Traveling With Kids? Pack An 'Adventure Box'

Traveling with children can turn nightmarish quickly-- especially if you get stuck in traffic or have to pull over because of a storm.

Mom and blogger Gina Knudson wanted to prepare herself for anything and she put together an "adventure box" to keep her four kids occupied and to prepare the family for any trip-- whether to the woods for a hike or to the beach.

But Gina realized her kit was inadequate during one trip when the family was forced to wait out a storm on the side of the road. Gina says her kids ran through her cache in "about seven minutes."

Now she's made some modifications to the adventure box, adding items such as beef jerky, Ibuprofen and Scooby-Doo band-aids.

Knudson writes about what she packs in her adventure box on the website New West: Adventure Rockies:

Obvious stuff first

• Duct tape
• Zippo emergency fire starter kit (aka fancy lighter)
• Flashlight
• Space blankets
• Moleskin
• Beef jerky, trail mix, dried fruit
• Ibuprofen
• Scooby Doo Band-Aids (the tan ones show blood way too easily and don’t cheer up anybody)
• Sunscreen
• Bug dope
• Extra fleece clothing (fleece is a magical material and rules)
• Rain poncho
• Hip flask (filled with something that could pass as fuel if I forget to fill the tank)

Stuff That Needs More Explanation But Is Still Completely Vital to the Adventure Box

• Marshmallows/chocolate graham crackers (easiest way to salvage any trip)
• Swiss Army knife, Ranger (Ranger is really the only multitool I can recommend because it has both a saw and a corkscrew)
• Multiple wide-mouth Nalgene bottles (fill these up with fresh water immediately before heading out on the Adventure, but don’t hesitate to expel the H2O if you run across wild huckleberries or mushrooms)
• Frisbee golf discs (not only is it a blast to improvise a course out in the boonies, these also make terrific dinner plates)
• And if you really get crazy, throw in a disposable razor. Build the box and go! Adventure awaits.