12 Mar Five Essential Items Kids Need for Adventure Travel
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As an adventure travel enthusiast, chances are you already have your favorite travel essentials and gear. Yet if you’re gearing up for adventure travel with kids—ever growing, ever changing, ever surprising you with their new opinions—it can be hard to wager what they’ll really need and use on your next trip. While you can’t predict with certainty whether it will or won’t rain on your Highlands walking tour, or just how many of the Big Five you’ll actually see on your family safari, it’s a safe bet all of these items will serve your child well on many adventures to come.
1. Adjustable sun hat with lanyard
Not all sun hats are created equal, especially when it comes to sun hats for adventuresome kids, in which case a wide brim is just the beginning. An adjustable lanyard helps prevent loathsome hat loss in a canyon gust or on a rapid swell, and a mesh lining with a moisture-wicking headband makes it all the more likely to stay put in a swelter. Better still, a sun hat with an adjustable bungee drawstring at the crown allows for a continuous fit through years of growth.
2. UV-protective sunglasses
Since children’s eyes are even more vulnerable to UV damage than are their parents’, it’s especially important to protect them with quality sunglasses during outdoor adventures. Look for a pair with a flexible (a.k.a. shatterproof) rubber frame for maximum comfort and durability, and make sure it blocks 100% of UV rays for protection. For infants and toddlers, buy glasses fitted with an adjustable headband to help keep them in place (and slow the removal process until they’re accustomed to wearing them).
3. Lightweight long-sleeve shirt with Insect Shield
It’s fuss-proof sun protection during the day that serves double duty fending off mosquitoes at dusk. The secret ingredient is a built-in insect repellent that withstands around 50 washings. Choose a button-up style for easy layering and venting, and opt for a quick-dry fabric so that it’s as useful on the water as it is helpful on the traveler’s laundry line.
4. Merino wool hiking socks
It’s a great day when you discover your child can carry his own weight on the hike, and he’s likely to carry it a lot farther—and a lot more happily—when his feet are cushioned in socks of the same caliber as yours. Itch-free Merino wool helps prevent blistering during lengthy treks and wicks away moisture for comfort in warm weather or cool. It also helps keep toes cozy even if the socks get damp in a drizzle.
5. All-weather travel journal
The only thing that comes close to sharing travel adventures with your child is reliving them through her own eyes and entries in your family travel journal. Don’t risk losing those doodles of El Capitan or first impressions of the cloud forest because of inclement weather or a leaky water bottle. Invest in an all-weather travel journal now and enjoy the memories for years to come.
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