Whether it’s time for a family road trip, or you’re heading a little farther afield, you need to make sure you’ve packed the necessities. As we all know, travelling with a small child requires more than we’d like to carry.

As well as some really nice-looking and simple solutions, I’ve included a couple of ways to reduce the payload and make the journey just a little easier.

I went to my local Buy Buy Baby store to pick up a few things that will see us through our camping trip, my daughter’s first time at pre-school, and our upcoming flight for a first family vacation in a long time.

Travelling with a toddler – the shopping list

Featured:

1. Planet Wise Medium Roll-Down Wet Bag, 2. Potette® Plus 2-in-1 Travel Potty and Trainer Seat, 3. SKIP*HOP® Mealtime Kit, 4. Brica® Smart Shade™, 5. phil&teds® Lobster Black High Chair, 6. BRITAX Car Seat Travel Cart, 7.Babyganics® 100-Count Fragrance-Free Face, Hand Baby Wipes, 8. J.L. Childress Gate Check Travel Bag for Car Seats, 9. Baby Banz earBanZ Hearing Protection, 10. SKIP*HOP® Unicorn Zoo Safety Harness Backpack, 11. Melissa & Doug® Basic Skills Placemat Set

1. This ‘wet bag’ will keep the rest of your stuff dry when you have to store either wet clothes, used towels, or anything else you’d rather kept separate.
2. Potty accidents aren’t good for anyone, so having a training/travel seat is super useful. We let our daughter pick the colour to give her a feeling of ownership.
3. We have two sets of these colourful containers. They’re really useful and fit nicely into their cool bag, which keeps fruit, veg, or any other snacks nice and fresh until lunchtime.
4. If you’re on a road trip, the last thing your kid wants is the hot sun in their eyes. Use this roll-down shade to help them out.
5. I love this chair. Instead of having to carry a booster seat or worry about looking for a highchair, this grips firmly onto the side of a table and will provide the perfect height for your child to sit and play with her food while you wished he/she would just eat what you made them!
6. Everything is heavy. Car seats are heavy. Toys are heavy. This is a trolley designed for giving your poor arms and back a rest. Just strap the child’s car seat to this and head to your departure gate.
7. I love Baby Organics. I know they’re not covered in harmful chemicals and they’re gentle enough to work on both ends!
8. If you’re checking your car seat, cover it up to avoid dust and scuff marks from the inside of the plane and through the mountain of suitcases.
9. Sometimes the plane or car is just too noisy for your child to sleep. These earmuffs are padded and will block out the majority of surrounding noise. FYI, there’s a parent-sized version available in case you need a break.
10. I mean come on, how cute is this little backpack? It’s great for your child to feel like a big boy or girl and carry a couple of their precious toys. It also has a little leash which can help you keep your kid nearby when you’re paying for car-snacks at the register.
11. These ‘basic skills’ placemats will give your child something to entertain and hopefully educate them. It’s basically homework, but if you make it a game, they’ll never know.

Children’s books – classics and new editions

When I walked around the store with the Langley, BC location’s Manager, Tara she explained how they encourage buying books rather than greeting cards. Gift givers should sign the book and leave a message and have it stay longer in the child’s first library.

As parents, we always ensure to read to our daughter every night as part of the bedtime routine. It’s important for learning language skills, recognizing new words and asking what they mean, as well as showing that it’s bedtime.

Daycare and Pre-school shopping list

Tara, the store’s Manager told me a few things that I had no idea my daughter would need, including the Muddy Buddy, which many daycares and pre-schools require for their outdoor adventures.

Everything your child brings to their new classroom has to be labelled. Luckily, Buy Buy Baby has you covered for those too. They have waterproof sticky labels which can safely get washed without the names running off.

Ideally, your child should be potty trained or almost there before sending him/her off to school. Buy Buy Baby has books and these super cute miniature toilets to make the process fun (for the kids), but they also have classes and groups that happen in their event schedule. Head to your local store or give them a call to see what’s going on.

Hot Christmas Items – 2018-19

I just had to ask, what does Tara, an expert in kids’ retail, predict would be the hot sellers this Christmas season? ‘Starshine, the Bright Lights Unicorn’ is going to be popular, especially with how hot everything Unicorn is right now.

Starshine, the Bright Lights Unicorn – Christmas bestseller prediction

It looks like Vtech and Leap Frog are going to have a big year. They’ve updated a few classics, like the sit-to-stand learning centers, which are perfect for tummy-time to fully standing stages.

A staple toy in our house is the doctor kit. We’re always having little check-ups and making sure all her stuffed toys are in optimal health. This is bound to be another great-seller, especially for those who want their kids to support them in later life!

Obviously, there is so much more to Buy Buy Baby than I’ve covered here and it’s a must-visit for anyone looking to register for a baby shower, or for stocking up on necessities. There are also lots more on the website, but it’s always worth a trip to the store first to take a closer look.

This post was sponsored by Buy Buy Baby. Shop online (US) (Canada), or find your local store here (US) or (Canada).