By Rustina, Contributing Writer
I love the prep work for traveling – almost as much as I love traveling! With back to school time and cooler weather coming on, we will be spending even more time out in nature and at other fun homeschooling events. I love the convenience of traveling in better weather and less busy times.
For our homeschool field trip this month, we are preparing for camping at the Oshkosh Airshow next week – I have an inspiring aviator amongst my crew. While we get everything packed up and ready for our next adventure, the first step is making sure our first aid bag is ready.
My 10 year old loves to find all the needed supplies and pack up the first aid bags. We keep 2 on hand actually: a medium sized Travel First Aid Bag for our backpack with useful remedies for traveling and a tiny one that can also go in my purse or cargo pants pocket with essentials.
What’s Inside my Travel First Aid Bag?
Inside the perfectly-medium-sized and nicely pocketed Earthley bag (check it out here) is:
All Purpose Salve – This is perfect for cuts, rashes, chafed skin, lip balm, and dry skin spots. You can get it in this handy travel size tube with all natural and safe ingredients here or check out how to make your own version here.
Black Drawing Salve – This is probably the one we use the most! This drawing salve takes out the sting and itch from bug bites, bug stings, contact rashes from plants, and other itchy rashes. This BDS roll on tube from Earthley is perfect for at home or traveling (although it comes in larger sizes also). Do you have the ingredients already? – Make your own with these instructions!
Arnica Salve – Arnica is awesome for slowing swelling, bruising, and reducing pain from the various bumps and trips that happen along the way. My second oldest always grabs this salve first when packing our first aid kits! It works well. If you like to DIY, here is a recipe.
Infant Tummy Relief – This is a handy one to keep since it calms different types of upset tummies – whether feeling gassy, bloated, or someone is nervous about an event so has an anxious upset tummy. It helps everyone from my little toddler to my taller-than-me preteen! You can find out more about Infant Tummy Relief here.
Feel Better Fast – Unfortunately, sometimes when traveling, someone may start to feel full blown sick or we may find we are exposed to something while traveling. Feel Better Fast helps to give our immune system a nice healthy boost to get over it quickly. This tincture even tastes yummy!
Calm and Clarity – Whether we are going to a specifically educational event or just hiking through the woods, I like having this around to help with focus and calmness when needed. One dropper full of this tincture and the effects are noticed all day!
Anti-Inflammatory – I keep this handy because of my lymphatic swelling in my legs and to help with the occasional bumps that cause more than just a little swelling at the injured site. I take a dropper full beforehand, and then as needed to help keep it manageable – especially in the mornings after tent sleeping and all the joints feel stiff! Check it out here.
Digest Ease – One of my little men suffers from the occasional heartburn and when we are out and about trying new foods, then it can flare up for him. This tincture calms the heartburn right down for him within minutes and keeps it gone all night so he can sleep well.
Sun Soothe – We do use the Sun Shield to protect from burns, but sometimes, we get caught up in the fun and forget to reapply it after a couple hours. Sun Soothe instantly relieves the burns for us and we usually wake up with a nice tan afterwards. Sun Soothe also helps soothe other types of burns that can occur accidentally when camping.
All Purpose Spray – This is great for a hand sanitizer, quick freshening up of yourself or surroundings, or even as a disinfectant cleaning spray. Check it out here.
Herbal Baby Powder – We keep this on hand for protecting areas that are chafing, need help staying dry when hiking to help prevent heat rash, and if needed, as a dry shampoo when camping. Check out the Herbal Baby Powder here, or check out the Dry Shampoo if that is your bigger interest.
Tension Relief EO Roller – This one isn’t used quite as much, but it is always greatly appreciated on those seldom days it is needed! A little dab on the temples and across my forehead, and I usually start feeling better in minutes! Get yours here.
Non-remedy items: I keep bandages (I use these because they don’t seem to cause a reaction on our skin if they stay on all night), some gauze, medical tape, fingernail clippers, small scissors, a couple folded up pieces of cotton, and a tiny, purse kit.
My Tiny Purse (link)
- All Purpose Salve
- Arnica Salve
- Black Drawing Salve
- Sun Shield Stick – This is a natural sun protection lotion that soothes skin and protects against free radical damage
- Breathe Well Salve – This comes in handy if something flares up our sinuses. I use Feel Better Fast in conjunction with it, and join it with Sinus Saver when we get home.
- Pest Aside Stick – Great for areas where the bugs are just too buggy and you need help keeping them at bay.
- Bandages
So far, we have been able to handle any minor hiccups with our First Aid Bag. It keeps everything organized and handy to grab quickly when needed. My older boys, 12, 10, and 8 years old, love learning to prepare and use each remedy as well as help their little brother with his first aid needs. While my oldest loves World War II and Aircrafts, my 10 year old is inspired by the healing arts and remedies. That is part of what makes homeschooling such a fun adventure everyday – seeing what inspires them and watching them develop their understanding more!
