The first daycare drop-off is emotional enough without finding out at 8.45am that the centre wanted a named hat, two spare outfits and a comforter with a backup. Here is the bag, packed properly, plus the questions to ask before day one.
Australian owned, shipped from Melbourne.
Quick answer
What should I pack for daycare? A named broad-brim hat, two full sets of spare clothes, a long-sleeve smock for art and meals, a wet bag, nappies and wipes, and a familiar comforter for settling, with its identical twin kept at home. Label every single item, and ask your centre about its hat, sunscreen, rest time and hair accessory rules before the first day.
The bag
The Daycare Packing List
| Pack | Why | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| A named broad-brim hat | Many centres run a sun smart “no hat, no play” rule for outdoor time | Sun hats and the size chart |
| Long-sleeve smocks | Art, meals and water play, wiped clean and sent home looking almost respectable | Four or five if the centre keeps one on site. See how many smocks |
| Two full spare outfits | Because it will happen, and then it will happen again | Include socks. Always socks |
| A wet bag | For the outfits that happened | Named, like everything else |
| Nappies, wipes, bottle or cup | As your centre asks | Check whether the centre supplies nappies |
| A comforter | Settling at drop-off and rest time | Keep its twin at home. More below |
| Sunscreen, over six months only | If your centre asks families to supply it | Many centres supply their own, so ask first |
The comforter
The Daycare Comforter
A familiar comforter is one of the best settling tools at drop-off. It smells like home when home is not there. Keep one in the daycare bag and its identical twin at home, so neither goes missing at the worst possible moment. We have written the full case in buy two of everything, and the rescue plan in lost the comforter?
Rest time follows safe sleep rules. Under seven months, the cot stays clear of soft toys and comforters, as Red Nose recommends, so the comforter is for cuddles and settling in arms. For older children, ask how your centre handles comforters at rest time. More in when can your baby sleep with a comforter.
Our comforters are cotton muslin with a soft polyester fill, and machine washable, which matters more at daycare than anywhere else.
Hair accessories
Headbands, Bows and Clips
Headbands and clips come off for every sleep, rest time included. Red Nose recommends no head coverings for any sleep. Ask your centre whether they want hair accessories at all. If they do, a simple clip keeps a fringe out of the paint, and the headband house rules still apply.
Labels
Label Every Single Thing
The hat, the smocks, the comforter, every spare sock. Things go missing at daycare with impressive consistency, and twelve identical navy hats on a hook is a mystery nobody can solve at 6pm. A name on everything is the only defence.
Ask the centre before day one: What is the hat policy? Who supplies sunscreen? Do they keep smocks on site? How do they handle comforters at rest time? Are headbands and clips allowed?
Keep reading: How many smock bibs do I need? · Lost the comforter? · Are baby headbands safe?
Why Sommerfugl Kids
Smocks, sun hats and comforters from an Australian owned shop, shipped from Melbourne. The daycare bag, sorted.
Shop Smock Bibs Shop ComfortersFrequently Asked Questions
What should I pack in a daycare bag?
A named broad-brim hat, two full spare outfits, a long-sleeve smock, a wet bag, nappies and wipes, a bottle or cup, and a familiar comforter for settling. Label everything.
How many spare clothes should I send to daycare?
Two full changes is a good start, socks included. Top it up whenever a wet bag comes home full.
Can my baby take a comforter to daycare?
Yes, for settling at drop-off and cuddles. Under seven months it stays out of the cot at rest time, as Red Nose recommends. Label it and keep an identical twin at home.
Does my child need a hat at daycare?
Many Australian centres follow a sun smart hat policy for outdoor play, so pack a named broad-brim hat and check your centre's rules.
Should headbands go to daycare?
Ask your centre first. Headbands and clips come off for every sleep, rest time included, as Red Nose recommends no head coverings for sleep.