Give your kiddos free reign to explore and adventure safely by providing them with the best gear they never have to worry about. Here are ten items we have been using for at least the past few months, if not longer, and we highly recommend them all.
OluKai Ho‘ōpio Beach Sandals
Meaning “To Act Young” in Hawaiian, these little flip-flops have proven to be durable and even to have a good grip so your little explorer won’t be slipping around. The flip-flops come with a heel strap, but our little 5-year-old tester quickly requested they be cut off. $38 | olukai.com
Priority 16″ Starter
While it may just boil down to personal preference, I fall on the side of giving my kid hand brakes instead of making them struggle through learning how to manage a coaster break (breaking by pedaling backwards). I’m also a huge fan of keeping grease off of my kids (they get plenty dirty on their own) so I’m drawn to the Gates Carbon Belt Drive used by Priority Bicycles on all of their bikes, including the little kids bike. After a year or more of getting used to a balance bike, our tester started pedaling right away on the Priority 16” Starter and now we’re looking forward to getting her on a 20” bike. $299 | prioritybicycles.com
Hydro Flask 12oz Kids Wide Mouth
This insulated bottle is designed to keep drinks cold and to take the rough and tumble adventurous kids throw at their gear. The flip top keeps the spout clean and ensures leak proof protection because keeping bottles standing upright can be a challenge for littles. A silicone boot bumper keeps rough landing dings at bay and a loop handle makes it easy to hold on to. $30 | hydroflask.com
Carhartt Kid’s Canvas Bib Overalls
Not only are littles unbelievably cute in overalls, but Carhartt knows kids, especially pre-walkers, are on their knees a lot, so durability is important. Our little guy certainly put that to the test. We found we preferred the non-insulated version as it was just as easy to add a layer underneath if it was particularly cool out. Our little guy was also quick to discover the pockets and found great joy in filling them with small stones and other treasures. $27-40 | carhartt.com
Burley Piccolo Tagalong Bike
Getting kids on a bike of their own is important, but sometimes you want to move a little faster and/or go a little farther than their little legs can handle. Enter the Burley Piccolo which attaches to its own rear mounted bike rack, what they call the Moose Rack, instead of to the seat post which can throw balance some. The Piccolo also includes a shifting cassette so your little one can practice shifting gears (and actually help power you two along), without worrying about keeping balanced or looking where they’re going. The Piccolo even packs up pretty easily to take it along on road trips. $399 | burley.com
Reima Kid’s Galapagos Swimsuit
The Finnish brand Reima knows kids clothing because that’s all they make. And they’ve been making it for the varied conditions found in Finland, from long arctic summer days to the dark and cold winter season. Our little tester has been rocking this swimsuit for the past two summers (yes, it started rather large on him). We love the full body coverage (yay!—a break from applying sunscreen everywhere!) and the lightweight, breathable, and quick drying material cuts up to 98% of UV radiation and is very durable. $50 | reima.com
The North Face Tailout Rain Jacket Toddlers
Wet and rainy days don’t happen too often here in Colorado, but it can get windy and with proper layering underneath, this jacket will work in the snow, too. This jacket is lightweight enough for our little explorer to pack it in her backpack for a good insurance policy (which has been cashed in a few times), has proven through numerous opportunities that it’s very durable, and also works great as a windbreaker. $50 | thenorthface.com
All Good Kid’s Sunscreen
The team at All Good is 100% focused on helping people protect their skin but are equally dedicated to preserving the remaining living reefs in the oceans by not using harmful chemicals in their formula. Their SPF 30 kid’s specific sunscreens (which are gentle on sensitive skin), have a few different application options including the standard lotion style, a no-spill stick, and an easy to apply continuous spray. Of course, they also make great products for adults including their new Tinted Sunscreen to help minimize the white pasty look. $16-20 | allgoodproducts.com
Bogs Kid’s Whitefish Sandals
This is a simple yet well loved pair of cool summer footwear. The large Velcro straps are easy for little hands to manage yet provide a good secure fit. The rubber outsole has proven to be very grippy as our little tester has pushed the limits of what it will stick to. Bogs touts their “odor control” technology as one of the features, and that has proven to be the case in our testing so far. $45 (on sale at time of publishing for $25) | bogsfootwear.com
Wentzel Camp Quilt
A key component to a successful picnic setup is a good blanket. Wentzel’s plush 60×70-inch puffy quilt has made its way into our picnic kit and has just the right amount of insulation to soften rough ground and tough enough 68-denier polyester exterior fabric to ward off accidental spills and shakes clear of sand if we’re near a beach. We keep it in the car for spontaneous picnics and the insulation is great as an emergency blanket if we need to bundle up. And, for the price, there’s no reason not to have a few of them stashed around where needed. $20 | wenzelco.com
