I myself am a fairly minimalist person — I pack light, I don’t shop out of boredom, I don’t have doubles of house hold items…you get the point.  Kids are a game changer though, and we find even a trip to the park requires packing for.  We’ve gone so far as keeping a checklist next to the door on this trip so that we don’t get a kilometre away and realize we’ve forgotten something major.

Here’s what we’re bringing with us each time we leave the house!  Jeepers, eh?

Mec Crag-X Daypack – big enough for everything we need, small enough to slip under the stroller. Its size also forces us to not overpack, keeping the weight down.

Kleen Kanteen Insulated Classic 20 oz. – we keep boiled water in here to fill a jug and submerge Tom’s formula bottle for heating when we’re on the go. Keeps liquids hot for 20 hours!

S’well Bottle in Teakwood 17 oz. – we keep Tom’s formula in here. Always nice and cold, and while S’well doesn’t guarantee dairy products, the ol’ sniff test tells me it’s never spoiled in the two years we’ve used it.

CamelBak Eddy Kids Insulated Water Bottle, 12 oz. – Henry loves this bottle and Tyler loves that it doesn’t spill!

Nestle Good Start 1 Ready to Feed Formula, 8.5 oz. – no mixing, no messing, just dump it in a sterile bottle, warm it up, and keep on keeping on.  For “just in case” scenarios like we accidentally knock the S’well over, Tom drinks more than we expect, or we’re having a great time and just want to stay out longer.

Phillips Avent Baby Bottle, 9 oz. – Tom’s bottle of choice.

One Step Sanitizing Wipes – because… toddlers.

Bumkins Waterproof Bib – when we are brave enough to try a restaurant, this bib is a must!

Receiving Blanket – no explanation required.

Chaos Multi Tubular Headwear – When you embrace “long live long haired boys,” you need a headband. Also doubles as a second cloth if needed (usually needed!).

Backup Outfits – for both boys, in a heavy duty ziplock, which comes in handy for the soiled clothes we’ve changed.

Sunscreen – if I can see without a flashlight, you know I’ve got my sunscreen on.

Skip Hop Change Pad – change a bum any place, any time.

Baby Wipes – even when our boys don’t need them anymore, I don’t think we will ever stop carrying baby wipes with us. So handy!

Diapers- Three for each boy.

iPad Mini – loaded with 150 episodes of Peppa Pig.

Toys – Tom’s rattle and a few dinky cars for Henry.

Children’s Liquid Gravol – the suspension in our Defender seems to be specifically designed to empty Henry’s stomach on a regular basis.

Deflated Beachball – loads of fun, anywhere you want!

Snacks – because just like his mum, and her mum before her, no one wants a run in with hangry Henry.

So there you have it!  Have I missed anything that you rely on?  I’d love to hear what you pack on outings with your kiddies!

J xo