If you are anything like my family, you probably spend a great amount of your vacation involved in swimming. Whether it is in the pool or at the ocean or lake, I am sure that toes are in the water. A full schedule of water activities requires you to be stocked and prepared. Today I am sharing 7 important items you need in a swimming bag.

Some of our favorite places to swim include our favorite hotel in Wildwood NJ, the water parks that we have visited in the past, or our local swimming pool. So having a swimming bag is an important necessity for our family vacations.

One of the best things I can suggest is to have UV treated swimwear for your kids in addition to regular sunscreen. And don’t let them get out of reapplying sunscreen throughout the day. They will thank you when they don’t get sunburn and can enjoy the rest of their vacation. So what exactly do you need in a swimming bag? Here are some of my important items that you may find useful.

7 Important Items You Need In A Swimming Bag:

The first item is to have a sturdy bag to carry everything in. I prefer a heavy canvas one that has a zipper. Only because my kids try to help me carry things, and even though they are teenagers, they somehow manage to spill stuff out of the bag. I got mine at Amazon, but it is no longer available. There are plenty of others to choose from.
A set of beach towels, one for each family member. I found this(affiliate) set of towels on Amazon as well. I like that there are 4 different colors, so there is no fighting over which towel belongs to what person. Each person gets a color, and that’s it.
Sunscreen. Several types. The kids are always in a hurry, so the spray sunscreen comes in handy. As for the adults in our family, we use regular suntan lotion for our bodies, and sunscreen designed for babies on our faces. They tend to sting less when they get in your eye.
A hat. I burn on my scalp very easily, and so does my husband. Wearing a hat when you can will help cut down on that. Of course, I always recommend putting suntan lotion on your scalp as well.
Next are sunglasses. It is very important to protect your eyes from the glare of the sand and water, and the bright sun. If you have small children, get a pair that has a strap around the back to keep it on as long as possible.
A bathing suit. Seems like a silly thing to add to the list, but it is important to have the right one. For my boys, along with sunscreen, I make them wear a swim shirt that has a SPF factor of 60. May seem like a bit much, but it makes your swimming much more enjoyable when no one is toasted with sunburn. Parents should be covered as well.
And lastly, a good pair of water sandals. It is no fun walking over hot sand or macadam, so having the sandals will make your feet very happy.

A few other things you may consider adding to a swimming bag: Benadryl tablets in case of bee stings, aloe lotion for those times that sunburn just can’t be avoided, and a small first aid kit with bandaids and antibiotic ointment.

So there are the 7 essential items you need in a swimming bag. Whether it is at the beach, or swimming at the local pool, we are all ready to have a fun and sunburn-free time.