A special thanks to Plum Kids for sponsoring this post.
There may constantly and forever be a special bag tucked away in my car with kid essentials for as long as I have them (kids, not bags or cars) around. Right now each kid has their own, Vivi’s is full of diapers, snacks and toys while Addie’s is full of snacks, books and stuff to color. If you’ve ever been stuck somewhere (side of the road, mechanics office, after school activity, grandmas) with a kid and nothing to keep them entertained but your own body and maybe a few random bits of paper you found in your wallet? Chances are you went straight home and packed a bag of essentials as well.
Remind me to tell you about the time I entertained Addie for an entire day with nothing more than a pack of plastic bangles, a banana and a sticker book. I’ll even show you the medal I was never actually awarded that day.
Here’s the secret to packing as few toys as possible, yet keeping your kids as happy as possible: MULTI-TASKING TOYS.
The best stuff is the stuff that can be stacked, tossed, hidden, counted, lined up, knocked down, and turned into a dozen other things aside from what it actually is. Which is to say the best toys are the ones that require a little imagination, bonus if they trick your kid into learning a thing or two. We received our own cloth banana full of letter tiles last week and Addie has been spelling out new words, dividing them into vowel vs. consonants, stacking them, making sentences and Vivi has always been lurking in the background to toss them all over the house.
TODDLERS! YAY!
One day we may even get to play Bananagrams as intended, without the “help” of Vivi.
Then there’s the snacks, it was my sister and her son who first brought Plum Kids Fruit Shredz into my life. She had some in her diaper bag when she came out to visit us earlier in the year and my children made sure she didn’t go home with a single snack she arrived with. My kids have never met a fruit snack they didn’t like, but it wasn’t until these little beauties entered my life that I felt a mutual adoration. No high fructose corn syrup and no artificial colors or flavors — even better? They’ll eat them, none the wiser to the nutritional sneak I pulled over on them.
Plum Kids wants to know what your after school essential is, and by sharing it, you’ll be entered to win a fairly amazing after school prize pack from yours truly. Everything featured in my video — from the snacks to the Kindle Fire — could be yours simply by visiting Plum Kids on Facebook or commenting here. Bonus entries available for additional engagement!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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making unbreakable - formerly moosh in indy. 
Yogurt…which he called “ogult” for the longest time 🙂
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Water, some fruit, and some quiet time. Once she is recharged, she’s ready to go.
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So clever. I was notorious for never even carrying a diaper bag, because I hadn’t needed one before…..
Luckily, I didn’t have any all out blowouts or diaper-bag-needeing emergencies.
To this day, I wonder if I should have something in the car for the bean (who’s now 5) just in case she throws up, or gets hurt, or- like this- is too bored.
I have always been good at packing a bag & small crate of magazines, catalogs, books, coloring items, stickers, kids’ CD’s for long car-rides.
But having a “just in case” bag sounds like a smart idea! Hopefully I can keep up with this great idea!
Thanks for the ideas!!
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Usually some sliced cheese and a few crackers
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What an amazing giveaway!
My kids definitely need some snacks – cheese strings are usually the norm. One needs to colour, the other some action toys.
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snacks and tv – snacks and tv…
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My kids love having Graham Crackers and milk for after school snack. So I always must have those on hand. And plenty of fresh fruit. We go through apples like no body’s business!
Paired with lots of outside time, paper and markers, and of course their computer and TV time – my kids are in full on decompress mode after school.
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Old Where’s Waldo books and I Spy books keep my 5 year old occupied. And snacks of course to (hopefully) avoid after school meltdowns!
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My kids love fruit or stovetop popcorn for their afternoon snack. Followed by running wildly outside or vegging out in front of the t.v.
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Fruit snacks and the iPad
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My guy needs some alone time to decompress and usually a fruit snack!!!
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Baby food pouches!
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We usually need an apple with nutbutter or a hardboiled egg followed by some time to decompress and squirm.
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We LOVE Plum Organic products at our house!
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Quiet time to recharge.
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after school essential is some time outside running around and some water!
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My son is a huge Plum fan – he’s not in school yet, but there are days when it’s hard to get this picky eater to eat much of anything, so Plum is my go-to.
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When I was a nanny, I never did school pick up without a snack and juice ready and waiting. Had to get that blood sugar up to avoid a total melt down!!
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No kids for me, unfortunately, but *IF* I were to happen to be babysitting the nephew, as I have, it was sliced peppers, cheese, and some crackers. For me, apples and pb.
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Banana sushi is a favorite at my house. Not my favorite thing to create, but it’s healthy and she loves it, so I relent.
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We would LOVE this package! Between the new addition to our family and 3 bigs in school- we need all the after school fun activities we can find. My kids have been begging for a kindle- they would fall over from shock lol!
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@Leah, and our fav after school snack lately has been apples and caramel dip 🙂
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Snacks! And usually the bathroom if I keeping it honest 🙂
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A yummy earth sucker!
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Our recent “usual” is a Clif Zbar and some of the 50% juice 50% water juice boxes from trader joes. And I”m totally one of those moms with 4 kinds of snacks in her purse – you never know when you’ll need them!
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Patrick loves Fruit Shreds. I was the same way – He loved fruit snacks but I didn’t love all the dye and high fructose corn syrup. We both win this way.
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Yogurt covered raisins, Frozen Chobani Yogurt Tubes, and Fruit Shreds are always favorites in my house. I’m always trying to come up with healthy snacks that are kid approved!
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We homeschool, and EVERY afternoon, ALL the kids go to their rooms and I get kid-free time. And the two bigs get time away from each other. We all need alone time so we don’t kill each other. ESSENTIAL.
And if that’s not enough kid-free mom-time, I throw them all out back to run free.
IF we do a snack (which is rare), it’s usually graham crackers and milk.
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Mine are currently very into eating my Luna bars. Ha. That and any and all fruit.
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Water and grapes – she loves grapes!
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After school must have: Carrots & hummus, fruit, cookies. 🙂
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Water and an Altoid in the car on the way home from daycare. Then (weirdly), J loves watching baseball highlights videos before dinner.
He loves pouches, too–often it’s the only way we can get him to eat any veggies–so I’d love this!
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Crackers. My toddler loves the pouches, which is the only way I can get her to eat anything resembling vegetables.
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Water and a snack after school, while unwinding. My daughter is currently obsessed with pouches and I have to keep them hidden! Plus, I also always have snacked tucked away in my purse.
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Our must are Granola bars and fruit. With milk.
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Cheese! and fruit.
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String cheese! And the iPad
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my kid loves string cheese. and yogurt. man we go through a ton of yogurt.
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My daughter’s #1 after school must-have are anything and all things fruit gummies. I work and she attends after school which hurts my heart but knowing she’s at least some-what enjoying her time and sharing her fruit snacks makes me happy.
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Awesome idea- I have to pack a bag for my car too!
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Pouches of applesauce, blank paper and a few colored pencils can get us through quite a few unplanned detours.
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My Son loves these smoothie pouches. They are a great little snack in the car on the way home from school.
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My littlest guy is only in 1/2 day Kinder, so when he gets home, he is SO ready for lunch! Every day he asks for a PB (no J) sandwich and some apple juice. His snack varies from yogurt to string cheese to crackers – just whatever he’s in the mood for that day.
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My son is a Hoover. He usually has a bowl of Goldfish, yogurt and some type of granola bar. On days he has practice he eats even more. I’m terrified for the teen years!
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When we’re on the go, snacks involve thin pretzels, blueberries or grapes, and a selection of 3-4 plum mish mash or mashups (current favorites are morning mashups – banana maple or raspberry swirl)
Distractions include crayons & coloring books, stickers & paper to stick upon, toy cars, and “things” to sort.
My not-yet-a-reader likes to pretend to read her books about partying pigs and everywhere babies.
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After school would be any muffin sort of things or fruit snacks. Two opposites basically LOL!
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Our go-to after-school snack is a fresh fruit (usually grapes, blueberries, or strawberries) paired with graham crackers or string cheese. Both of my boys love their snacks!
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My son loves to have a snack when he gets home from school – and yogurt would probably be his favorite.
The day after his birthday party, I offered him a cupcake and he asked if he could have yogurt instead. I mean, WHO IS THIS KID??!
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Snacks and quiet time before homework starts!
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snacks!
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Afterschool it’s all about watching scooby doo and eating dry cereal. They have their milk on the side in cups — I know it’s weird.
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