Now that El is super active we love taking him to the park. Last week my husband made the trip solo and brought enough gear to pitch camp for a car load of toddlers! I was so impressed I thought I would compile a list of items we love to use for when you decide to head to the park.
For easy viewing, I split up the list into three categories, What to bring, What to wear, and How to pack the snacks.
For links to the items, click on the gold text or pictures.
What to bring
Carriers
If you are chasing a toddler around the jungle gym while also balancing a newborn you NEED a carrier! Most carriers should be tried on, I would choose one based on personal fit and preference. These two carriers are great for warm weather as they are both made with mesh material for easy air flow. My husband likes this carrier but I prefer this one. If you are wanting to walk from your house to the park, we absolutely LOVE using a backpack carrier. I would HIGHLY recommend you get this one. Worth every penny!
Sun Shade
Sun shade is essential for a day at the park, especially during the summer. These pop up tents are so easy to put up, it only requires one person! If you are on a budget and don’t need to create an enclosed play place, I would recommend this tent. If you are willing to spend a little more for that extra security, try this one.
Portable Highchair
Lets be honest, pre-toddlers move A LOT, even when food is involved! This highchair is amazing, especially if you are camping, chilling at the pool, or going to a friend’s backyard BBQ.
Fold-able Blanket
If you don’t want to bring along a tent, you just need a tree and a blanket. You can’t beat the size of this blanket, it can fit in your hand when folded up. If you want a little more plush and an extra large size, go for this one.
Stroller Fan
After a busy day at the park, wouldn’t it be nice for the baby to chill in the stroller with a nice breeze keeping him cool? This fan, is fantastic because the battery lasts 40 hours! Can’t beat that!!
What to wear
Hat
There are three types of hats that we absolutely love for El, all offer SPF coverage, which is so important. For water play and neck coverage I use this hat. If your toddler refuses to wear hats, baseball caps are actually a nice option. If you want a more formal option, this hat is also great.
Sunglasses
Eye protection is just as important as sun screen. We love these glasses because they have a strap which makes taking the glasses off a little harder.
Outfit
When we go to the park, El loves to crawl around in the grass while exploring all of the acorns in the dirt. So I try, laundry pending, to dress him in durable dark clothing. These shorts, shirts, and shoes are perfect for a deal. If you want something a little nicer and more durable, these shorts, shirts, and shoes are also great.
Sunscreen
We use two sunscreens with El, Aveeno and Neutrogena. We have found both are good for his skin and protect him from getting burned. It should be mentioned, since both are made of zinc (which is perfect for babies) they go on REALLY REALLY white, but with some elbow grease your baby won’t look like a ghost!
Wet Bag
Getting dirty is inevitable! We like to separate El’s dirty clothes from his clean ones. This bag is a necessity, especially if your little one likes to get wet in the city fountain!
Let’s pack some snacks
Cooler
I never knew a cooler could look like a backpack. While on vacation in South Carolina, we were able to pack a beach picnic lunch for 6 adults and a baby using this super convenient cooler. For a trip to the park, this is also a perfect size that allows you to separate the items that need to be chilled.
Water bottles
Since you need plenty of water while you are out in the sun, it is very important to have water bottles for the little ones and adults too. We use reusable sippy cups with El. This one is game changer! It has a weighted straw so no matter if El is tipping his cup, he can still get some water. If you are looking for a water bottle that keeps water cold, we just purchased this one and love it!
If you are looking for convenience, you might want to try this since it screws directly to a plastic water bottle.
Snack Storage
We are trying to use less single use plastic now that we have El. These snack bags can be used for sandwiches, chips, and yummy cookies!
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