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Your Baby’s Starting Daycare—Here’s What to Pack
Your Baby’s Starting Daycare—Here’s What to Pack

Your Baby’s Starting Daycare—Here’s What to Pack

Bottles, diapers, nap gear and more: here’s what you may want to pack for your baby or toddler’s first day.

author-Briana Engelbrecht
By Briana Engelbrecht
Updated On
Updated On
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In This Article

A daycare bag 
Labels for everything
Bottles, feeding + lunch gear
Diaper changes + potty time
Nap + sleep gear
Spare clothes for spills, blowouts and everything else
Outdoor gear for any weather
Printable daycare checklist

Before I was an editor at Babylist, I was a preschool teacher with a background in early childhood development, where I oversaw classroom setup, curriculum planning and intake sessions with parents. I’m also a parent of two who has sent both of my kids to daycare. Between my time in the classroom and packing daycare bags for my own kids, I’ve seen firsthand just how much stuff a small person can need for a day at daycare.

To help you figure out your packing list, I also talked to other parents on the Babylist team. I learned that no two daycare packing setups looked quite the same, so before you start filling a backpack, check what your center provides and what they’ll ask you to send from home. (What you pack will also depend on whether you have a baby or toddler.) Every program is a little different, but we’ve rounded up the gear that can help make daycare days—and getting out the door—a little easier.

A daycare bag 

A designated daycare bag or backpack can make daily drop-offs and pickups a little easier. You can use any bag you already have, an extra diaper bag, or choose a small, child-sized backpack that’s just for daycare. Keeping it stocked with the basics—and checking it daily to make sure you’re not running out of anything—also means there’s less to gather before you head out the door.

Labels for everything

Classrooms are full kid stuff that all looks pretty similar, and that’s where labels with your child's name on them make it a lot easier to keep track of what’s yours. And you’ll probably need more than you think. (You’ll also be able to use them for years to come.) Ask your daycare what needs to be labeled and what information they require, then plan to label things like bottles, food containers, pacifiers, clothing, nap gear and your daycare bag. Waterproof labels are handy for anything that regularly gets washed.

Bottles, feeding + lunch gear

The feeding supplies you’ll send to daycare depend on your baby’s age, how they’re fed and what the program provides. If your baby takes bottles at daycare, ask exactly how your program wants them prepared, labeled and stored. Some daycares may ask you to send fully prepared bottles, while others have different guidelines for breast milk or formula. 

Knowing the rules ahead of time will help you figure out whether you need to pack things like bottles, breast milk storage containers, formula or a bottle cooler. You may also want to send bibs and burp cloths if your daycare doesn’t provide them.

For toddlers who will be eating meals and snacks at daycare, check whether your program provides food or asks you to pack it from home. If you’re packing food, ask about any allergy or food restrictions for the classroom and make sure your daycare knows about any food allergies your child has. A lunch box and easy-to-pack food containers can help keep everything together.

Diaper changes + potty time

Diapers are probably one of the more obvious supplies your daycare may ask you to send. If you’re providing them, your program will let you know how they want them labeled and stored—and when it’s time to restock. Wipes can be a bit more variable. When I was a preschool teacher, our program provided wipes, but families could send their own if they had a preference. When my kids started daycare, their program asked families to contribute a large pack a few times a year. (The takeaway: Ask about both before you stock up.) Each child should also have their own tube of diaper rash cream labeled with their name. 

For toddlers, it’s also worth checking your daycare’s potty-training policy. Some programs or classrooms may require children to be potty trained before they start. Others will work with kids who are still learning, while some may expect families to handle potty training at home. Ask how your daycare approaches potty training and what they’d like you to send, which may include pull-on diapers or training pants, extra underwear and a few extra changes of clothes for accidents.

Nap + sleep gear

What your child needs for naps at daycare depends on their age and the program’s sleep setup. For babies, ask what—if anything—you should send from home. Some programs may ask families to provide an approved sleep sack, crib sheet or other specific nap supplies.

If you need to send a crib sheet, ask your daycare for the exact size before you buy or pack one. Daycare cribs and sleep surfaces may be different sizes than the crib you use at home, so the sheets you already have may not fit.

Older toddlers and preschoolers may have a different setup, such as a cot or nap mat. Depending on the program, you may be asked to send a nap mat, blanket or other age-appropriate comfort item, while some daycares provide and wash their own nap supplies. Check before you buy so you know exactly what can come from home.

And if your child uses a pacifier for naps, send a few extras, too.

Spare clothes for spills, blowouts and everything else

Daycare gets messy. Between feeding, blowouts, accidents and art projects, I vividly remember picking up my kids looking like they’d had a very full day. Packing a change of clothes (or two) is usually a good idea. My favorite hack: pack a spare outfit in a gallon-size zip-top plastic bag or wet/dry bag. When dirty clothes come home, they can go right back into the bag for easy transport. (I also learned to keep a bottle of Miss Mouth’s stain spray handy for tackling especially messy days.)

Outdoor gear for any weather

Outdoor time is part of the routine at many daycares, even when the weather is less than perfect. Ask your program what seasonally appropriate gear they’d like you to send, whether that’s a sun hat, rain jacket or extra layer for chilly days. It’s also worth checking their sunscreen policy if your baby is six months and older—some programs may ask you to apply it before drop-off while others may have you send a labeled bottle they can apply before heading outside.

Printable daycare checklist

Daycare packing list.

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