Favorite Camping and Roadtrip products: a KidsOutAndAbout resource

by Kathleen McCormack

A research study in the Netherlands determined that people going on vacation were happiest BEFORE they even left. They discovered that the anticipation of travel was actually the high point of the trip! Huh, maybe those vacationers weren’t traveling with kids. A lot of tiresome planning goes into keeping the kids organized, fed, clean, and happy!

With these new products, you can make the preparation for your trip as enjoyable as the trip itself. Here are some recommendations from the staff at KidsOutAndAbout for your next road or camping trip.

Organization

Keep the car clean with Diono Car Safety and Organization products. This company offers the big ticket items like car seats and strollers, but we’re especially fond of their accessories. We’re loving their Pop Up Trash Bins to collect the mess that kids seem to make no matter what they’re doing. The Stow n’ Go organizer hangs over the back of the front row seats to allow kids access to all their toys, tissues, and snacks. The Stuff n’ Scuff offers compartments for stowing necessities but it’s best feature is protecting the car fabric from being scuffed by dangling little feet. And our personal favorite is the Travel Pal, a perfect fit between passenger seats to hold water bottles, books, toys, and snacks.

More info here: us.diono.com

A New Twist on Classic Camping Fun

Looking for pure fun around the campfire? Try the a super-cool Firebuggz Fire Fishing Pole! The idea is so simple yet ingenious that you'll kick yourself for not thinking of it yourself. It looks like a typical fishing pole, but beyond the heat-resistant wooden handle of steel pole, there's a stainless steel line with four roasting hooks. Roast two hot dogs or four marshmallows at once, or stick on any other bait that will entice your little fishies. We liked that we could choose to make the line swing gently over the flames to cook our foods evenly, or tighten the tension nut to reduce swinging, which is a good idea if anyone you're roasting with has a tendency to set their marshmallows on fire, panic, and flail. Even better for even cooking, the Fire Fishing Pole is equipped with a cute little fish-shaped weight that make it easy to "just jig it" and give it a fishing-style jerk of the wrist to flip over whatever you're roasting.

More info here: firebuggz.com

Snacks

Snacking convenience is essential for kids whose behavior is often linked to their level of hunger. Finding snacks that are filling and healthful is the antithesis of convenient. Luckily Peeled Snacks are fiber-filled, organic, gluten-free and as close to eating a real piece of fruit or vegetables as you can get without having to take the time to core a pineapple or wash peas. Choose from no sugar added dried fruit, sweet and salty trail mix, crunchy apple clusters, or their new Peas Please snacks. Made from pea flour, they contain 3.5 servings of veggies per bag. Garden Herb was our favorite flavor!

More info here: peeledsnacks.com

Hygiene

Hosting lice is not the kind of nature experience we want for our kids. Luckily there is a natural way to repel and eliminate these little critters with Fairy Tales Hair Care. The company began with Rosemary Repel, using organic herbs like rosemary, tea tree, and peppermint to keep away pesky lice. Since then, Fairy Tales has expanded their line to include detanglers, clarifying shampoos, bug repellant, and more, making outdoor experiences like sunning and swimming more fun. We were worried that the rosemary scent would be too powerful for little ones but it was actually quite pleasant and the smell faded quickly after applying. Plus we loved covering our kids (and ourselves!) in bug repellant made from lemon eucalyptus oil rather than pesticides.

More info here: fairytaleshaircare.com

© 2015, KidsOutAndAbout.com

Kathleen McCormack is an editor with KidsOutAndAbout.com. Prior to having children she roadtripped extensively throughout Europe; since having children, she's been to the Crayola Factory and Great Wolf Lodge. *sigh*