Toddlers
Toddlers need a lot of stuff! Here's a relatively comprehensive list of things I consider bringing when we go anywhere overnight, from Grandma & Grandpa's house, to Disney World, to visit family a few states away. You don't need to bring everything on this list every time, but an exhaustive list helps you remember what you might be forgetting.
Overview
Using packing cubes, this is how I typically pack:
- 1 L cube of shirts/pants, per kid
- 1 M cube of everyone's nighttime stuff
- 1 S cube of socks/underwear/shoes, per kid
- (If applicable) 1 M cube with the whole family's swim stuff
- 1 M cube of everything else - overflow shoes, jackets, hats, mittens, sunglasses
- 1 M cube in the diaper bag with extra clothes/jackets/hats/sunglasses
- 1 M cube/gallon Ziploc in the diaper bag with snacks
Consider just putting everything on a table / bed until you have everything you need in that place. Then actually pack the things in your bags; otherwise, you may forget whether you packed something.
Clothing
First, count how many days you'll be there. Then, check the weather.
- Weather appropriate clothing
- Shirts - long-sleeved, short-sleeved
- Bottoms - pants or shorts
- An extra or two of each, depending on your laundry options and your toddler's proclivity to messiness
- PJs
- Consider whether the sleeping room will be colder/warmer than the rest of the weather (e.g., high A/C in hotels, the people you're visiting keep their house at temperatures you're not used to)
- An extra or two, unless you can convince your toddler to wear regular clothes to bed instead of PJs if you run out
- Socks / Underwear
- They're tiny - bring a few extras. But also, they can often be re-worn if necessary.
- Jackets
- Usually like to have one in the diaper bag
- Think about rain jackets vs. warm jackets (hoods? no hoods?)
- Shoes
- I usually pack at least 2 pairs of shoes (including the ones they wear when we leave the house) in case they get wet or muddy
- Consider setting aside shoes for travel day ahead of time so they don't get lost
- Consider whether formal shoes or shoes that can get wet are needed
Optional
- Hats
- Sun hats or winter hats
- Mittens/Gloves
- Waterproof? Just warm?
- Swimsuit
- Swim diaper options (cloth, disposable); definitely want more than one
- On a beach/pool vacation, I like to bring two cloth swim diapers (we have these) and two swimsuits so that when one inevitably isn't quite dry yet, you have a dry one to put on
Diaper Bag
I typically restock the diaper bag with a few things that we don't always have in there when we're not traveling:
- Diapers (~5 ish)
- Refill wipes container
- Snacks
- Hand sanitizer
- Sanitizing wipes (for germs, not for bottoms)
- Ibuprofen for adults
- Water bottles
- Extra clothes/jackets/hats/sunglasses we might need before being able to unpack the main suitcase
- Toys/books for airplane ride
Health
Brushing
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
Bath
- Baby soap
- Baby lotion
- Washcloth (optional - will the place you're bathing provide a washcloth?)
Bottom
- Diapers - as many as you need on the trip (we typically bring them in the car seat, so there is space and we don't have to find a place to buy them when we get there)
- Wipes - same
- Diaper cream
Other
- Sunscreen
Sick Items
If your kiddo is prone to sickness, you might want some of these things with you.
- Thermometer
- Tylenol/ibuprofen
- You can bring this on as a carry-on even above 100ml, just declare it to TSA
- Syringes / cups to administer liquid medication
- Extra tissues
- Nose Frida, if applicable
- Saline spray/drops
Eating
- Water bottle(s)
- Straw cup, or something the kid can drink milk out of without you worrying about spilling; easy to clean. We love these.
- Kid sized utensils (if they can't use adult ones in a pinch; otherwise save yourself bringing one more thing)
- Bib (just one silicone one should do)
- Booster/high chair, if really needed
- These are usually big. Try not to bring them - can your toddler just sit on your lap? Or get a travel-sized one.
Snacks
Our kids' diets are not awesome on trips. And we've decided that's okay. Some favorites:
- Dried fruit
- Granola bars
- Fruit snacks
- Goldfish (in a container they have to stick their hand in so it won't spill)
- Nuts
- PB&Js (for the day of travel)
Playing
- Book(s) - usually 2-3 is fine; whatever you need for bedtime
- Toys - one or two that are easy to clean
- If going on an airplane, consider a tablet and headphones
- We try to bring a selection of mess-free drawing supplies
- Stuffed animals - we let our kids each pick a small snuggly to bring for bedtime/the airplane
Sleeping
Many of these are optional; your toddler may or may not use them.
- Pack n Play sheets
- Sleep sack
- Snuggly
- Blanket
- Night light / sound machine / OK to wake light
- Monitor
- We don't always bring our monitor, but if we want to spend a good chunk of awake time outside of earshot from where the baby's sleeping, or if we expect they'll have a hard time settling, a video monitor can be nice. Consider whether yours can connect to a Wifi network in an unfamiliar place.
Transportation
- Baby Carrier
- Car seat
- Stroller
- Do you really need one wherever you're going? Could you use a smaller stroller? Can you just take turns carrying them when they don't want to walk?
Misc
These may or may not apply:
- Pool/beach toys
- Pool/beach towels
- Travel laundry detergent
- Dish soap to wash kid stuff
- Gallon/sandwich plastic bags
- Plastic grocery bags
Extra bags take up very little space and are handy for all sorts of things while traveling.
Final Check
Now that you've packed everything thrown everything in a pile, run through a few important moments in your head:
- Bedtime
- Do you have everything you need to perform your routine to the satisfaction of your picky toddler?
- Mealtime
- Are you missing something that's easy to pack that will make life way easier?
- Inclement weather
- If it is likely to rain/snow, will you be sad you didn't pack something to make it smoother?
- Special places you're going
- Pool, beach, park, hike, boat, wedding, Disney World