10 things sports parents should carry in their car
My first job out of college was in northern Minnesota. Having grown up in Arizona, I had never lived in the snow. One night after finishing the 10 pm newscast, I drove home in a snowstorm and accidentally hit a deer. Alone on a snowy, remote highway, I quickly learned why it was so important to carry an emergency car kit stocked with things like flares and a blanket. I used both.
When it comes to youth sports, it’s not exactly life and death like it is when you are stranded in dangerous weather, but carrying the right things in your car can make your sports parenting life a whole lot easier.
Here are 10 things we highly recommend stocking in your vehicle:
Hair ties: If you’re the parent of a girl, this doesn’t need an explanation. If you only have boys, disregard this, unless of course, your son rocks long hair. I like these sports hair ties.
Outdoor blanket: I carry a Mexican blanket in my car. Dirt and grass slides right off of it. It can be spread out to sit on or used to cover up when it gets cold. A picnic blanket also works. It can also be used to cover car seats if your kids are wet, muddy, etc…
Roll of paper towels: Multi-purpose uses. I use them for cleaning up spills, wiping faces and hands, napkins for the post game snack, to wrap around cuts and scrapes. For the port-a-potty or the impromptu pizza party.
Snacks: I keep granola bars and a bag of almonds. They won’t melt and can keep for a while in the car. Click here for more snack ideas
Socks: If your family is like mine, you are always missing one sock! I carry an extra pair.
Breakable ice packs: For the sprained ankle, pinch, poke or bruise. You can even use a breakable ice pack when someone gets overheated. They activate quickly and are small enough to carry around with ease.
Benadryl: Especially useful if you have kids who play outdoor sports on the grass like baseball, softball and soccer where they have to co-exist with bees and other things that sting and bite.
Pencils: I keep a few sharpened pencils with erasers on hand for when the kids who aren’t playing or practicing are along for the ride and need to do their homework while we wait for their brother or sister.
Wet wipes: I don’t think I could survive without the small pack of Wet Ones Travel Pack wet wipes I keep in my glove compartment. A wet wipe can take spots off that uniform you didn’t have time to wash. Good for cleaning up ice cream drips and Slurpee spills in the car too.
Sharpie: For last minute labeling. Use it on water bottles, inside baseball caps and on uniform tags. I like to write an initial on everything I can to keep my kids’ things from getting lost. Even on a disposable water bottle, use a Sharpie to mark it up.
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