- Nursery Articles -
23 Daycare Essentials for Your
Little One’s First Day of Daycare
Is it finally time to send your little one off to their first day of daycare? Whether you’ve got an infant or a toddler to prepare for the day away from home, make sure you’ve got both daily and weekly bags packed with all the daycare essentials they’ll need. We’ll break down both with a daycare checklist for each so you can rest assured that they’ll be ready for anything!
Weekly vs. Daily Daycare Supplies
If you’re dropping your kiddo off at daycare on a regular basis, the “two-bag” approach is a great way to stay organized. We recommend packing one daycare bag with items they might need throughout the week, and another with daily daycare necessities.
For the weekly bag, think replenishable items and non-perishables they may or may not need every day but are great to have handy. For the daily bag, look to stock perishable items or things you know you can swap out every day when the bag (and baby!) come back home to you.
Weekly Daycare Essentials for Infants
First, we’ll start with the “good-to-have-handy” restockable items to pack in your weekly infant daycare bag. You can drop this one off with baby on Monday and leave it at the facility all week!
1. Spare Diapers
Can you ever have enough diapers? To make sure your baby’s caretakers don’t find out, pack a handful of extras just in case. Some facilities may supply these as a part of their service, but it never hurts to have a surplus.
2. Baby Skin Care Items
Want to make sure changing time at the daycare center goes as smooth as—well, baby’s bottom? Keep your weekly bag stocked with your preferred baby skin care items. When a bottle starts running low, just swap it out for a full bottle at the beginning of the week.
3. Wipes
Just like extra diapers, it’s never a bad idea to keep extra wipes at the ready in case the daycare facility doesn’t stock them.
4. Crib Bedding
Does your baby have a favorite crib sheet that helps them sleep sweetly? This comforting reminder of home can make naptime easier, especially in the early days at a new daycare.
5. Wearable Blanket
If your baby gets their 40 winks in a wearable blanket or swaddle, consider packing a daycare-specific one they can use every day. It may not be a bad idea to pack a spare wearable blanket in case they find themselves in need of a clean one.
6. Extra Formula (Optional)
If your baby takes formula, it’s helpful to have plenty of extras packed away. Even if you supply extra milk daily, adding emergency rations is always a winning formula!
Daily Daycare Essentials for Infants
Once you’ve got your weekly bag packed, it’s time to turn your attention to the one you’ll drop off and pick up every day. Here’s what to pack for daycare on a daily basis.
7. Milk
As long as your baby is nursing, you’ll want to make sure you’re sending a supply of milk (or formula) every day if you’re able. Keeping this as part of your daily bag will allow you to remove, clean and replace used bottles for the next day’s feeding time.
8. Pajama Change
Let’s face it—keeping your little one’s clothes clean can be a tall task. Consider packing a spare pajama set, which you can leave in for the next day if baby didn’t need a wardrobe change.
9. Pacifier
Keeping a familiar pacifier in your daily bag is a great way to make sure your baby has everything they need to feel comfortable in a new place. To make sure you have a chance to keep them sanitized, rotate a few of them throughout the week.
10. Spare Burp Cloths or Drool Bibs
If your baby has been known to burn through burp cloths or drool bibs, you may want to keep an extra in your daily bag. You can change out and launder that day’s bibs when you bring them home.
Weekly Daycare Essentials for Toddlers
Just like with babies, parents of toddlers can benefit from using multiple bags. Start by packing a weekly daycare backpack or bag you can drop off on Monday morning.
11. Favorite Stuffed Cuddle Buddy
If your tiny tot can’t sleep without a little company, you can keep one of their favorite plush toys packed in the weekly bag. This one can stay with them at the nursery every day (just be sure to wash it regularly!). If they have a favorite toy at home, it can stay in their room to help see them off to sleep every night.
12. Sunscreen
Maybe you aren’t dropping your toddler off on a beach vacation every day, but they may still need a little SPF. Keep a baby-friendly tube in your weekly bag to protect their sensitive skin from the sun when they play outside.
13. Hooded Towel
Is bathtime part of your kiddo’s daycare regimen? Even if it isn’t, it doesn't hurt to keep a personalized hooded towel in your bag in case they find themself in need of an impromptu scrub-down.
14. Emotional Support Blanky
Is your toddler inseparable from their favorite blanket? While they may not want to accept any substitutes at first, keeping a similar daycare blanket in their weekly bag can help them adjust to their new environment.
15. Spare Diapers or Training Pants and Changing Supplies
Whether your toddler is potty training or not quite there yet, keeping a stash of spare diapers or training pants at the daycare center is a good idea. If they have an accident, you can rest assured that they’ll be ready for a change!
Daily Daycare Essentials for Toddlers
Once you’ve got your weekly bag packed and ready, it’s time to load up a second bag with these daily daycare must-haves!
16. Sippy Cups
Send your kiddo along with their favorite sippy cup to ensure they keep their favorite drinks where they belong—in their cups. By keeping these in their daily bags, you can wash them out at the end of the day and send them along with a clean one the next morning.
17. Snacks
Do you have a picky eater on your hands? Packing a few of their go-to snacks is a smart way to keep them fed no matter what’s on the menu at daycare.
18. Change of Clothes
Even the tidiest toddlers need a change of clothes sometimes. Consider packing a spare outfit or a pair of pajamas just in case they need a set of fresh threads.
19. Eating Utensils
Many daycare facilities will have utensils on hand, but you may still want to provide your own. Give them a wash in the evening so you can drop off your toddler with a clean set every day.
20. Food Containers
Whether you’re dropping your toddler off with their own fresh fruits for snacktime or a healthy meal for lunch, food storage is a daily necessity.
21. Medications (If Necessary)
If your toddler needs to take medications during the day, don’t forget to re-up every morning. If you keep a larger supply in your daily bag, be sure to check it the night before to ensure they’ve got the meds they need for the next day!
22. Personalized Nap Mat
Make sure your little one is as comfy as can be with a personalized nap mat. Monogrammed with their name and featuring their favorite colors and fun prints, they’ll be excited to roll it out during nap time!
23. Personalized Backpack
From lunch to craft supplies to handmade artwork, there’s plenty for your toddler to carry to and from daycare everyday. Make sure they’ve got somewhere to store it all with a personalized backpack!
Seasonal Daycare Essentials
While many of your daycare essentials will stay the same year-round, you might consider a few extra seasonal items depending on what time of year it is.
Spring & Summer
Is there a chance of your little one playing in a pool during the warmer months? Even if they just go outside to see a little more daylight this time of year, remember to pack these swim-season essentials for babies and toddlers:
- Extra sunscreen
- Swimsuit
- Towel
- Sunhat
- Water-friendly diapers
- Water shoes
- UV-protection shirts
Fall & Winter
As the cooler weather rolls in, you’ll want to make sure your baby or toddler stays bundled up with these warm layers:
- Scarf
- Extra jacket or sweater
- Extra swaddle or blanket
- Snowshoes
- Insulated socks
- Beanie
Preparing for the First Day of Daycare
First off, be prepared for a mix of emotions as you prepare to drop off your baby at their new home away from home. Whether a supplemental care option is a relief, a bittersweet reminder of time you’ll spend apart or something in between, whatever you feel is completely normal!
Once you’ve toured the facility and met the staff and are ready for day one, here are a few things you can do to prepare your baby or toddler:
- Build in extra time to your morning to load up your little one.
- Get there at least ten minutes early (if not more) to answer any questions they have—or ask your own.
- Pack as much as you can the night before so you’re ready to head out first thing in the morning.
- Double-check your diaper bag checklist to ensure nothing gets left out.
- Label food, clothes and bags.
- Assure your kiddo that they’re going to have a blast and that you’ll be reunited soon!
Still not quite ready for that first day? Here are a couple more tips on labeling personal items.
How to Label Clothes for Daycare
Since you’ll be sending your baby or toddler with some extra clothes, you’ll want to ensure nothing gets mixed up if they need changing. Here are a few quick labeling tips to keep track of everything:
- Remember to label both the spare pieces and the clothes they’re already wearing.
- The easiest way to label clothes is by writing your kiddo’s name directly on any blank portions of the care tags with a permanent marker.
- If there are no blank spots on the care tags, try attaching blank stickers with their name written clearly on them.
- If there are no care tags, you can attach stick-on name tags on the outside. Just remember to remove them before laundering!
How to Label Bottles for Daycare
Chances are, your daycare center has their own rules about bottle labeling. While you should always default to “house” rules, there are a few tips that could help the staff keep your baby’s bottles straight.
- Use labels with distinctive colors or shapes so they stand out visually.
- Remember, bigger is almost always better when it comes to labeling. You want the name to be as visible as possible!
- Opt for durable options that you can be confident will stay put all day long.
- Try to stick to waterproof label options, and write with smear-proof markers or pens.
- Keep it sustainable if possible! Look for reusable alternatives to disposable labels.
- Consider getting personalized bottles or applying permanent labels or decals
Daycare Essentials Checklist
There you have it! These daycare essentials and tips should help prepare you (and your little one) for the first big day. To recap, here’s our daycare supply list of daily and weekly must-haves for both babies and toddlers.
For Infants
Weekly Daycare Essentials
- Spare Diapers
- Baby Skin Care Items
- Wipes
- Crib Bedding
- Sleep Sack or Swaddle
- Extra Formula (Optional)
Daily Daycare Essentials
- Milk
- Onesie Change
- Pacifier
- Spare Burp Cloths or Drool Bibs
For Toddlers
Weekly Daycare Essentials
- Favorite Stuffed Cuddle Buddy
- Sunscreen
- Hooded Towel
- Emotional Support Blanky
- Spare Diapers or Training Pants and Changing Supplies
Daily Daycare Essentials
- Sippy Cups
- Snacks
- Change of Clothes
- Eating Utensils
- Food Containers
- Medications (If Necessary)