Packing for the Zoo

Good Morning Friends,

The zoo is one of our favorite getaways during the year. We get to see Aria’s favorite lions and it’s just an enjoyable day out. Packing for her is quite easy, finding a bag to hold all of our gear was the daunting task. Let me share with you my tips for packing for the zoo.

I was browsing diaper bags a few years ago because ours was just not cutting it. Aria was two almost three at the time and for some reason I feel like kids need almost more than babies in an outing. I wanted a cute backpack, that could transition into a crossbody without losing the style.

Freshly Picked had just started their diaper bags on kickstarter, and I knew this was the bag for me. It’s cute and stylish, the storage is massive. There are pockets upon pockets and the interior is huge. I love this bag so much and it was on of the best purchases for Aria. I really want to get the mini for Disneyland.

I talk about the bag here,  here and here.

Let’s get packing

Sunscreen/ Bug Repellent

Of course this is the most important thing to pack. You want to keep your kids and yourself protected from the sun. We love the spray on kind just because its simple and easy to do quickly. For the faces we use Young Living because it’s thick and effective. Check your sunscreens for these issues (here).

Also get a good bug repellent. Mosquitos love to be around the animals and nothing sucks worse than leaving with a leg full of bug bites.

Snacks

We try to leave right after breakfast and stay in the zoo for a few hours and leave before the lunch hunger begins. If you do wish to stay longer there are some simple lunches you can pack. We usually do a peanut butter and honey sandwich with grapes and crackers. Easy to consume without being overly messy. Mix the honey and peanut butter before applying it to the sandwich to prevent it from dripping.

Our favorite snacks for the park are GO GO Squeeze applesauce pouches, of the Harmons brand. These are simple, easy and messy free. My one issue is the plastic toppers, we are trying really hard to be waste free so if you have any pouches that are you favorite that don’t include plastic please comment below.

We love Annie’s snacks. They are free from artificial flavors and they taste delicious.

Chapstick with SPF

Find a good chapstick with SPF. Sunburned lips are so painful. We apply chapstick every hour or so to keep from dry lips or sunburned lips.

Toy

I don’t know about you but every time we go Aria begs for a toy from the zoo. We go so often I would easily be dropping a fortune if I gave it. Now I don’t know if this is the best parenting technique but we hide toys and rotate them around so she forgets about toys sometimes. I grab one of those toys she hasn’t seen and has forgotten about and I pack that away so when she asks to buy a toy I pull that out and hand it to her.

Hobby Lobby often has beanie boo’s for $6 and you can use a 40% of coupon.

Hand Sanitizer

I don’t leave anywhere without hand sanitizer. Especially the zoo. Aria is a typical kid and touches all the dirty windows, and railings, so we have that on hand at all times.

Extra clothes/underwear

Luckily Aria is fully potty trained, but if your kids are younger and not yet potty trained have an extra set on hand for accidents. I still keep extra underwear close by just in case.

Charger

We record and take a lot of pictures so we have a charger on hand just in case your phone runs out of juice.

 Wipes

If you have a kid you know the importance of wipes wherever you go. Messy faces, spills, whatever. We love the Young Living wipes. Find whatever wipe works best for you.

Scavenger Hunt Checklist

I made these fun scavenger hunt checklists for Aria to help change up the experience we have at the zoo. It is fun and we get fun pictures out of it. You can save this one below and print or download it (here).