The transition from babyhood to toddlerhood is so bittersweet; on one hand it's great seeing your little one grow and develop, but on the other you become acutely aware that you no longer the mum of a tiny baby. The one thing about parenthood is it's a constant conveyor belt of change- just as soon as you find your rhythm and feel like you know what you're doing, they move into another stage and all of their needs change again- meaning you're forever learning and adapting. If you get out and about the house a lot with your toddler, one thing you've probably found that you've needed to overhaul their daily bag. While they still do need a lot of 'stuff', these items are probably a little different to what you had in their baby changing bag. Here are some of the things I feel are essentials for when I go out and about with my two year old, and the items I've always got in a bag either in the car or on the pram when we're away from home. 

If your toddler gets hungry or thirsty when you're out and about, then you've got a tantrum heading your way pretty quickly. So it's always worth having snacks on hand. Even if I'm going somewhere that I know will be serving food I bring snacks just in case. You never know if you'll end up stuck in a long queue, or if there will end up being nothing suitable on the menu. Cereal bars, fruit pouches, packs of raisins and rice cakes are all good options as you can throw them in your bag and know they'll still be good even if you dont use them for weeks. A bottle of water is another essential, one of my toddler bag must- have's is a refillable bottle and LYT bottlecap. This works with a UV-C LED which is embedded in the lid, which kills 99% of bacteria by rupturing the proteins on the cell wall. It cleans automatically every hour and the battery lasts four days most of the time. It means your bottle stays clean and free of smells, and you have peace of mind that your drink is germ free. This is so perfect for when you have small children, it's ideal for travelling and just generally when you're out and about. You can buy it together with the bottle, or just purchase the lid (which is where the technology is) which is compatible with all of the stainless steel type bottles. I bring this with me every time we leave the house, and use it to refill her non-spill straw cup.

Depending on what stage of toilet training you're at with your toddler, you of course dont want to forget either the travel potty or nappies. You can get great, super compact travel potties like this banana potty these days that take  up hardly any space in your bag and definitely do the trick in a pinch. Baby wipes are a good essential for your bag when you have kids of any age, useful for changing or just general messes and spills. If they're out of nappies but only just, bringing a some spare bottoms is a worthy addition to the bag. If you roll things like leggings up small they dont take up much space. 

We might be through the worst of the Covid pandemic now, but it doesnt hurt to be cautious of germs. Particularly now we're going into cold and flu season as these sorts of bugs are picked up much more quickly and easily at this time of year. My daughter has just recovered from a particularly nasty virus picked up from soft play, sometimes it's unavoidable but there are steps you can take. Hand gel is always useful for your hands, but you could go a step further and pack a mini spray sanitiser or disinfectant wipes. These are handy for giving tables and chairs a wipe down before you use them, whether it be in a restaurant or sitting at the table on a train. Lots of supermarkets still provide cleaning wipes for trolley handles although some dont and so it doesn't hurt to be prepared, You can get tiny bottles of disinfectant spray that take up hardly any space and could use a baby wipe to clean with. It gives you peace of mind when toddlers love to touch everything, then put their hands in their mouth!

Reigns aren't to everyones preference. But if you're out and about without the pram, particlarly if you're going somewhere busy or dangerous (such as where there's a lot of traffic) they can be worth having with you. If you don't like the over the shoulder type, there are wrist strap reins that you can attach to your toddler and then to your own wrist. It can stop them from wondering off and give you that bit more control over the situation. I used a strap like this on holiday and was so glad that I'd bought it along. It gave my daughter enough freedom to feel like she was walking independently but prevented her from being able to wonder off. 

Even if your toddler is at the stage where they're eating well and not making as much mess as they did when they were a baby, a bib is so worth bringing with you in your bag. if you sit down to eat and find that your meal is likely to be messier than anticipated you can pop it on them and save their clothes from getting stained, or having to walk around the rest of the day filthy! You could pack a change of clothes and always bring a spare set if that's something you think you'll need, but if it's just mealtimes that are the issue then a bib will take up less space. 

Whether you're having a coffee with a friend or waiting for a doctors appointment, chances are there's going to be lots of instances during the day when your toddler is bored. And that can lead to them wanting to run off, run around and inevitable meltdowns. Bringing some kind of distraction tool with you to buy yourself some time in this situation is always a good idea. I find sticker books work really well, or you could pack a small interactive toy. If you know you're going to be out and about for longer and your toddler is going to be feeling restless then an ipad or tablet loaded with some kids shows and games is usually pretty fail safe.