9 Summer Essentials to Keep in your Car

Summer is the perfect time to get out and enjoy all that Cyprus has to offer. From the Paphos Zoo to Aphrodite’s Rock, the summer months provide ample opportunities to see the island’s top attractions. As you’re exploring the island, keep your car stocked with the following essential supplies to ensure you and your loved ones stay safe.

1. Sunscreen: It’s important to apply sunscreen whenever you’ll be outside for an extended period in the summer and to reapply it every couple hours. Spray sunscreen is a great way to keep kids protected while you’re out and about. You also never know when you may decide to cruise to the beach for the day!
2. Sunglasses: Consider owning two pairs of sunglasses so you can keep one in your car and one in your bag. You don’t want to realize that you don’t have your sunglasses with you as you’re starting a long drive or settling in for an afternoon outdoor concert.
3. Car window shades: Keeping the car shaded while it’s parked in the sun maintains a cooler indoor car temperature, which means it won’t take as long to cool off the car when you start driving again.
4. Hand sanitizer: It isn’t always convenient to find a bathroom before enjoying a snack or dropping off your kids at a friend’s house after a long stint in the sandbox at the playground. Hand sanitizer minimizes the risk of getting sick during one of the best times of the year.
5. Clean-up supplies: You never know when one of your kids is going get messy or get the car really dirty. From jumping in a mud puddle to peeing their pants, you want to be prepared for anything and everything that might happen while you’re out with your kids. Keep paper towels, stain removal wipes, and moist flushable wipes in your car to clean up spills and minimize stains and other permanent damage.
6. Ziploc bags: Ziploc bags are inexpensive and easy to stash in the glove compartment or a seat pocket. From dividing snacks to sealing a wet swimsuit to gathering up lose change, there are endless ways to use Ziploc bags while you’re on the go.
7. Insect repellent: Suffering through multiple rounds of mosquito bites can turn an otherwise pleasant summer evening into a miserable affair. Having insect repellent readily available prevents these issues.
8. Reusable water bottles: It’s easy to get dehydrated in the summer when you’re running around town and spending long hours out in the sun. Keeping a full water bottle with you ensures that you’ll keep drinking throughout the day. Seek out aluminum water bottles, as plastic bottles can leech plastic into the water.
9. Heat-resistant snacks: Kids always seem to get hungry as soon as you get in the car. Round up a collection of snacks that won’t spoil in the heat, such as nuts, granola bars, and crackers, so children and parents alike can snack on the go.