What Do You Need For A Family Day Out With A Toddler?

Snacks, a potty and some toys can make a family day out with a toddler a great day. We all know our own children best but here are my ideas for what the necessities are when going out for a day with a little one.

Have we all been there? Out for a lovely day and then your little one decides they are going to act their age and not listen quietly or they start running towards a field of cows. Make sure you have everything you need with you by reading this list first.

Essentials for a Day Out with a Toddler:

• Snacks – healthy or not, you pick. Our ‘go-to’ is Aldi’s version of Animal biscuits.
• Drink – Our girls have either squash or water.
• Toys – lightweight, small, quiet toys which you know will keep them occupied for at least a couple of minutes
• Book- pick their favourite one.
• Colouring pens and a colouring book – this one’s for indoor days out.
• Change of clothes – because with the best will in the world, they may still get all the food on their clothes, roll in a muddy puddle, get dirty water all up their trousers, have a toileting accident etc. etc.
• Reins – for those that like to make a run for it.
• Potty – for creating little independent humans.
• Changing Bag – Not all toddlers are ready straightaway to be potty-trained, and that’s fine. Ours wasn’t.
• Wipes for any tidying up or cleaning needed throughout the day.
• Identity Wristbands – whenever we go somewhere, where there are lots of people, we get our daughter to wear hers and have drummed it into her that if she’s ever lost, she must show the band to someone so they call us.

In Summer:

• Sunglasses – little toddler sunglasses are the cutest but also protect their eyes.
• Sun hat – ours have ones which cover their necks too.
• Sun cream – we stick with factor 30 for me and the kids.

In Winter:

• Thick enough coat preferably waterproof too with a hood
• Gloves/mittens
• Hat
• Wellies

For You:

• Hand gel as we all know there’s never a sink when you need one.
• Your phone
• First aid kit with antibacterial wipes and plasters

What Should I Do If Things Don’t Go To Plan When We’re Out?

Once you’ve been out a few times with your toddler, you’ll get into a rhythm of what you need and what you don’t need. What you can take but leave in the car just in case and what you need to carry with you at all times.

Each child is different so will need different things to keep them happy.

I find that our days go better when I accept that our daughter is only a toddler. She hasn’t got as long legs as us, she needs more sleep than us and she has a tummy that is never full from snacks. So, she will get tired (this is where we sometimes use our Lascal Buggy Board) and she will get grumpy so distraction and snacks work well for us.

We don’t get cross when she gets grumpy. We understand that she hasn’t yet learnt to regulate her own feelings and cannot yet explain to us what the problem is. We, then, if possible, take her out of the situation and sometimes head home.

Often one of us, usually Daddy, will carry her as well. This isn’t something that we’re planning to do long-term as she’s getting quite heavy but as Daddy is happy to do this at the moment, we’ll keep doing it.