Preparation is the key to any successful camping trip or holiday. As and when you and your family go camping, accidents will inevitably happen, especially when outdoors, and particularly when you take the children along. It is therefore best to have a First Aid Kit available in the car, caravan or tent so as to be always prepared for those little accidents that can happen when camping.

You've arrived at the caravan park and sent the kids off to the playground while you set up camp. It's during these early moments at the park that we all tend to get excited and somewhat prone to those little mishaps, like scrapes and minor cuts, while moving the caravan and setting up the tent and equipment. So be ready for an accident to happen with a well-stocked First Aid Kit on hand.

It is impossible to predict or determine what kind of accidents you should anticipate while camping. There are always the occasional cuts, scrapes, bruises and scratches. You and the children are playing outdoors now, and exposing yourselves to the elements. Insects and creepy crawlies, along with slips and falls are just some examples of the outdoor activity accidents that will require your attention. 
Remember the old adage: Be prepared!

Whether you buy a ready-made First Aid Kit, or you put one together on your own, the basic First Aid Kit should be reasonably comprehensive. The following list is only a suggestion of some of the supplies you should consider for your First Aid Kit. You should personalize your kit to meet your needs, activities and situations.

Remember to include:

• Your personal medications as prescribed by your doctor.
• Other personal needs.
• Personal information/contact person, telephone numbers etc.
• The well-stocked First Aid Kit contains:
• First aid manual.
• Bandages and gauze of various sizes.
• Roll bandages.
• Adhesive tape.
• Antiseptic wipes.
• Sterile gauze pads.
• Cotton swabs.
• Tissues.
• Triangular bandages.
• Misc. Band Aides/bandages.
• Antiseptic creams and ointments.
• Bee sting kit.
• Snake bite kit.
• Eye drops.
• Ear drops.
• Antibiotic soap. 
• Antibiotic cream.
• Iodine Ointment.
• Insect repellent.
• Mercurochrome.
• Pain medicine.
• Disprin.
• Aspirin. 
• Sinus medications.
• Cough mixture.
• Throat lozenges.
• Deep Heat.
• Tweezers, scissors, and knife.
• Safety pins.
• Splinting materials.
• Sunburn relief.
• Sunscreen.
• Burn ointment.
• Anti-diarrhea medicine.
• Ant-acids. (Tums, Rennies)
• Eye Wash.
• Eye pads.
• Eye drops.
• Small flashlight.
• Small bottle of water.
• Small bottle of Dettol.
• Latex (Rubber) gloves.
• Thermometer.

Remember to also have some antiseptic swipes and antibiotic cream on hand. Hydrogen peroxide comes in handy for washing out cuts, and a saline solution is a great relief for washing out eyes should you happen to sit too close to the campfire or braai and get ash or cinders in them.
The key to a good First Aid Kit is its versatility. What supplies you include and how much of each item required should be based upon your individual needs, and size of the family, and length of camping trip. The First Aid Kit does not have to be huge, but must contain a good compliment of medical paraphernalia and items.
Of vital importance, be sure to check your First Aid Kit regularly and replenish any exhausted or outdated medicines and supplies. And don't forget to always take your well-stocked First Aid Kit whenever you go camping. Your camping First Aid Kit should always be kept in your caravan or with your tent equipment.
A final word of advice:

• Take a First Aid class and a CPR class - keep current on this information.
• Keep all the supplies and contents in a well marked, durable, waterproof container.
• Keep the contents of your First Aid Kit organized.
• Know how to use everything in your First Aid Kit.
• Inspect the contents of the kit often, re-supply as and when needed.
• Keep the First Aid Kit readily available at all times in your car, caravan or with your camping gear.

If you want to customize this list to meet your family's needs, copy and paste this entire list to your computer or laptop. Then delete what you think is not relevant to your needs, and add the required items your family always depends upon.
The importance of a well stocked and equipped First Aid Kit cannot be emphasized.
Please remember: The First Aid Kit must be kept in a waterproof container at all times! By packing thermo blankets and bandages in Ziploc bags is an added bonus, as these Ziploc bags are waterproof as well. It is also important to remember that the discarding of used first aid items is also first placed in waterproof containers or bags before disposing of them. Ziploc bags come in all sizes, so finding one to contain all your first aid gear should not be a problem.
Some Tips c Warnings.

Prepare for the worst and go expecting the best.

Get a portable inverter that fits in a vehicle cigarette lighter which can recharge your cell phone or two-way radio batteries, as well as torch batteries.

Don't forget the sunblock. First Aid for sunburns is something to anticipate on any outdoor camping trips.

Keep updated on local weather changes.
Above all – have fun, safely!