My Pool Bag Must Haves!

Hi! Happy Wednesday!! Hope it has been a great week for your so far!!

Now that school is out and summer weather is in full effect (it is supposed to be in the 90's here for the next few days!!), we have been going to the pool almost every day.  We belong to a local YMCA that has an amazing outdoor pool facility complete with a zero entry baby pool with a "mushroom" waterfall, a splash pad and a full size olympic pool with a big slide.  It is seriously AWESOME!

Over the last few summers, I have figured out what I like stocked in my pool bag.

I keep our bag in our mudroom/pantry/laundry room (its one long, big space).  When we walk in from the pool, I am able to dump all the wet suits and towels directly into the washing machine.  When everything is done being washed and dried, I fold the towels and put them right back into the pool bag.  So minus packing lunches and snacks, our pool bag is always ready to go!

Here is what we keep in our pool bag!

We love the Pottery Barn Kids Hooded Towel! Each of my kids have one of these and they are great!  My kids love the hood and I love the high quality of the towels.  We have had these for over 3 years, they have been washed hundreds of times and still look great!

We use this  Sunscreen Stick on the kids' faces.  I love it because the big girls can apply this on their face by themselves!  That doesn't seem like a big deal- but taking one step out of the equation when getting 4 little kids ready to get in the pool is SO helpful!

My two oldest girls can swim (they have been in swimming lessons since they were 3), but my youngest daughter does not know how to swim yet.  She starts her first swimming lesson on Friday! :)  We put a Puddle Jumper on her in the parking lot before we even get inside the pool.  I do this so that from the second she walks into the pool area, she has her flotation device on.  I would like to say that I don't get distracted getting the baby a drink or watching one of my older girls do a trick in the pool- but that would not be the truth!  Celine knows the rules and she is really good about following them- but you can never be too safe when you have kids around water!! Having her puddle jumper on her AT ALL TIMES is a must for us!

My big girls wear goggles when they swim and these goggles, in our opinion, are the BEST! They never leak, they stay on really well and are very high quality!!

There are so many spray sunscreen options out there- this is the kind we like! I always keep an extra bottle in my pool bag!

I use this "Dry bag" for diapers, wipes and undies. We use cloth diapers and I originally used it for our cloth diapers when were out and about- but I switched to using disposable diapers when we are not at home.  So this bag became the perfect "dry bag" for the pool!  I keep my girls' underwear in it, and diapers and wipes for James!

I always pack water for each of the kids- this

water bottle is our favorite!  It is the perfect size and my baby is even able to drink out of it!

To store all of our pool gear, I use this Zip Top Extra Large Tote Bag. I love that it has a zipper top and that it is HUGE.  A couple time throughout the summer season, I will hose it off and and let it air dry out in the sun!  It is just a great, classic pool bag!

I always have a sun hat in our pool bag for our little guy.  I am currently using a hat that a friend got me- it is from a speciality boutique and not online- however- I LOVE this one from One Step Ahead!

So there you have it!  That is what I always keep packed in our pool bag!  I also use a second smaller bag to store the girls' sundresses and James outfit to change into after we are done swimming. That is also where I pack our lunches and snacks!  I have found as long as I am organized- its ALL GOOD and we are always ready to go have fun at the pool!

I had to include this picture because is makes me laugh SO hard! Last week we were at the pool and it was time to change into dry clothes.  I realized I hadn't packed Celine a sundress to change into...but she was FREAKING out and didn't want to stay in her swim suit.  So I offered her James' clothes and she happily put them on! HA!  Celine is 3...and she is wearing her 11 month old brother's shorts and shirt.  HA!  She was so pleased with herself and I couldn't stop laughing!!

I would love to hear what you keep in your pool bag!! Am I missing anything??

Hope you have a great day!!