A few weeks ago I wrote about finding licensed childcare in Hamilton. Hopefully you’ve found a spot for your little one, and if you like to be super prepared like I do, you’re probably wondering “what do I need to send with baby to daycare?” After having my little guy in daycare for seven months and across three seasons, I feel like I’ve fine tuned what I send with him to make his days at daycare more comfortable. I’ve divided my list into general and seasons because what a baby or toddler will need varies at different times of the year!
General Backpack or bag— You’ll need something to carry milk, snacks and other things to daycare each day. What I’ve found that works well for us is a little backpack, and then I leave a larger cloth shopping bag in his cubby for days where we need to bring home items that are wet or need laundering. I wanted a small backpack that my little guy could wear on his own when we are travelling, and I looked for one with a “leash” that would be handy for controlling him in the parking lot or in airports, etc. I decided on the Skip Hop Zoo Safety Harness Bee. I love that it’s modern, simple and adorable! It’s big enough to fit three of his four ounce bottles and the matching water bottle inside. This backpack is clearly a popular choice, as we see kids leaving each day with the ladybug, monkey, owl and other versions. It’s like a cute little parade of animals.
Labels— Labeling baby’s belongings was definitely the most annoying part of preparing him for daycare. I wasn’t a fan of the price of the personalized labels that you can order online, so I initially opted for washable labels that you can write on yourself. The do-it-yourself labels were inexpensive and have worked really well inside his outdoor wear and shoes. I don’t really bother labeling his clothing anymore because I don’t have that much time, and it’s unlikely that it will get lost. Labeling milk and water bottles on the other hand was a challenge! I went through weeks of making labels that would wash and peel off. We tried Sharpie directly on the bottles, we tried masking tape, we tried a label maker… it all ended with me pulling my hair out because baby’s name never stayed on the bottles!
Then one day an ad popped up on my Instagram for Nomi+Sibs personalized, reusable labels. Within a few minutes of visiting their site I was convinced and ordered a set of personalized teal labels, which they shipped for free. I literally haven’t looked back! We have enough for all of the bottles we send with him each day, and I love that their use will carry on well into his school and extra-curricular years. The labels have gotten tons of comments and inquiries at daycare because they’re so simple and make so much sense! Nomi+Sibs provided me with a promo code to share with you to save you the headache of labeling and re-labeling your little one’s bottles! Head on over to their website and use the promo code raisinghamilton when checking out to save 25% off your entire order! They currently come in 6 modern colours and I’ve heard word that we’ll be seeing some new colours in the near future!
Sleep Sack— Our little guy wears a sleep sack to bed in the fall, winter and spring, but I find that at day-care he needs one year-round. In the summer he wears a sleep sack during naps at daycare because he is only dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, compared to the full length sleepers he wears at home. I’ve fine tuned the sleep sack situation for daycare by buying a lightweight, 0.5 TOG cotton sleep sack which is great for when he’s dressed for summer and when he’s dressed in heavier clothes in the winter. My favourite sleep sack is the Halo Innovations SleepSack because they come in many sizes, including toddler sizes, and they’re relatively inexpensive so I’m not too worried if they get lost at daycare.
Winter
Snow Suit— In Ontario, daycares are mandated to provide two hours of outdoor activity daily for children who attend for more than 6 hours, weather permitting. Of course the children don’t go outside when it’s extremely cold, but on most days our little guy went for a morning and afternoon stroller or wagon ride during the winter. It was especially important to have warm clothing for him at daycare for these walks, so we bought an infant bunting snowsuit that had removable mitts and booties from Baby Gap. I felt confident that when he was out on walks he would be nice and toasty!
Neck Warmer— In addition to the snowsuit, I found that baby would come home with chapped, red cheeks for the first little while. My sister suggested a neckwarmer to keep his little cheeks covered where the snowsuit’s hood and neck didn’t reach, and it definitely helped. You can find inexpensive neckwarmers at places like Old Navy!
Moccasins or Slippers— I took baby to daycare in the winter in his moccasins. He wasn’t walking outdoors, so he didn’t need full-on winter boots, and the moccasins were nice and flexible so he could wear them right inside his snowsuit for a little extra warmth. Although I adore Freshly Picked and Minimoc moccasins, I can’t justify the cost, so I was super pleased to find someone who makes moccasins and sells them in my hometown.
Summer
I’ve discussed my favourite sun care products like Think Baby sunscreen as well as things like bucket hats in my post about baby sun care. Head over and check it out when you have a chance! Basically, I bought duplicates of everything and sent a set to daycare so his teachers can keep him safe while he’s out in the sun.
Summer Shoes— I find that sandals are too difficult for my toddler to walk in, and yet socks and shoes are too hot for his little feet in the summer. Additionally, they often have sand and water play on the playground in the summer, so I wanted something that was easily washable and that would dry really quickly. I looked at various options and wound up choosing the absolutely adorable Stride Rite made2play Phibian baby sneaker sandal. They are flexible, easy to get on and off even if his feet are wet because of the tongue and velcro closure, and they’ve held up well after hours of play and several cycles in the washing machine. I’ll definitely be considering the Big Kids version when he’s a little older!
Other Helpful Items
Dishwasher Basket— The Boon Clutch has become especially useful since baby started daycare. When he first started he burned through up to 6 bottles a day between home and daycare, and by the end of a long day at work and then getting him down to bed I didn’t have the time or energy to wash bottles. The Boon Clutch is perfect because we throw all the nipples and rings into the clutch, and line up all the bottles in the dishwasher, so all that’s left are the caps to wash in the sink. Such a time saver, and I feel great about the fact that the bottles are well sanitized by the dishwasher’s heat.
Photo Album— Before my little guy started daycare, a friend whose baby had recently started said she made up a little photo album to send to daycare with pictures of family, friends and pets. I went to a dollar store, got a little album with clear pages, and printed off maybe 20 photos and labelled them so the teachers would be able to look through the book with him and talk to him about familiar things as he became used to his new environment. The teachers loved the idea and other parents seemed to embrace the idea as well. Now many of the little ones at daycare have their own albums, which they use all the time!
As you can see, there’s not a huge amount of stuff you need to send to daycare, especially if meals are provided for your little one. I hope my list above has helped you to prepare and would love to hear about any other items you’ve found to be essential or helpful!
I have provided my honest opinion on the products mentioned in this post and have not been paid and have not received anything for mentioning them.
Commentaires