Every family packs a little differently before heading to Silverwood, but after several visits this summer, I started noticing the items I reached for over and over again… and a few things I packed that I never even used.
As a mom of four—from a toddler to older kids—our days usually include both Boulder Beach and the rides, which means our stroller becomes our home base for the day.
Here’s what actually made our day easier.
Everything We Packed
After we claimed our chairs at Boulder Beach, I took a quick picture of everything we’d packed for the day. It made me laugh later because while a few things turned out to be absolute lifesavers, there were several items that never even left the bag.
Towels, swimsuits, life jackets, sunscreen, our wet bag, walkie talkies, water bottles, snacks, baby carrier, stroller fan… it all had a place.
Here’s what I’d absolutely pack again… and what I’d leave at home next time.
Sunscreen Stick
I absolutely loved bringing a sunscreen stick.
It was quick, easy, and my preschooler could even help put it on herself.
Instead of chasing kids with lotion everywhere, I could quickly swipe faces before heading back out into the sun.
It was definitely one of those little things that made the day easier.
A Sun Hat for Baby
If your little one will keep a hat on…
bring it!
It made a huge difference for my toddler while we walked around the park and spent time at Boulder Beach.
Our Infant Life Jacket
One thing I always appreciate is that Silverwood provides life jackets for guests. However, on busy summer days the infant sizes can go quickly. Since we already had our own, we simply carried it in with us and never had to worry about searching for one. It gave me one less thing to think about, and we ended up using it several times throughout the day.
Walkie Talkies (My Favorite Mom Hack!)
These may honestly be my favorite thing we pack.
My older boys love riding the bigger rides while I stay in Critter Camp with my younger girls.
Instead of constantly texting or wondering where everyone is, we simply use walkie talkies.
It gives them some independence while still giving me peace of mind.
I can’t tell you how many times we reached for them.
A Baby Carrier
This wasn’t originally on my “must-pack” list…
But after this trip, it definitely is.
Later in the day my toddler had officially decided she was finished riding in the stroller.
Instead of carrying her everywhere, I popped her into the baby carrier and we kept exploring.
It made walking around the park so much easier.
A Fanny Pack (My Unexpected Favorite)
This might have been my biggest surprise.
Instead of digging through the stroller every time I needed my phone, wallet, keys, or cards, everything stayed right on me.
When we parked the stroller to hop on a ride, I didn’t have to think about hiding a purse or searching through bags.
My phone was always within reach for photos, money and keys stayed close to me.
I’ll definitely be wearing one every time we visit.
A Wet Bag
This was another item I was so glad I packed.
After we finished at Boulder Beach, everyone’s wet swimsuits went straight into the wet bag instead of soaking everything else in the stroller.
It kept our dry clothes, towels, and extra items dry while we headed over to enjoy the rides.
Pack One or Two Extra Towels
This was probably my biggest lesson from the day.
We had enough towels…
until we changed into dry clothes.
Trying to dry off with towels that were already soaking wet wasn’t ideal.
Next time I’ll definitely pack one or two extra towels for the whole family instead of bringing another towel for every person.
Our Stroller Was the MVP
I’m convinced the stroller deserves its own section.
It carried towels…
snacks…
our wet bag…
life jackets…
water bottles…
extra clothes…
and gave my toddler a place to rest whenever she needed a break.
For our family, it truly became our home base throughout the day.
Things I Packed… But Didn’t Actually Use
I packed a few “just in case” items that never even came out of my bag.
My hairbrush.
Face lotion (my skin usually gets dry after swimming).
A small makeup bag to freshen up before heading over to the rides.
But honestly…
We were having too much fun together that I never even thought about touching up my makeup or brushing my hair.
Sometimes that’s the sign of a really good day!
One Thing I’ll Definitely Bring Next Time
There are actually two things I’ll be adding to my bag.
First… hand sanitizer.
There were several moments when my hands felt sticky after snacks or helping little ones, and I wished I had a small bottle tucked into the stroller.
Second… my waterproof phone pouch.
We spent quite a while floating the Lazy River as a family, and I kept wishing I had brought it. It would have been so nice to snap a few photos of everyone relaxing together without worrying about my phone getting wet.
That one is definitely coming with us next time.
As much as I enjoy finding little ways to make each visit easier, I’ve realized the items we pack aren’t really what make the day memorable.
The best memories come from floating the Lazy River together, watching my kids race to the next ride, sharing snacks, laughing over soaked towels, and simply spending time together.
After several visits this summer, these are the things that truly made our day easier.
Hopefully they’ll help make yours a little easier too.
See you at Silverwood!
About the Conductor
Hi, I’m Amy! I’m a 40-year-old mom of four living in Sagle, Idaho, about 30 minutes from Silverwood Theme Park. I moved to North Idaho in 2012 from Southwest Florida, where I grew up visiting theme parks often. I’m a homeschooling mom to my 5th grader and 3rd grader, while also teaching my preschooler at home and chasing after my 11-month-old baby. Like many moms, my days are a mix of homeschooling, volunteering at our homeschool co-op, driving kids to music lessons, sports, appointments, meeting friends for park playdates, and spending lots of time at the library. In between all of that, I’m also working on building an online business from home.
One of the things I love most about living in North Idaho is the beauty that surrounds us every day. Our family loves the lakes, the mountains, and the changing seasons—especially the fall. There’s something so special about raising kids in a place where they can explore nature, play outside, and experience a slower, more peaceful lifestyle compared to the hustle of big cities.
Life has taken me from Florida beaches to the mountains of North Idaho, but one constant through the years has been my love of family adventures—and theme parks have always been a big part of that. Silverwood has naturally become one of the places our family returns to again and again as part of our North Idaho family traditions.
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