What Should Go In My First Aid Kit?

I need to get better about keeping a first aid kit with us at all times.   Little ones always seem to fall and get a cut or scrape when they’re on the go.   So many trips to the park have ended with a little ointment and a Band-Aid. I have a friend who always has a backpack with her that “magically” always has just what anyone needs at any given time.  She is one of the inspirations for this article…along with our dear FB friends who have shared what they carry in case of an emergency. This post contains affiliate links that support Kids Activities Blog.  

First Aid Kits for Families

Last summer, I was on a short hike through the woods with my boys and relatives.  My boys are now all over the age of 7, so the era of carrying diaper bags and snacks is long over.  The car was parked about 1 mile away and I had left nearly everything I owned in it as to lighten my load for the walk. My youngest jumped over a fallen tree and snagged the inside of his leg on an attached branch.  It ended up to be a 15 inch long gash on his thigh.  I sat on the ground with him on my lap going through how I was going to get him to help and what piece of clothing I was going to be taking off to create a tight bandage to stop the blood flow. Thankfully, my niece’s boyfriend was on the hike.  He happened to be an EMT.  He happened to have an entire hospital in his backpack! It made me realize that even though my boys are older, that doesn’t mean things don’t still happen.  In fact, when they do happen they are often more serious because the risks they took were bigger! The leg was bandaged on site and we took turns helping him back to the car.  His leg healed over the next week with daily dressing changes, but the way I look at a first aid kit has changed.

What Should be in a First Aid Kit

The American Red Cross has created some really good information about what they suggest should be in every families first aid kit.  They also have suggestions for other scenarios that would be really helpful if you have family members who are older, younger or disabled. We wondered what items were most important to keep with you in those first aid kits, since we can’t pack up our entire medicine cabinet.   So, we asked our amazing readers this:   Here is what you all are keeping  handy in your first aid kits: -Essential oils: Lavender, Peppermint, Purification, Geranium and a few others!   I seriously don’t have anything else! -We really don’t have a first aid kit, if my kids get a cut we wash it off with soap and water put some neosporin and a band aid.   -Instant ice packs!   Bandaids, ointment, lollypops (to stop mouth bleeding) and tissues. -The standard Band-Aids, Benadryl, Neosporin, and tweezers. -Mine is fully stocked, I even have stuff for sutures and a stethoscope.   (My sister is a nurse.) -Aloe gel!  Good for insect bites and cuts. -Infant Tylenol, Benedryl, tweezers, ice pack, Ace bandage, Band-Aids, cleansing wipes, alcohol, bacitracin, bottled water, soap, a splint, notebook and pen, and a thermometer. -Just Band-Aids.

Be The Prepared Mom

Oh and what about my friend I mentioned earlier?  What does she carry in her backpack that has saved the day on several playdates?

• Tweezers
• Neosporin
• Band aids
• Square bandages
• Gauze
• Drawing salve
• Ace bandage
• Eye drops
• Butterfly strips
• Hand sanitizer
• Spare credit card to swipe over a bee sting & catch the stinger
• Ibuprofen/Motrin
• Powdered Pedialyte packets
• Change of clothes for child
• Clean towel
• Ice packs that become instantly cold
• Small dish soap – oil-based dangers like poison ivy & skunk spray can be removed ASAP
• Unopened bottle of water to use for rinsing
• Trash bag
• Paper towels

On most occasions, much of the above stays in the car.  But she can attest to the fact that almost every single item on this list has been used and needed in one form or another!