction or if you have a sudden bout of car sickness. In the early days, we kept this Benadryl liquid on hand and as our kids got older, we switched to these Benadryl chewables. If you prefer dye-free, this Genexa product has great reviews!
How to kick them being Motion Sick?
Look, we know it’s gross, but it’s even more gross to clean up scrambled eggs from a car seat buckle. My kids were fascinated by these and could easily use them starting at the age of two.
Pro tip: they also work great at home if your child is sick during the day, but for night time we recommend a throw up bowl with a glow stick at the bottom and a bag covering the top.
Motion Sickness Medicines
If you’re okay with medicine, which we were because it was so much worse to watch them have motion sickness, then here are several good options to keep around.
- Gravol for Kids is our favorite because it’s dye free and highly rated. But, it’s liquid which means you also need to keep some dispensers with you. We kept extras from other medicines, but in hindsight I wish I had just bought a box of them like this so I didn’t have to remember to replace them after washing and could toss them if they got sticky.
- Dramamine for Kids is another great option, and I like these because they are chewables that are no mess, no stress.
- If your kids hate taking medicines, but love candy, then these are worth a try as well. Sometimes, it’s not worth fighting over the medicine!
- If you want to try something without medicine, give these motion sickness patches a try!
Portable Potties, Not Porta-Potties!
There is nothing worse than being 5 minutes from home and hearing your little ones say “Mommy, I have to go potty! I can’t make it!” That’s why we kept a potty in our car everywhere we went. This saved us on the road, and kept us out of the germiest public restrooms and porta potties.
This Oxo Go Potty is a crowd favorite. But we also really liked this foldable one, which fits perfectly in a zip top baggie and lets you put a bag under the bottom to catch the mess.
Side note: These are great to put at the bottom of the stroller during potty training years as well. I remember being nervous to spend over an hour at the park, until we got this and we’d just hide to the side and take care of business.
Towels: Your Best Friend
You can never have enough towels when it comes to kids. We keep two beach towels in the back seat to drape over the kiddos when they are eating in the car. We also keep a backup set in the back just in case we have an impromptu outing where we end up drenched or need to clean up a spill.
One tip I learned the hard way is to keep thin and smaller towels with you, like these quick dry gym towels, in case you need a barrier between a tushie and a car seat after a spill, accident or throw up incident. It’s not ideal from a safety perspective, but an essential will help in a pinch if you have sensory sensitive kiddos like mine were.
No-Mess Express: All the Best Items for the Common Spills
Stain Removers: The always handy Tide Pen Stain Remover and Shout Wipes are great to keep around to tackle any clothing mishaps on the go.
Wipes: Always have a pack of baby wipes in your console, especially to deal with the sticky messes. But remember, they don’t sanitize! That’s why we also keep antibacterial Wet Ones around as well. These Wet One travel singles are really good to have around, but we also keep these Wet Ones packages in the car because they fit perfectly in a door cup holder.
Trust me, you can never have too many wipes!
Save their butts - with extra diapers and clothes!
You’ll be so happy you added in some extra clothes in the event of a blowout or simple stain. That said, make sure to pack a few extras and size up a great deal. You won’t believe how quickly they will grow out of their sizes when they are little, and you’ll be left with a too little onesie kicking yourself for not updating sooner. Don’t forget extra diapers, shirts, shorts, and underwear. You can always purchase plain, simple clothing items like these plain shirts.
Safety Essentials
Hopefully, you’re already stocked with these items in your car, but let me tell you - a minor emergency becomes major quickly when kiddos are in the car. Here’s what you should keep in your car emergency kit:
- A complete car emergency kit – These can be great to have a little of everything, and if you’re only going to buy one thing this is a good option. That said, these often are the cheaper versions that aren’t as good as some alternatives, so we’ve pulled out the ones it’s worth investing extra in below.
- Extra Long Jumper Cables – I suggest the longest you can get, which can keep you from having to beg a stranger to get their car just right. 20 feet or more, yes please!
- Car Battery Jump Starter – If you can afford it, I suggest you also keep a jump starter that you can use without someone else nearby. There’s lots of good options, but they can get pricey if you don’t catch a good deal. Here’s a good budget option, and if you want to splurge a bit more, then I’d suggest this one which is very highly rated.
- LED Flashlight – For nighttime emergencies or to simply be able to see under the hood effectively, keep a flashlight on hand. I prefer the smaller, long-lasting LED ones, like this, that fit perfect in a car kit!
- Water! – I’m not a huge fan of keeping water in plastic in the car, but it’s a good thing to have in case of an emergency.
- Safety Hammer – A 2-in-1 safety hammer and seatbelt cutter that fits perfectly in the glove compartment. It’s better to have this in your car than not!
With these car kit essentials, you’ll always be prepared for anything your busy life throws your way. Whether it’s cleaning up spills, handling motion sickness, or tackling emergency situations, these simple life hacks will keep you and your family ready for any adventure on the road.
