We have made it to September people! This is our first year starting Blakely in full-time daycare as I begin my transition from stay-at-home mom to a full-time working mom.
As you could imagine, everything about daycare was completely foreign to me. How many extra clothes do I need to pack? What kind of water bottle will keep her water cold all day? Which labels do I order for all her items? These questions and more swarmed my mind as I prepared my daughter for her first day.
We are now a few weeks into the school year and I thought I’d share with you guys everything that I’ve learned for what you’ll need to prep your toddler for daycare. I compiled a list of 10 main items that will hopefully serve as a guide for you. These consist of mom hacks, items to bring to school, and some of our favorite things. Let’s get into it!
1) BACKPACK
Toddler Girls: I love this neutral beige backpack because they’re so much storage and the pattern is so fall and cute. I also love this personalized pink striped bag.
Toddler Boys: Cutest backpack with ample amounts of storage boys can use for years to come.
2) COMFORTABLE SHOES
Sending your toddler to school in shoes that are cozy and fit well is 100% an essential. We went shopping in person to Nike and bought my daughter similar ones to these with the double velcro that she wears almost daily. For a dressier look we have her wear these Keds with socks which are equally as cute and comfortable.
3) DETANGLING MIST
This one is for all my girl moms out there. This Honest Company vanilla hair detangler doubles as leave-in conditioner and I have one word for this product: magical. If your toddler, like mine, wakes up with extreme bed head this will do the trick!! 4 or 5 sprays on her hair and it’s so easy to pull back and style.
4) LITTLE HAIR TIES
I am in no way shape or form good at styling hair, but with the detangling mist I just mentioned and these little colorful hair ties I can throw Blakely’s hair up seamlessly into a cute pony or half-up half-down hairstyle. Simple- but always does the trick!
5) STAIN REMOVER
Another parent essential!! If I’ve learned one thing as a mom it’s that toddlers are messy messy messy. I ordered this stain remover a few weeks ago and it’s been a life savor for her daycare outfits. I’ll spray a few sprays on the stain, let it sit and then throw it in the wash. It does the trick every time!
6) BENTO BOX & WATER BOTTLE
My favorite bento box for toddlers. One of these best parts about these bento boxes is how it contains 5 different compartments to maximize food and snack variety and portion size. I pack these boxes to the brim with fun ideas you can read more about in my “what’s in my toddler’s bento box” posts!
We love these hydraflask dupe water bottles for Blakely- we have 3 of them and use them daily! They have a straw lid, are dishwasher safe & leakproof when the straw is down.
7) LABELS
Note to self to label EVERYTHING that you send to daycare! I ordered these no-iron clothing labels that have been amazing. I’ve even put them on her water bottle and bento box since they’re water proof. It comes with 80 labels so it will be hard to run out!
8) EXTRA CLOTHES
One thing that came as a surprise to me when starting daycare was how many extra clothes you need to bring for your toddler. I’d recommend not spending a lot of money on the clothing you send your toddler to daycare in because, as you can imagine, they get dirty!
- Bulk pack of Carter’s brand shirts
- Had to throw in this super cute set that’s fairly priced
- Toddler bulk biker shorts
- Bulk socks with grips
9) VITAMINS
One thing that comes with daycare is exposure to lots of germs. While our babies are thankfully building their immune systems, I give my daughter one of these clean ingredient toddler vitamins each morning to make sure she’s getting all the immune support she can get.
10) SUNSCREEN, BUG SPRAY & BUM CREAM
Our favorite sunscreens:
- Hello Bello Mineral Sunscreen (55spf clean ingredients)
- Baby Bum Mineral Sunscreen (50spf & no fragrance)
Our favorite bug spray:
- Babyganics Insect Repellent (made from plants and essential oils)
Our favorite diaper creams:
- Aquaphor (holy grail item we use for everything)
- Honest Company’s diaper cream (also moisturizing, and just love this brand)
Not an essential but wanted to throw in a few extra favorites:
- First/Last Day of Preschool Sign (so excited to compare her first day of school picture holding this with her last day)
- The Night Before Preschool Book (so cute)
- Daniel Goes To School (if your toddler also loved Daniel The Tiger)
I hope you find this post helpful and as always, let me know in the comments if you have any questions! <3
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