First aid kit for safe family outings

The vacation season has begun. Young and old alike deserve to take it easy after getting through the last difficult months. Relaxation, giggles, and popsicles are on the menu for the next few weeks.

But planning getaways with the kids also means good safety planning. Just because you want to have fun doesn't mean you can forget that minor ailments and discomforts don’t take a rest during the summer! But don't panic, there are some health solutions and Vie de Parents is happy to join forces with Familiprix to help with the preparations!

Day trip essentials

Summertime brings hot sun, mosquitoes and cuts and scrapes. Always keep a small backpack ready for mini outings that contains the basic necessities as well as a few little extras.

In addition to a hat, sunscreen, and sunglasses, don’t leave the house without a disinfectant gel, such as Purell, small bandages, a disinfectant, and an antibiotic cream. Always keep an Epipen and inhaler on hand.

The basic essentials are the same for a longer outing, such as a bike ride, a hike in the forest, or a day at the beach. In addition to snacks and a bottle of water (essential), you should also bring mosquito repellent, anti-nausea medication, pain and fever medication, wipes, or a washcloth. You can also bring small, store-bought or homemade ice packs for any bites or wounds that may occur.

Protection appropriate for the activity

During outings and vacations, in addition to the care kit, you must take various equipment. For a bike ride, don’t forget your helmet (of course), your glasses and individual water bottles. When spending time in the countryside or in the forest, in addition to the injury kit, make sure that your mosquito repellent is effective enough to also fight black flies and ticks! Wearing long clothing is recommended to avoid bites.

On the water, at the pool or at the beach, equip yoursef with pool noodles and water wings. Don’t get on a boat, a rowboat, or a pedal boat without wearing a lifejacket. And why not suit up your baby or toddler in a bathing suit equipped with integrated floats for better peace of mind? 

Protect yourself from the sun

Carry your sun kit everywhere, at all times. This consists of a good sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF), an after-sun cream, lip balm, and children's sunglasses. You can slip these items into a small plastic bag. Don't forget to add an extra hat or two for the sun in case your little coconut misplaces theirs!

A picnic, a day spent poolside or a few hours at the beach, of course, comes with small discomforts associated with the sun. To avoid heat stroke and sunburn, stay in the shade during the hottest hours, and bring a parasol to block the rays a little.

Keep your first aid kits and sun kits always ready so you can get away faster for your excursions. But be careful not to leave your first aid kit within the reach of little hands at home!

Camping essentials

Camping for a few days does not imply the same level of preparation as a weekend in the swimming pool with grandpa and grandma. New adventures outdoors often bring their share of scratches or small burns. Your kit will have to be much more complete.

In addition to the basic necessities and the sun kit, it will contain more emergency products such as bandages of various sizes, gauze, scissors, tweezers, rubber bands, alcohol swabs, a sling with safety pins, instant cold compresses...and all the medications you can easily find in our stores to relieve the usual culprits like headaches, fevers, heartburn, allergies, diarrhea, and indigestion. You should always carry personal medications, an Epipen and inhalers with you, not in the kit.

Other useful extras when spending time outdoors are blankets, a flashlight with spare batteries, cream to relieve mosquito and insect bites, tablets for disinfecting water, a whistle, paper, and felt-tip markers...to draw little smiley faces on the bandages!

In sum, to make sure you don't forget anything, first make a list of the products to bring according to your planned activity and how much time you’re going to spend doing it. You can get products in sample sizes to lighten the bag! Are you travelling by air? Beware of bottles larger than 100 ml. Do you hike regularly on the weekends? Having a dedicated location for your first aid kit at home, already ready for the next outing, would be ideal!