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Toddler Diaper Bag Essentials (What You Really Need)

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A list of 11 Toddler Diaper Bag Essentials to keep packed in your diaper bag at all times (because you never know when you will need them!).

I’m a mom of two toddlers sharing what you really need in your toddler diaper bag. What you pack in your diaper bag will likely change over time and the items you have for your newborn won’t be the same as the items you keep on hand when your baby grows into a toddler and preschooler.

The items you keep will depend on if your toddler is potty trained (diapers vs training pants vs undies) and also will change based on the season. I’m sharing our essentials that we keep in our diaper bag almost all year round!

Some of the items in this post are sponsored, but all of the thoughts and opinions are my own.

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Toddler Diaper Bag

First off, what toddler diaper bag do I use and love to pack up all of our toddler gear? Iniuniu Diaper Bag Backpack

We have a relatively cheap diaper bag that we got off amazon and have been loving it! It holds a ton, but it doesn’t feel too bulky to wear as a backpack or carry around. The handles on top make it easy to put through your arm and carry as a bag or in your hand. My husband also doesn’t mind wearing this around when we are out and about together! It’s cute, stylish, comfortable, and cleans well (it’s also held up for almost 2 years now)

Iniuniu Diaper Bag Backpack

Toddler Diaper Bag Essentials

  1. Extra Diapers: Hello Bello Diapers – I like to keep 3-4 diapers/training pants in our diaper bag at all times and add more if we are going on a full day outing. Our favorite are Hello Bello Diapers because they are plant-based, hypoallergenic, and super soft (plus you get a free baby product when you use their diaper bundle!). We also use and love the Hello Bello Training Pants for my older toddler. They love the prints and that you can mix and match and get a variety of prints each month.

  1. Extra Outfit: Primary TShirt – I keep one extra outfit (per kid) in our diaper bag and check regularly that it still fits and is appropriate for the season (don’t forget to pack extra socks too). For some reason I feel like the extra outfit will sit in there for months and then all of a sudden they will go through three in one week. If your toddler is potty trained I also keep a pair of underwear for them because accidents happen!

  1. Pack of Wipes: Hello Bello Wipes – i’ve tried different travel wipe containers, but nothing is worse than needing wipes while you are out and finding out that you forgot to refill your travel wipe container! That’s why I normally just throw in a whole pack of wipes; it lasts a long time and it’s easy to see when you are running low. Our favorites are Hello Bello Wipes!

  1. Snacks – it always seems like outings take longer than you expect with toddlers in tow and sometimes it runs into snack time. I always carry a few snacks in our diaper bag to help avoid meltdowns if we are out of the house during normal snack or meal time! Our favorites are: Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars, Annie’s Bunny Snacks, & GoGo Squeeze Applesauce Pouches.

  1. All Over Ointment: Honest Company All Over Balm – we love the Honest company because their products are all organic so I know they are made with good, clean ingredients. We use this for everything when we are on the go: diaper cream, lotion, chapstick, healing ointment for small scrapes, and more! It’s the perfect little tube to through in your diaper bag and can literally go all over your little one.

  1. Lunch Gear: Silicone Placemat – when you sit your toddler down for a snack or at a restaurant pack a silicone placemat to be sure the surface is safe and clean for them to eat off of. Its also an added bonus for easy clean up! We also have these EZPZ Mini Mats and will bring them if we know we are eating at a restaurant since it has it’s own compartments for food.

  1. Water Bottle: Thermos Stainless Steel Funtainer cup – our favorite is the Thermos Stainless Steel Funtainer cup because it has a straw and a lid that folds all the way down and doesn’t leak. Its also very easy to clean and dishwasher safe! A lot of other straw cups i’ve seen and tried are super tedious to clean.

  1. Sunscreen: Hello Bello Kid’s Mineral Sunscreen – you never know when you will be out and about and end up staying out in the sun longer than you expected; a play date, park, lunch outside. I always keep our Hello Bello Kid’s Mineral Sunscreen in our bag in case we need it!

  1. Eye Protection: Babiators Toddler Sunglasses – don’t forget eye protection for your little one. It’s hit or miss if my toddlers will actually keep them on, but when they do they are incredibly adorable!

  1. Sticker Book: Melissa & Doug Puffy Sticker Book – you will want to keep something for your toddler to do when you are waiting at a restaurant, in a doctor’s office, or anywhere else where they may get fidgety and bored. We love the Melissa & Doug Puffy Sticker Books because they are perfect for little hands (my boys can easily peel and place the stickers) plus they are reusable!

  1. Handcream: Tubby Todd Dream Cream – we love Tubby Todd because of their clean, natural ingredients and all of the products we’ve tried from them really work (they are great for babies and toddlers with sensitive skin and eczema). We keep the Tubby Todd Dream Cream in the diaper bag and use as hand cream or use it wherever if I notice they need some lotion when out and about. (Use this link for 10% off!)
Dream Cream

  1. Portable Potty Seat: Folding Travel Potty Seat – if your toddler is potty trained or in the process of potty training you will want to grab this seat to keep in your diaper bag! My potty trained toddler loves using this seat and asks for his “blue seat” every time he needs to go while we are out. The Folding Travel Potty Seat folds up very compact and stores in a travel bag so it stores clean.

You might like these related posts: 9 Must Have Potty Training Supplies, How To Potty Train Under 2


  1. Toddler Activity: Melissa & Doug Water Wow – let your toddler have fun painting with just water! Use the water from your water bottle to fill the pen or order some water at the restaurant and use the straw to fill it up. My younger toddler loves just watching the colors come to life, but there are activities on each page that my 3 year old loves to do as well.

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