Warm days are around the corner, so all parents should be prepared for lovely family picnics in the park, at the beach, or just in your backyard. For that, I recommend the following gear to make any outing more enjoyable for kids and parents alike.
Fisher Price Baby Dome
This is hands down one of my favorite discoveries since becoming a parent. My Facebook group of moms was talking about how awesome the baby dome was, so I had to get one for myself, and let me tell you, it’s a game changer. This thing is sleep safe because baby lies on a flat surface with mesh sidings that allow a nice to breeze to roll through, it has SPF protection, and it even keeps bugs away. Plus it comes with cute little toys for the little ones to play with while they chill in the air away from any danger.
Monkey Mat
Every picnic needs a mat for adults and kids to sit on while they snack or chill, the Monkey Mat is the best I’ve tried. It’s super compact, and packs into a tiny pouch that you can attach to any backpack or stroller, the bottom is waterproof so you don’t need to worry about wet grass, and the top is water repellent so you also don’t need to worry about spills. Each corner has weights which prevents the mat from flying off without you having to put your shoes or rocks on every corner.
Avent formula or snack dispenser
Whether you need to carry enough formula for the day for your little one, or if you want to bring some compartmentalized snacks, this Avent dispenser can fix both those problems for you. The lid locks in place, so you can toss it into a backpack without any fear of spilling its contents everywhere. It’s also good for tiny hands to reach in for goldfish or puffs. Plus, it’s only $4.
Babyganics Spray SPF and Insect Repellent
This combo pack is all you need for the spring and summer. The sunscreen is SPF 50 and, good for kids over six months old. The repellent is all-natural, and I used it around my son when he was tiny and we were up in Maine and all the bugs in the world wanted to take a bite. They’re both dermatologist and pediatrician approved for baby use, so you can feel okay about slathering it on.
JBL Jr. Pop Portable Speaker
Whether you need to blast some white noise for your napping baby, or listen to baby shark for the 11th time in the last hour, this JBL portable speaker is awesome for both kids and parents. Kids love it because it’s brightly colored and lights up along with the music. Parents love it because it’s easy to clip anywhere and it has five hours of battery. Plus it’s loud enough for having on the blanket but quiet enough to not be obnoxious to the ones around you.
iplay Sun Hat
To be triple sure that your kids are not going to get a nasty sunburn even after you sprayed them down with 50SPF, I recommend having this bucket hat handy to also keep their eyes protected from the sun. The material is super light and breathable, so it’ll prevent kids from over heating. The strap also makes sure the hat stays in place and doesn’t go flying out their head. Get it for $15.
YETI Hopper Flip Cooler
Need to keep drinks cool? Need to transport breastmilk? Need to make sure the string cheese stays fresh? This YETI portable cooler is THE BOMB. We got it for traveling with breastmilk, which I’m sure is not what YETI had in mind when they invented the Hopper, but let me tell you it did its job and more. Now we take it wherever we go to have milk handy for the little one, and we make sure to save some room for some refreshing seltzers for the adults.
Ready? Now go make some sandwiches and get outside!