According to Miss Lori, the former host of the PBS Kids Preschool block and a contributor to Babble.com, road trips – whether you are headed to the club for a swim or to the coast to escape the sweltering heat of the city – are an essential part of summer for families with kids.

“There are several summer essentials to pack in your car to assure that you are fully prepared to make the most of your summer break,” she says.

You’ll have your own unique needs – like sports gear or library books – in addition to Miss Lori’s list of summer essentials for the car, which are tried and tested. They’ve kept her family happily rolling for years!

Not surprisingly, sunscreen and hats top the list.  “We are hearing more and more reports on the news about how vital it is to put on sunscreen before going outside. But we are also hearing that many sunscreen users are getting burned because they don’t reapply liberally and often,” she says. “That’s why I keep sunscreen on-hand.”

She also stays stocked up on snacks. “I swear it is Pavlovian. No matter how much I feed them, my kids are always hungry as soon as they get in my car,” she says. If you can relate, you may want to follow her lead and keep a supply of heat resistant snacks on hand. Miss Lori recommends things like Graham crackers, Cheezits, Wheat Thins, granola bars, and nuts.

It’s important to stay hydrated – especially during the summer months. Like so many of us, Miss Lori favors using a reusable water bottle. “Keeping a plastic water bottle in the car can present some problems with leeching. It’s not definite, but why take a risk?” she asks.

Reusable water bottles are also much better for the environment!  Sure, there are times that water bottles make a lot of sense, but even if you and your family use reusable water bottles half the time, you’ll be keeping lots of single-use plastics out of our landfills. As an added bonus, you can get an insulated water bottle that will keep your water or juices nice and cold, no matter how warm it gets.

And speaking of keeping your cool during the summer, Miss Lori likes to keep an insulated bag in her car.  “It doesn’t matter what season it is,” she says. “We always need to go grocery shopping. But in the summer months, a short jaunt from the frozen foods section to home can be disastrous. I keep several insulated grocery bags in my car for just this reason. Not only do I protect my frozen peas, I also save the earth from a few extra plastic bags. Go green!”

Here at Me and Kay, we have quite a list of summer essentials, too!

In addition to road trips, summer is for pool parties and our Summer Lovin' Capris from the popular line of Terez kids leggings are sure to make a real splash!

If you want to add a little summer flavor to your darling’s outfit, our Watermelon Headband from Lilies & Roses is the perfect accent.

We also have an adorable cutout-shoulder Hannah Banana Dress in a deliciously cool blue with a colorful tassel trim that make it the perfect dress for summer outings.

Bright, bold colors are perfect for summer. They won’t wash out in even the brightest rays of sunshine and, if a little rain comes your way, bright colors will banish the blues.  MIA New York offers an irresistible Off the Shoulder Romper in a fabulous fuchsia shade that can brighten even a sunny day.  A Bandy Button Skirt in a lightweight, sunny yellow satin is also among the many carefully curated summer looks that you’ll find here at Me and Kay!