Finally, it is SUMMER! I know here in the midwest, these are the days we dream of during the bitter cold months of winter. Personally, I feel the need to fill these days to the fullest but can feel overwhelmed by what that looks like. There are so many products out there to make summer the “best” and give your kids a summer of memories and fun. You could surely walk through any major store and see countless fun and exciting things to make your kids summer great.
I made a list of some of my favorite summer essentials! This list is less of the flashy things and more about staples that can be used in various ways for hopefully many years!
Snackle Box
I cannot say enough about this. I am not sure about you but my kids practically eat the whole house during summer. It seems they are constantly asking for snacks. I love that I can fill the snackle box with a variety of snacks and just set it out for them to eat while we are playing outside, at the beach, etc. This one is super affordable and easy to pack and carry.
Popsicle Molds
I have searched and searched for a popsicle mold that I like. The first summer with my son, I saved all the juice from those fruit cups with 100% juice and poured them into a plastic popsicle mold. I broke the whole thing the very first time that I tried to pop one out. Out of the four molds, I only managed to get one out without breaking the sticks off.
I was so excited to find this popsicle mold that is silicone, comes with a funnel and an extra popsicle stick. The price is unbeatable!!! Get this one as soon as you can!!
Sand Toys
I have a friend who told me that she always keeps sand toys in her car in the summer. That way, if they go somewhere that surprisingly has sand, she is set to go. I LOVE this idea! I get my sand toys at the Dollar Tree. Super affordable, I am not worried if they break or get lost because I did not spend all kinds of money on it. So many major stores have a variety of kinds and kids always seem to get excited over a new shovel!
Bubble Machine
Many people I know are not bubble fans. They do not like how sticky they are and anyone who has ever done those long tube bubbles with a toddler knows that chances of that whole bottle getting dumped over is pretty high. I love this affordable bubble machine from Target. I love that you can put it up high (no little hands grabbing it and knocking bubbles all over), that you can just press a button and the bubbles go continuously instead of blowing a thousand times on this tiny little stick and that it is small enough that it can easily be stored when not being used. So much less stickiness and worry of bubbles getting dumped! They come in some really fun designs and you can get giant jugs of bubbles cheap at Target too!
Chalk
The easiest thing to have but can lead to so much fun. This one is a little more of a no brainer but I just love chalk. Again, this is a dollar tree buy for me. My son loves dinosaurs and one time when his aunts were over, they spent hours drawing dinosaurs for him and he loved it. I love having this on hand even if we aren’t using it all the time. It is fun to decorate the driveway when people come to visit or to celebrate a birthday! Check out our instagram highlights for some fun homemade chalk recipes!
Beach Umbrella
Another essential that is just great to have one hand. I love this Tommy Bahama one because it is so durable and packs pretty small. It’s easy to have this in the car all summer in case you need it. We have used this countless times at the beach and again, it is so light and easy to carry. Some of the other options are so amazing but I like that with this one, if it is just the kids and me at the beach, I can easily carry it. I would also recommend purchasing one of these beach umbrella anchors. It just makes me feel less worried that our whole umbrella is going to take off during our beach trips!
Zip up Towels
I saw another mom with these and I just knew I needed to get them. I take my kids pretty frequently to our local splash pad because it is super fun and it’s free! I have the hooded towels for my kids, which are great but I LOVE that these stay closed! It is so nice to use it as a swim suit cover up but also to keep their towel on while they eat snacks, walk to the car, etc.
Picnic Blanket
My husband and I got a picnic blanket for our bridal shower 9 years ago and it has stood the test of time. I love keeping this in our car so if we ever need it, it is right there. This is great when you decide to have a picnic, watch a parade or fireworks, sit at the beach and so many other options. I love that these are easily washable and pack small so that they do not take up a lot of space in your car.
Bentgo Box
In summer, we have a lot of lunches and dinners on the go or at parks. We travel a decent amount and I am a sucker for a good picnic in the park. I love these bentgo boxes so much. I love the ice pack tray that is reusable and that they come in so many fun colors. My kids can be pretty picky with eating so I like that there are spaces for different food. They pack really easily with their shape and are easy to clean. I highly recommend this as a summer essential!
There are so many great summer products out there and I love these summer essentials that make on the go fun and the excitement of summer even better!
Leave us a comment below with some of your favorite summer essentials!
Liz and Becca
