After spending nearly every single day together, the time has finally arrived for your toddler’s big daycare send-off. Whether you’ve been dreading or looking forward to this day, most moms can agree this is a milestone that affects the whole family, including the child, parents, grandparents—heck, even the dog. On top of this huge life change, you now have to think about what daycare essentials you’ll send with your toddler on their first day away.
We mamas don’t tend to do well when we have to relinquish control, much less when it comes to the safety of our babies. And it can get even more stressful when you’re considering what to pack for daycare. Well, your digital mom friends are here to reassure you. While your worries are always valid, your kiddo is in capable, caring hands.
Now let’s alleviate the pressure of packing that backpack for their first time in daycare. Here are 10 daycare essentials that will help your child with this transition.
First and foremost, snacks. My son can’t leave the house without his emotional support snacks in hand, even if it’s a five minute drive to the car wash. The Little Brainiac Organic Pouches from Brainiac Foods are conveniently packaged and offer little ones a brain boost, promote eye health, and help build immunity. With flavors like apple carrot banana, apple pumpkin cinnamon, and apple spinach pear, it’s almost impossible to strike out when finding a fruit pouch combo your kiddo will love. Best of all, they have as much Choline as nearly two cups of broccoli, which is a win in our book. Use code 20EVERYMOM to get 20% off your purchase on Amazon and the Brainiac Foods site! Messes are inevitable with kids, especially when they're surrounded by 20 other tiny humans. Packing extra clothes with their names labeled on them is a must. In efforts to reduce the amount of times they change outfits, bibs are always a good idea. These silicone bibs are functional and adorable. Bento boxes are an easy way to divide up their meals and ensure nothing spills while going to and from daycare. Also, consider drawing a cute little picture for them to see when they open up their lunch box. These sippy cups are a staple in our house. We've used them for over a year and have had minimal leaks no matter how many times our toddler throws them. If that's not reason enough to buy one, I don't know what is. This soft photo book is a great way to send a little piece of home with your little. Although nothing is as good as the real thing, photos of mom and dad can definitely help with the separation. Divide up snacks with these silicone zip containers. They are spill-proof and convenient when stuffing additional items in an already full backpack. If your kiddo sleeps with a lovey at home, then it may help to get them a second one for daycare naps as well. This way you won't have to worry about them losing their favorite bedtime buddy. Sunscreen is essential for outdoor play or walks around the daycare center. This mineral sunscreen has SPF 50, no fragrance, and is hypoallergenic, which is perfect for those sensitive skin babes.Little Brainiac Organic Pouches
5-Pack of Cotton Shirts
Silicone Bib
Bento Style Kids Lunchbox
Spill-Proof Sippy Cup
Soft Photo Book
Baby Snack Container
Moon Lovey
Mineral Sunscreen
This post was in partnership with Brainiac Foods, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board. We only recommend products we genuinely love.