Family First Aid Kit Checklist: What Parents Should Keep at Home, in the Car and on the Go

Quick answer: a family first aid kit should include adhesive bandages in several sizes, sterile gauze and tape, an elastic bandage, antiseptic wipes, tweezers, scissors, a digital thermometer, disposable gloves, a cold pack, and children’s pain and fever medicine with the dosing tool that came with it. Add any medicines your family needs, such as an epinephrine auto-injector or an inhaler, plus the Poison Control number (1-800-222-1222). Keep the kit up high and out of children’s reach, and check it every few months for expired items.

Kids get scrapes, splinters, bumps and fevers, often at the least convenient time. A well-stocked first aid kit means you are not searching through drawers at 2 a.m. or running to the store with a crying child. This checklist is part of our family safety guide, and it walks through what to keep at home, what to pack for the car and diaper bag, and how to keep your kit ready.

Sources: American Red Cross first aid kit recommendations; American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) HealthyChildren.org guidance on first aid kits and children’s medicine safety; U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance on dosing devices for children’s liquid medicines; Poison Help line from America’s Poison Centers; Ready.gov emergency kit guidance. Talk to your child’s doctor about the right medicines and doses for your child.

Why a Family Kit Is Different

A general first aid kit covers the basics, but families with young children have a few extra needs:

• Smaller bandages and child-friendly sizes
• Children’s formulations of pain and fever medicine
• The right dosing tools, since kitchen spoons are not accurate
• A thermometer suited to your child’s age
• Space for prescription medicines, such as an inhaler or epinephrine auto-injector
• Contact information for your pediatrician and Poison Control

You can buy a ready-made kit and add to it, or build your own in a sturdy container. Either way, the most important parts are that you know what is inside and you can reach it quickly.

Basic Supplies Checklist

The American Red Cross recommends a range of basic supplies for a family first aid kit. A home kit for a family might include:

Wound care

• Adhesive bandages in assorted sizes, including small ones for little fingers
• Sterile gauze pads in a few sizes
• Rolled gauze
• Adhesive medical tape
• Elastic (compression) bandage for sprains
• Antiseptic wipes
• Antibiotic ointment
• Butterfly closures or wound closure strips
• Non-stick dressings for scrapes and burns

Tools

• Tweezers for splinters and ticks
• Small scissors
• Disposable gloves
• A digital thermometer
• An instant cold pack
• A small flashlight with extra batteries
• Safety pins
• A blanket, such as a compact emergency blanket

Other helpful items

• Hydrocortisone cream for itchy rashes and bug bites
• Saline solution for rinsing eyes
• Petroleum jelly
• Hand sanitizer
• Plastic bags for disposing of used supplies
• A first aid guide or card

Medicines for Children

Medicines need special care. Always check the label and talk with your child’s doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure about dosing.

Pain and fever medicine

Keep a children’s pain and fever reliever, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, in a formulation and strength appropriate for your child’s age. The AAP notes that ibuprofen is not recommended for babies younger than 6 months unless a doctor advises it. Always dose by your child’s weight when possible, and do not give aspirin to children or teens because of the risk of Reye’s syndrome.

Dosing tools

The FDA recommends using the dosing device that comes with a liquid medicine, such as an oral syringe or a dosing cup marked in milliliters. Household spoons vary in size and can lead to giving too much or too little. Keep extra oral syringes in the kit.

Allergy medicine

An oral antihistamine can help with mild allergic reactions, such as hives or itching. Check with your doctor about which antihistamine and dose are appropriate for your child.

Prescription medicines

If your child has a prescription, such as an inhaler for asthma or an epinephrine auto-injector for a severe allergy, keep one in your main kit and one wherever your child spends time. Check expiration dates regularly.

What to leave out

Some items are not recommended for children or are no longer advised by many experts:

• Syrup of ipecac, which the AAP no longer recommends keeping at home
• Adult-strength medicines that could be confused with children’s versions
• Medicines with unclear labels or no original packaging

If you think your child swallowed something harmful, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 right away. Our guide to button batteries and magnet swallowing hazards explains why some objects need emergency care immediately.

Using the Kit for Common Minor Injuries

Knowing how to use what is in the kit matters as much as having it. Here is how the basic supplies come into play for the small injuries most families see.

Scrapes and small cuts

Wash your hands or put on gloves. Rinse the wound with clean running water to remove dirt, and wash the skin around it with soap. Apply gentle pressure with clean gauze if it is bleeding. Once it stops, apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment or petroleum jelly and cover it with a bandage. Change the bandage daily or whenever it gets wet or dirty. Call your doctor if the cut is deep, gaping, on the face, caused by an animal bite or rusty object, or shows signs of infection such as spreading redness, warmth, swelling or pus.

Splinters

Wash the area and clean the tweezers with rubbing alcohol. Grasp the end of the splinter and pull it out at the same angle it went in. Wash the area again and cover it. If the splinter is deep, very large, under a fingernail or hard to remove, ask your child’s doctor for help rather than digging at it. Tiny splinters that cannot be grasped often work their way out on their own within a few days.

Bumps and bruises

An instant cold pack wrapped in a thin cloth can ease swelling. Apply it for about 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Never put ice directly on the skin, and give young children extra comfort, since a hug and a calm voice often help as much as the cold pack does. After a head bump, watch your child closely for warning signs such as repeated vomiting, unusual sleepiness, confusion or a severe headache, and get medical care right away if they appear.

Minor burns

Cool a small burn under cool, not icy, running water for several minutes. Cover it loosely with a non-stick dressing. Do not use butter, oils or ice. Burns that are larger than the child’s palm, on the face, hands, feet or genitals, or that blister widely need medical care.

Nosebleeds

Have your child sit up and lean slightly forward, not back. Pinch the soft part of the nose and hold steady pressure for about 10 minutes without letting go to check. Get medical help if bleeding does not stop after 20 minutes of pressure or follows a hard blow to the head.

Insect bites and stings

Remove a stinger by scraping it out with a fingernail or the edge of a card. Wash the area, apply a cold pack and use hydrocortisone cream for itching. Call 911 for any signs of a severe allergic reaction, such as trouble breathing or swelling of the face, lips or tongue.

Emergency Information to Keep in the Kit

Tape a card inside the lid or keep a list in a waterproof bag with:

• 911 and your local non-emergency number
• Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222
• Your pediatrician’s phone number and after-hours line
• A nurse advice line if your insurer offers one
• Each family member’s allergies, medicines and medical conditions
• Your home address, for babysitters or visitors who need to call for help
• Insurance information

This card is especially helpful for babysitters, grandparents and other caregivers who may not know your child’s history.

Car Kit Checklist

A smaller kit for the car helps on road trips, sports days and outings. Consider:

• Adhesive bandages and gauze
• Antiseptic wipes
• Tweezers
• Instant cold packs
• Children’s pain and fever medicine and a dosing syringe
• Hand sanitizer
• A blanket
• Bottled water
• Wet wipes and tissues
• Spare clothes for young children
• A phone charger

Medicines can break down in extreme heat and cold, so do not store liquid medicines in a car for long periods. Pack them in your bag for each trip instead.

Diaper Bag or Backpack Mini Kit

For everyday outings, a pouch in the diaper bag or a backpack can hold:

• A few adhesive bandages
• Antiseptic wipes
• A small tube of antibiotic ointment
• Hand sanitizer
• Any medicines your child must carry, such as an inhaler or epinephrine auto-injector
• A card with emergency contacts

Seasonal Additions

Different seasons bring different needs.

• Summer: sunscreen, after-sun gel, insect repellent, an extra water bottle and oral rehydration solution.
• Winter: extra mittens and hats, lip balm, hand warmers and an emergency blanket.
• Cold and flu season: a working thermometer, saline nose spray or drops, a bulb syringe or nasal aspirator for babies, and tissues. Our guide to fever in kids and when to call the doctor explains when a fever needs medical care.
• Camping and travel: a tick removal tool, blister bandages and extra prescription medicine.

Where to Store the Kit

• Keep the main kit up high, in a cabinet or closet that children cannot reach.
• Use a latch or lock if your children are climbers.
• Avoid the bathroom if it gets steamy, since heat and humidity can damage medicines.
• Make sure every adult in the home and every regular caregiver knows where it is.

The AAP recommends storing all medicines up and away and out of sight of children, even ones with child-resistant caps, since those caps slow children down but do not make bottles childproof.

How to Check and Restock the Kit

Set a reminder to check your kit every few months, for example when you change clocks for daylight saving time or start a new school term.

1. Check expiration dates on medicines and ointments.
2. Replace anything used or opened.
3. Make sure the thermometer and flashlight work.
4. Update the emergency card if phone numbers, medicines or allergies have changed.
5. Adjust medicine strengths and doses as your children grow.
6. Throw away expired medicine safely. Many pharmacies and police stations offer take-back programs.

Learning Basic First Aid

A kit is only as useful as the person using it. Consider taking a pediatric first aid and CPR class through the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association or a local hospital. Many classes teach how to help a choking baby or child, an essential skill for parents. Our guide to choking hazards for babies and toddlers covers how to reduce choking risks at home.

When to Call 911

A first aid kit is for minor injuries. Call 911 right away if a child:

• Is not breathing or is struggling to breathe
• Is unresponsive or hard to wake
• Has a seizure for the first time or one that lasts more than five minutes
• Has heavy bleeding that does not stop with firm pressure
• Has a severe allergic reaction, such as swelling of the lips or tongue or trouble breathing
• Has a serious head injury
• Has swallowed a button battery or magnets

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I buy a ready-made kit or build my own?

Either can work. A ready-made kit is a convenient start, but you will usually need to add children’s medicines, dosing tools, a thermometer and your emergency contacts.

How often should I check our first aid kit?

Every few months is a good habit, plus after any time you use it. Check medicine expiration dates and replace used items.

What thermometer is best for a baby?

The AAP considers a digital rectal thermometer the most accurate for babies and young children. Ask your pediatrician which type is best for your child’s age.

Can I keep medicines in the car kit?

Extreme heat and cold can damage medicines, so it is better to pack medicines in your bag for each trip.

Should the kit include a CPR mask?

A CPR face shield or mask can be a helpful addition, especially if you have taken a CPR class and know how to use it.