What do you pack for your toddler...

Petals & Pixie Dust

DIS Veteran
Joined
Dec 22, 2007
...other than snacks and toys...obviously clothes...and diapers...

Ok beside the essentials...

I'm thinking take and toss utensils, sippy cups (how many? Do you clean them in the sink at the resort at night?)

What has been a huge godsend? What did you wish you didn't pack???

TIA
 
Petals & Pixie Dust said:
...other than snacks and toys...obviously clothes...and diapers...

Ok beside the essentials...

I'm thinking take and toss utensils, sippy cups (how many? Do you clean them in the sink at the resort at night?)

What has been a huge godsend? What did you wish you didn't pack???

TIA

My DD was 2.5 and we packed a couple take n toss sippy cups and a couple insulated cups for the parks (the Thermos brand are awesome... keeps liquid cold for 8 hours or something like that). We also brought a lunch box and ice packs for bottled water and perishable snacks for the parks. The Dollar Store had small Disney figurines and those were easy to throw in a bag and take them to restaurants to play with while we were waiting. Crayons and a coloring book were also awesome for the same purpose.
 
When traveling I always bring a small container of dishsoap (I use one of those cheap 3 oz bottles you can buy in the travel section) as you will likely end up washing something.

Binkie, toy, cup tethers. These can be used on a stroller, baby carrier, ect.

I always bring any/all medications that my son may need. Nothing worse than having your child wake up sick in the middle of the night and not having medicine right on hand.

As far as cups, I bring whatever my son is comfortable with using. We don't buy anything really expensive so I wouldn't be heartbroken if it gets lost, but I don't want anything that he has a hard time drinking out of either. I do bring Take & Toss utensils and generally wash them in the room, but if they get lost it is no big deal. The plastic forks & spoons used at QS places can break too easily to be used by a toddler.

I tend to bring an almost favorite blanket or snuggly as I don't want the main one lost, but we definitely need something.
 
We went when YDD was 9 months and going back she will be 2.5.

Take and Toss cups, spoon/forks and empty containers (we put snacks and leftover food in them)

Sippy Cup Strap - it was AWESOME cause we didn't loose a single cup! We dripped some water (we only put water in sippies - any juice she just drank out of our cups with a straw)

Toy straps for the stroller - a few small toys were strapped but we also ended up strapping shoes after they had been kicked off or for naps

Towel Clips/mini vice clips/clothes pins - use them to attach a lightweight blanket over the stroller if they fall asleep - keep the sun off them!



We travel really light. We didn't take hardly any toys/colouring books etc. At sit down meals we offer up our cell to keep them amused (since they don't get it very often it is a BIG treat!)
 
Here is my list for what to pack in my "in the park" bag.

Change of clothes
PJs
Diapers and wipes
Changing pad
Straw Sippy Cup with Water in it
Horizen milk (In the cartons)
Container with Cheerios and Goldfish (maybe other snacks too)
Yogurt (he is a yogurt lover for travel I get the Gerber that doesnt need refrigerated)
Small toy
Small Blanket (for naptime)
Pacifier (if he is still napping with it when we go)
Sunblock
Bathing Suit
Swim Diaper
Our Camera
(room key, wallet, stuff for us)

Ponchos?
Might take Jackets if it is cold
 
this is what was in mine:


goldfish in indiv. snack sizes
water bottle that had a nozzle on the top that you push down/pull up
bubbles
Sunscreen
Hat
Diapers
change of clothes w/ extra socks and shoes
Jacket
Stroller with a fan clipped to it
 


We eat out a lot and I won't leave the house without Wet Ones and disposable plastic placemats. You can get Disney brand or store brand are just as good. This is what we get: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12577267

The nice thing about these is they have a sticky on the back so it's won't blow away and it's harder for the child to pull it up. We have a ritual that when DS is "All done" he can help pull it up at that point - but only if we are also all done. They are also really handy in a pinch if you don't have a changing mat available.
 
Tide to go Pen. Those Mickey bars sure can make a mess out of a cute Mickey or Minnie shirt. We found this out the hard way! ;)
 
Lot of things already mentioned.

Cups. for a week, I would get two packs of the toss sippy cups. We would rewash in the room, but if he had milk during the day in one, we would toss.

Diapers/wipes/ disposable changing pads (ALWAYS when we traveled in diapers), and a good rash cream. Even kids that never get chafed sometimes do traveling. Bags for dirty diapers in room or park.

Good stroller with shade, drink holders and a basket. A chain to attach sippy cup is also good.

Any toddler meds, a thermometer, your doctors number, pedialite, crackers, paper towels, trash bags and extra PJ's. There have been a few times we trashed some PJ's in the middle of the night!!!

A few travel toys and a few different room toys. We make room for toys because we all need some down time in the room.

Bedtime story books

All his normal hygiene stuff

A plan on where he will sleep and maybe his own blanket or pillow.

Sunglasses and a floppy hat and lots of sunscreen.
More than 1 bathing suit. Kid hate putting on a wet one!!

A few snacks...more if he is picky and will not eat off your plate. A few healthy breakfast foods for the room.
 
We just got back from Disneyland and took these things for our DD 2 1/2.

Sippy Cup-one of the cheapy ones from walmart, we only used this for milk in the mornings it only left the hotel once. Once in the park she drank a lot of ice water either from our water bottles or from the cups with staws.

Small 3oz bottle of dish detergent-for washing the sippy out.

2 Blankies-one personal favorite that did not leave the hotel room and one lighter weight one that we used as a cover for extra shade or a light blanket for her naps.

2 stuffed toys-One for the park and one for the hotel. Though truth be told after the first day she carried around the little princess minnie we bought the first day.

Lots of extra ziplock bags for messes or wet clothing.

I brought and outfit for each day and then three extra for just in case-we wound up using all of them.

Pull ups-she's potty trained for the day so we just used these at night for her

Lot's of underwear and socks

2 hats, sunscreen and a pair of sunglasses

Toiletries-tooth brush, tooth paste, shampoo, loofah.

Things we brought but didn't really need:
Coloring book and crayons-this worked for us as the sit down restaurants we stayed at gave her crayons and something to draw on and we were a large group so at the quick service there was always someone to keep her entertained.

Once we arrived we picked up banana's, granola bars and soy milk to keep in the room and use as snacks. We bought one of the power packs and it lasted us a day and a half with all the little treats in it as she couldn't eat the whole thing in one sitting but she's light eater.

Things I wish I had remembered to grab:
Pedialyte-it was on my list but did not get packed, we really could have used it as an incentive to drink more water as DD doens't get many flavored drinks.
 
At that age, disposable bibs with a pocket on them. Kids are so much cuter in the photos when there are no ketchup stains all over them.
 
Depends on the age of the toddler, but at a very young age I loved those sticky placemats someone mentioned, and disposable bibs are great (I don't mind having to bring home dirty laundry but wet, soggy bibs? No thanks). We also bought a small "pack-it" cooler bag (DS wanted one for his school lunch) so we'll probably bring that for some cool snacks (on a hot day I'd much rather have grapes than goldfish).
 
I liked pull-ups or the Slip-on diapers. They made it easy to change my daughter in the stall with me instead of always using the changing tables.

Something I learned on here before our trip...
I took a couple of sponges and cut in to pieces, one for each day. I put a little dish detergent on each section of sponge, and let them dry, then put in a ziploc. Each day I would use one section of sponge to wash that days sippy cup, then just threw away the sponge.
 
I liked pull-ups or the Slip-on diapers. They made it easy to change my daughter in the stall with me instead of always using the changing tables.

Something I learned on here before our trip...
I took a couple of sponges and cut in to pieces, one for each day. I put a little dish detergent on each section of sponge, and let them dry, then put in a ziploc. Each day I would use one section of sponge to wash that days sippy cup, then just threw away the sponge.

That sponge trick is really, really nifty. Definitely using that one in September.
 
Regarding swimming, in addition to swim suit, we also use a swim shirt, which helps prevent sunburn and also helps keep him warm if water or air a bit chilly. We also use swim shoes for toddlers (like what a scuba diver would wear, not flip flops) - and me too. Also don't forget hat and sunglasses - do we see a pattern here? We also brought our own stroller - maclaren umbrella stroller - decent sun visor, not too bulky, but also pretty comfortable.
 
I was definitely going to post about the sponge trick. It was AWESOME on our last trip. My very crafty mom was really impressed with what I had found online :) I pre-soaked 1 sponge with dawn and let it dry for like 24 hours before cutting it into 8 pieces and placing it in a ziplock. Worked awesome for washing the cups out.

I usually take the Take and Toss straw cups. Then I just throw them out by the end of the trip, saving 1 empty for the plane. DD is older (almost 3) and can use smaller real utensils, so I haven't packed those - although I did last fall for our cruise.

Wet wipes, or just a package of regular wipes, are essential and not just for potty/diapers!

For entertainment, we brought a couple of small toys, but we bought her a big mylar balloon when we got to MK. That entertained her the rest of the weekend :)
 
Once we arrived we picked up banana's, granola bars and soy milk to keep in the room and use as snacks. We bought one of the power packs and it lasted us a day and a half with all the little treats in it as she couldn't eat the whole thing in one sitting but she's light eater.

Things I wish I had remembered to grab:
Pedialyte-it was on my list but did not get packed, we really could have used it as an incentive to drink more water as DD doens't get many flavored drinks.

What are these power packs you speak of???
Doesn't pedialyte come packets like crystal lite???

At that age, disposable bibs with a pocket on them. Kids are so much cuter in the photos when there are no ketchup stains all over them.

DS hasn't worn a bib in forever...but you make a great point!

Depends on the age of the toddler, but at a very young age I loved those sticky placemats someone mentioned, and disposable bibs are great (I don't mind having to bring home dirty laundry but wet, soggy bibs? No thanks). We also bought a small "pack-it" cooler bag (DS wanted one for his school lunch) so we'll probably bring that for some cool snacks (on a hot day I'd much rather have grapes than goldfish).

Didn't think about the soft sided cooler...Do you get groceries when you are there?

Something I learned on here before our trip...
I took a couple of sponges and cut in to pieces, one for each day. I put a little dish detergent on each section of sponge, and let them dry, then put in a ziploc. Each day I would use one section of sponge to wash that days sippy cup, then just threw away the sponge
.

THIS. IS. A-MAZING! Thanks for sharing...

Ok so I'm starting to cringe...WHERE DO YOU PACK ALL OF THIS STUFF????
We are flying jetblue...and each get a 1 free bag...let's be honest, DS's clothes aren't going to take much space...but how did you get all of this to WDW and NOT go over the packing limit????
 
Both my kids love Crystal Light or the MIO's...so I buy a ton of them as they are liquid form and they are coming with us. We are going to bring water bottles to the parks and the Crystal Lights and Mio's and use those.

Thank your for all the tips. Leaving in 3 weeks with a 2 1/2 year old and the tips definitely help.
 

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