Minimalist Toddler Diaper Bag Essentials + FREE checklist PDF

Are you worried that you won’t have the things you need for your toddler when you leave the house? I know exactly how you feel, because I’ve been in your shoes not so long ago. 

I’m going to share my toddler diaper bag essentials with you today, and to make things even easier for you, I’ve created a FREE what’s in my diaper bag checklist PDF you can download and use right away.

For your convenience, I’ve divided the diaper bag checklist into sections: diaper changing, snacks & drinks and toys & others.

Are you in a hurry?
Here’s a quick list of what’s in my toddler’s diaper bag: 

• Nappies, wipes, changing mat, nappy rash cream
• Change of clothes, bibs or burp clothes
• Snacks such as biscuits, grapes, bananas, and water, juice or milk.
• A variety of toys 
• Sunscreen and hats for playtime under the sun.

What are the Toddler Diaper Bag Essentials?

Download the What’s in Diaper Bag checklist for toddlers PDF here.

This Toddler Diaper Bag Essentials PDF is part of my FREE Printables Vault for moms and kids. Just so you know, you’ll also get access to the entire vault when you want to download this diaper bag checklist.

Diaper Changing

When you’re packing what to keep in a diaper bag for your little explorer, every item counts towards comfort and happiness.

• Diapers – I usually take 1–3 nappies with us, depending on how long we are out of the house.
• Wipes – I love Water Wipes, we’ve been using them since day 1 and just can’t give up on them. Clean ingredients, perfect amount of moisture and don’t irritate my baby’s skin. That’s all I need! We’ve had unpleasant experiences with other brands. I have a subscription on Amazon for my wipes, which is great because I get a discounted price and I never run out of them.
• Changing mats – I discovered the washable changing pads recently, and I’m in love with them. I used to use the disposable ones, but I think the washable ones are more sustainable and safer for our Planet. 
• Diaper rash cream – just in case your toddler gets a diaper rash. Our favourite is Sudocrem (might be available only in the UK).
• Diaper bags – I always carry diaper bags with me, no matter where I go. Why? Because they eliminate the smell, plus I can use them for dirty clothes or food waste too! Great way of keeping your diaper bag clean at all times. I buy mine from Pound land, so they are super affordable.
• A change of clothes – make sure they actually fit your child, and they have to be weather appropriate. I am mentioning this, because this happened to me when my son was a baby. Clothes for my diaper bag no longer fit him because we didn’t need to use this extra set of clothes too often. So, I would always carry around clothes that wouldn’t fit him any more. I like to take an extra set of clothes just in case any accidents happen. He doesn’t have them anymore. But, you never know when you might actually need them.

Snacks & Drinks

This is the massive transition from a newborn to a toddler diaper bag. Since we started weaning (at around 5 months) I’ve never left the house without snacks and drinks.

I try to keep my son’s snacks as healthy as possible, so I include mostly fruits and biscuits. 

I also make sure to bring his favourite fruits that are not messy or very juicy. I don’t want him to be a total mess after he finishes eating.

• Banana, apple, grapes – I think these are his favourites fruits, plus they are not messy and very filling.
• Biscuits or Oats Bar – Biscuits are another favourite snacks. In terms of the oats bars, I always go for the ones from Ella’s Kitchen.
• Water – he drinks a lot of it, so I definitely need it on the go as well. Our favourite sippy cup is 360 Trainer Cup from Munchkin. It’s one of the best sippy cups out there that will help your little one learn how to drink from a glass later on.
• Homemade Juice – I am not always taking juice for him, but when we go out for the whole day, I like to treat him with a yummy juice made with homemade syrup (from real fruits) and water. His loves the blueberry one. Luckily, he doesn’t know other types of juices. Not sure for how long, though.
• Milk – this is optional for us. Since I stopped breastfeeding, my son doesn’t really drink much of it. The only way he drinks milk is if I combine it with something else, such as banana or biscuits.

📌 Related article: Gentle Night Weaning | How I Night Weaned my Baby?

Toys & Others

This section is all about entertainment on the go and some other bits and bobs. These are so useful, especially when you’re in the bus, or maybe you’re stuck in a queue running errands. 

Toddlers are known for their lack of patience, so toys are the best thing to keep them busy while you do what you have to do.

• Books – these are perfect for toddlers. They are bright and colourful, the perfect way to keep them busy.
• Singing toys – not sure if these are the best ones to take outside the house, but whenever you are on the road (not in a closed environment such as buses or buildings) these are another great way to keep them entertained. We are using the Music Player from Leap Frog – similar here. You can even sing too. My son loves it when I sing to him.
• Busy Book or Toy – these are referring to those books or toys that have a lot of different activities for your toddler to learn and play with. You can create your own or find a great one on Etsy. I absolutely adore these.  
• Flashcards – I love like flashcards. We have quite a few, and I love showing and teaching my son new words and images. Why not taking it on the go as well? Another great way to keep your toddler busy on a bus or something similar. Check out my FREE printable ABC flashcards.
• Bib – you definitely need one of these if you are planning on eating out.
• Burp Cloths – even if you are not breastfeeding anymore, burp cloths can be handy. You can use them for so many things, so in my opinion is a must-have in your diaper bag.
• Sunscreen and hats for playtime under the sun. We use the gentle SPF 50 from La Roche Posay.

📌 Related article: FREE Printable Alphabet Flashcards for Toddlers

Conclusion

That’s everything for our toddler diaper bag essentials when we are going out for more than a couple of hours. 

Don’t forget to download the diaper bag checklist PDF. I’m sure it’ll save you lots of time. 

If we’re travelling or staying overnight, it’s a different story. I’ll soon be travelling with my toddler abroad, so I plan on writing another article about Travelling Essentials for Toddlers, so definitely check it out if you’re planning to travel with your toddler anytime soon.

Now, it’s your turn! What’s in your diaper bag? What’s something you don’t leave the house without?

Feel free to share them in the comments, would love to hear from you!

Until next time, take care & stay beautiful!

Xx Kinga 

Frequently asked questions on the toddler diaper bag essentials

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