There are many reasons to keep an emergency bag in the car, especially if you have children. In the event that you and your children had to leave the car on foot, you want to be prepared. Whether it be a weather emergency, car trouble, or a number of other emergencies. Here is my guide for what I keep in our car bag if my two kids and I had to leave our car on foot (this bag has also come in handy for everyday "emergencies" like needing a change of clothes or a tampon).
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Clothing Essentials (per person)
- Outfit (weather appropriate)
- Socks and underwear
- Jacket or hoodie
- Hats, gloves, scarf (season dependent)
- Rain poncho
Food & Water
- 2 water bottles person if possible
- Non-perishable snacks (granola bars, crackers, nuts, jerky, protein bars)
Health & First Aid
- Small basic first aid kit (Band-Aids, Tylenol, kids Tylenol, antiseptic wipes, antibiotic ointment, small bottle of hydrogen peroxide, and gauze)
- Hand sanitizer
- Medications (if taken daily)
Hygiene
- Travel sized toothbrush, toothpaste, dry shampoo, deodorant
- Pack of wipes
- Diapers and baby wipes
- Tampons and pads
- Bunch of plastic grocery bags
Other
- Phone charger and power bank
- $20 in small bills
- Blanket
- Small toy for each child
- Small notebook and pen
- Baby carrier
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- Flare gun
- Small knife
- Mace
Bag Details
For the bag, I chose a backpack, diaper bag style. This made the most sense for me as I would have to carry my youngest child as well. Four water bottles fit flat on the bottom of the bag. The rest of the items I organized in separate smaller bags and everything fit easily inside. I keep the bag in the trunk of my car and go through it seasonally to exchange clothes and food.
Final Thoughts
Obviously, you hope to never need this bag. I put this bag together during a time when I was going through post-partum anxiety and worried about everything. Any time we would leave the house I would wonder what if something happened while we are out and we have to leave the car and try to get home on foot. Some scenarios that ran through my head were weather emergencies, the power grid going dark and our vehicles not working, and many apocalyptic scenarios. Now you might think this sounds crazy or very "doomsday prepper" of me. However, now that I'm well out of my post-partum anxiety era, I still like the idea of being prepared for anything. Whatever your reason for wanting to keep an emergency bag in your car is, I hope this list helps you have everything you need!
If there is anything you think I should add to my emergency car bag, let me know in the comments!
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