Summer is in full effect here in Torino and well.. it’s been hot. I’m talking Hotter than Hades! We generally have great weather meaning that it gets hot but it’s usually breezy and manageable. However, at the beginning of the month, we had some high pressure come from Africa and IT WAS AWFUL! Rumour has it that it will continue to the end of the month. Oh mercy… 8 more days of the INFERNO!

On days when the humidity is low and the temperature is high, we have to escape our house. We live on the top floor of our building and it’s the worst. It’s usually hotter inside than it is outside. That said, we tried to spend as much as we can outside.

If we’re spending copious amounts of time outside, I’ve got to be ready. I am never without my Playground survival bag. I’ve been toting it around for months since I don’t actually carry a diaper bag anymore and I’ve managed to put together my essentials. So far I’ve managed to give off the image of being a very organised mom! (shh.. don’t tell these other moms what i’m really like)

First Aid Kit- Not too long ago, I made up my Mini First aid kit. (read about it here)I didn’t put anything fancy, just the essentials. Of course I knew that at one point it would come in handy. While taking a walk at Parco Valentino with my mom and niece, Miss E fell on some sharp rocks and cut her leg. My cleansing wipes and Barbie band-aids came in handy and we were on our way.

Diapers/wipes- I still have Baby C in diapers so I carry 2 extra diapers and a package of wipes. I also use the wipes for cleaning hands during meals/snacks so they’re double duty. Of course you’ll run into a mom who needs a wipe and forgot hers.

plastic bags- My mom got me some plastic bags for dirty diapers. They’re good when I’m at church and I’ve put a few in my bag incase of accidents. Then the smell is contained.

Bubbles- We can not live without bubbles. I have dedicated an entire summer trying to find the perfect bubble mixture. (i still haven’t found one) The problem with bubbles is that EVERYONE loves them so you generally have some other little rascal at your feet wanting your bottle of bubbles.  I usually have 3-4 bottles (some full, some half full) so that we can share with others and if needed, we can give it to the child who is throwing a fit because he wants them!

Water- Most playgrounds in the city have a water fountain nearby so we usually don’t have to worry about this problem. I always take a bottle for each kid and refill when needed.

Snacks- Even if they’re already had a snack before we left the house, they ALWAYS ask for one. Why?!?! So I have to make sure that I either wait and feed them or take a pack of cookies just in case.

Sidewalk Chalk- This is my optional item depending on how long I’m planning to be outside. My girls are generally friendly and will play with almost anyone so boredom is never a problem when we’re out but occasionally there are times when they don’t want to swing and rather have a conversation and draw. I like to keep a small container handy and put those small broken pieces inside and they have to use all of those before getting the big pretty ones.

It might  seem like a lot of stuff for 3 small girls but I’ve managed to get everything into a rather small bag so I just grab and go!

Tell me… Do you have a playground survival bag? If so, what’s in yours?