Daycare packing guide
What to pack for daycare: a complete checklist by age
Most daycares hand you a list on day one. It is usually short, usually generic, and usually missing the things you only learn after a few weeks. This is the longer version, sorted by age, with what stays at daycare, what comes home, and what parents forget until the second week.
Prepared by the ContactMyParent product team · Reviewed September 2026
The short answer
For most daycares, a full day needs:
- Two or three complete changes of clothes
- Diapers and wipes, usually supplied in bulk rather than daily
- Bottles or a labeled water bottle, depending on age
- Weather gear for outdoor time, since most centers go outside every day
- A comfort item for nap, for toddlers and up
- Everything above with a name on it
The rest depends on age.
Infants
roughly 6 weeks to 12 months
Every day
- Bottles, one per feeding plus a spare, each with full name and date
- Breast milk labeled with full name and the date expressed, or formula in a sealed original container
- Two or three changes of clothes, including socks
- Bibs and burp cloths
- A sleep sack, if your center uses them
Left at daycare, topped up when they ask
- Diapers, usually a full pack
- Wipes
- Diaper rash cream, in a named container with a signed form
- Spare crib sheet
- Backup pacifiers
Nothing soft goes in the crib: no blanket, lovey, pillow or stuffed toy. Safe sleep rules mean a licensed center will hand these straight back at the door.
Toddlers
roughly 1 to 3 years
Every day
- Three changes of clothes, since potty training accidents come in runs
- A labeled water bottle
- Closed-toe, rubber-soled shoes that fasten, or indoor shoes if the center requires them
- Lunch, if your center does not provide it
- A comfort item for nap, allowed from 12 months at most centers
Left at daycare, topped up when they ask
- Spare underwear once potty training starts, more than you think
- A crib sheet and small blanket
- Sunscreen with a signed form, from 6 months
- A change of shoes
The spare clothes in the cubby sit untouched for months, then get used on the day your child has grown two sizes and the weather has changed. Swap the cubby stash every season and every growth spurt.
Preschoolers
roughly 3 to 5 years
Every day
- A backpack the child can open alone, which most preschools now expect
- Water bottle
- Lunch and snacks, if not provided
- One change of clothes, still worth it
- Weather layers, since preschoolers go outside in most conditions
Left at daycare, topped up when they ask
- Nap mat or cot sheet, taken home Friday to wash
- Spare clothes
- Sunscreen
Mittens are the single most lost item at any daycare. Label both of them, and label the hat while you are at it.
The item that goes missing most
Bottles. Lids, rings and sealing discs separate from the bottle in a communal sink, and daycare bottles go through a dishwasher most nights. Label every part, not just the body, and use one name format everywhere: first name plus last initial. Most rooms have two Emmas, and a first name alone does not get a sock back.
What to label, and what actually survives
Every daycare will ask you to label everything. That instruction is easy to underestimate, because a room of fifteen toddlers produces an astonishing amount of identical clothing.
Label these, without exception
- Every item of clothing, including socks and underwear
- Bottles, plus lids, rings and sealing discs separately
- Water bottle, lunch box and container lids
- Coat, hat, mittens and shoes
- Comfort item and blanket, for toddlers and up
- Nap bedding and cot sheet
- Diaper cream and sunscreen containers
What works on what
- Clothing that goes through a hot wash: iron-on labels, rated for 50 plus washes including machine drying. Paper and adhesive labels lift after repeated washing.
- Bottles, lunch boxes and hard gear: waterproof stickers on a clean, dry, smooth surface.
- Shoes: a small label inside the heel, not on the tongue or insole. Insoles get pulled out and tongues flex and peel. Label both shoes, because they get separated.
- Soft comfort items: iron-on or sewn, since a lovey gets washed constantly.
A name only helps if a stranger knows who to call
A name on a sweater works fine inside the daycare, because staff know your child. It stops working the moment something leaves the building. A backpack left on a bus, a water bottle at the park, or a coat dropped on the school run is found by a stranger who has a first name and nothing else useful.
That is the specific problem ContactMyParent labels solve. The label carries a QR code, so whoever finds the item can reach you in seconds with any phone camera and no app, and you control exactly what they see. For everyday daycare items a plain name label is perfectly adequate. For the things that travel, it is worth the difference.
See the iron-on labelsWhat not to pack
Most centers will send these straight home:
- Loose blankets, loveys and stuffed toys for infants, under safe sleep rules
- Toys from home, which cause more disputes than they are worth
- Anything with small parts, drawstrings or long cords, and any necklace including amber teething necklaces
- Crocs, flip flops, sandals and other backless shoes
- Glass bottles or containers, and anything that is not spill-proof
- Whole grapes, hot dog rounds, popcorn, whole nuts and hard candy, and anything with nuts at nut-free centers
- Anything you would be upset to lose permanently
Frequently asked questions
What do I need to pack my child for daycare?
At minimum: two or three changes of clothes, diapers and wipes for younger children, bottles or a water bottle, weather-appropriate outdoor gear, and for toddlers and up a comfort item for nap. Everything should carry a name.
Do kids need a backpack for daycare?
Infants and younger toddlers usually do not. Most centers prefer a tote or diaper bag that fits the cubby. From around age three, most preschools expect a small backpack the child can carry and open alone.
What does a daycare usually provide?
It varies more than parents expect. Some provide meals, bedding and even diapers. Others provide nothing beyond furniture. Ask before the first day rather than assuming either way.
How many changes of clothes should I send?
Two for infants, three for toddlers who are potty training, one for preschoolers. Add one more in winter, since wet outdoor clothing means an extra change on rainy days.
How often should I refresh the spare clothes in the cubby?
Every season, and after any noticeable growth spurt. Cubby spares are the most commonly outgrown item in the whole bag.
Free printable daycare checklist
Two Letter pages: everything above by age on page one, and the paperwork, permission forms and leave-at-home list on page two. Tape it inside a cabinet door.