Tropical Island Checklist

You and your family heading somewhere hot and sunny? Besides your flip-flops and swim fins, consider stashing these items that packing expert Anne McAlpin recommends for any family about to soar to the shore.

By Lexi Walters

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For Kids

For the beach:

__ Inflatable beach balls, tubes, and water wings

__ Disposable swim diapers

__ Waterproof sunscreen/insect repellent combo

__ Waterproof face/lip sunblock

__ Hat or cap

__ Refillable water bottle: Look for wide-mouthed ones to accommodate ice.

Not wild about packing tons of sand toys? Hit up your hotel restaurant for castle-creating tools. Disposable cups, bowls, and silverware are great for sculpting sand.

For the plane:

__ Favorite books and backpack-sized toys: Leave the talking ones at home!

__ Search-a-word or crossword puzzle books

__ Mad Libs

__ Vinyl stickers (such as Colorforms) for airplane windows

__ Non-sticky snacks: Consider tossing together a pretzel, dried fruit, and Cheerio snack mix before your trip, and storing it in single-serving bags.

Remember to pack headphones for any handheld games or portable CD or DVD players your children might bring.

Continued on page 2: For Parents