My grandmother was a pharmacist and for as long as I remember whenever we traveled together she always carried a small DIY travel first aid kit with her. She seemed to be able to be prepared for any adversity, malady or accident. When I was little I had a suspicion that my grandma was clairvoyant. How else could she predict that I was going to sit on a bee, consume a gazillion of strawberries in one setting (and throw up all night as a result), bump my head on a tree – and as a result pack her travel medicine kit accordingly?
You might say that these days one does not need a DIY travel first aid kit, especially when travelling in the U.S. or Canada, because there is a pharmacy on every corner. And I would argue that we encountered many situations when we needed a medicine at 10.30 pm while all local pharmacies in a small town closed at 10.00 pm or when we needed a bug bite cream at a campground only to find out that it was out of stock at their store. And trust me, you don’t want to suffer through a long flight or a long car ride, which would seem like an eternity, without the necessary remedies for a sick child or an adult who acts like a child.
You might also say that these days you can easily buy a pre-packed travel first aid kit – why bother packing your own? Pre-packed travel first aid kits are good for bare necessities but I usually add several things to my DIY travel medicines kit that I find invaluable during our trips, camping, etc.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor, I don’t provide medical advice. This is just a description of a travel first aid kit DIY that saved my family many times. You may want to consult your doctor before buying any medicines. This article may contain affiliate links.
TRAVEL FIRST AID KIT DIY MUST HAVES
Start with a basic First Aid Kit that you should, technically, already have in your car or you can easily buy it on-line. It should have Band-aids, Q-tips, gauze, medical tape, tweezers, scissors and antiseptic wipes. Here is a good kit that has everything I mentioned above:
Then get a separate bag for additional supplies if there isn’t enough space in the basic Travel First Aid Kit. A small cosmetics bag will do well:
Pack the bag with the following additional items for your Travel First Aid Kit DIY that you will find invaluable:
Pain reliever/fever reducer
In this Tylenol product the dozes are individually packaged so you can take just a few packets, not the whole box. This is an ADULT version you will need another one for kids too:
Antibiotic ointment (for minor scrapes and wounds)
Tea tree oil
If you want a great natural anti-bacterial multitasker in your DIY travel first aid kit, tea tree oil is great for insect bites, acne, zits, and even gingivitis (add a drop to a tooth brush and brush the gums)
Allergy medication
You may think you don’t have an allergy but it is easier than you think to develop one very quickly and unexpectedly. My older son did not have allergies until we moved to California. There is a plant (or plants) that grow here which cause him severe allergy when they bloom. If you travel outside of your home base climate zone, you are bound to encounter plant life that you may not have encountered before and no one can predict how your body will react to them. For plants/pollen related allergies you may need a fast acting itchy eyes relief and/or nasal drops, not just the pills, which take much longer to provide relief.
Insect bite remedy (with antihistamine)
This is a no brainer – I reach out to my DIY travel medicines first aid kit for this life saver on pretty much every trip.
Lubricating Eye Drops
Wind, sand, sun, and even air conditioning may irritate your eyes and make them feel dry and painful. I always have a couple vials of lubricating eye drops (also known as “artificial tears”) in my travel first aid kit DIY. They are tiny and easy to pack (these are not medicated drops, they only provide gentle lubrication).
Changes in diet and stress induced by travel often cause upset in digestive system. Here some of my go-to remedies in my DIY travel first aid kit for various conditions:
Antacid
Ginger tea packets
Ginger tea is great for upset stomach. Pack a few individual packets in your travel first aid kit DIY.
Anise + fenhel+ caraway tea
These miracle tea packets from Germany are super helpful with lower digestive system problems such as colic. They work like magic both on kids and adults. Definitely grab a couple of packet with you because these are not sold in stores, only online.
Motion sickness remedy
I typically use motion sickness patches and bracelets for kids for myself and kids. My husband is pretty lucky he doesn’t get affected by this condition. Motion sickness bracelets are the best because they don’t have “best before” date, you can use them forever and they come in both kids and adults sizes.
Sunburn remedy with aloe vera
This is a must have product in summer, and in California and other Southern states – pretty much any time of the year when it is sunny.
For sunburnt lips, which suffer more often and more easily, since we tend to forget to use lipstick with sunblock, I use this fantastic remedy:
Thermometer
Everyone has their favorite thermometer. I personally hate the electronic ones that need frequent battery changes and get broken very easily. I have been using this simple thermometer for over 10 years now and couldn’t be happier:
Canker sore treatment
If you are prone to getting canker sores you know that they can last for days and ruin your enjoyment of food and drinks and thus, your vacation overall. This canker sore treatment made of bee propolis treats canker sores in 1 application – I tried it on myself many times! (Do NOT use if you are allergic to bee products). You can only buy it online so you have to get it in advance of your travels.
Ricola lozengers
Out of all lozenges I I tried these are the best for sore, scratchy throat. They have a very pleasant, not sugary taste and work exceptionally well, especially on scratchy throat. They stop that annoying coughing in seconds!
Do you have a great tried and true remedy that you think should be on this Travel First Aid Kit DIY list? Let us know if the comments below!
I hope that your travels are always safe and no one gets sick but if something happens – you will always be prepared.
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