Your little one is now a full-fledged big kid. That means they can communicate their needs, eat and drink on their own and use the potty. It’s a big deal! So, can you completely do away with a “diaper” bag when your kid isn’t in diapers? Not entirely.

You still need to make sure you have the essentials to keep your big kid fed, keep them clean, and keep your own must-haves (keys, money, phone) close at hand.

While you can shove your kids’ things into a purse, you may prefer the continued use of your minimalist diaper bag. The beauty of a Kibou is that it seamlessly transitions to a useful (and stylish) belt bag that mom or dad can wear on their waist or as a cross-body bag--that’s built to hold kids' stuff and your own stuff. What do you need to pack with a big kid?

1. Water bottle
2. Snack
3. Wipes
4. Hand sanitizer
5. First aid
6. Keys
7. Money
8. Phone
9. Optional: parent stuff (sunglasses, chapstick, Air Pods, etc.)

Even though your child is much more independent than when they were a baby or a toddler, they still get sticky fingers and mouths that need wiping. They still touch everything and need sanitizing. They still might need a snack or get thirsty. And they still fall and get scrapes.

They may also wander out of the house holding a small toy that they suddenly don’t want to carry, and you would rather just put it in a bag than carry it yourself.

Because you still have to accommodate for these needs, having a bag made for parents is much more handy than using a purse. The Kibou’s waterproof pocket built for wipes is convenient and not found in most purses, and the compartment with the removable, built-in diaper changing pad becomes another pocket for anything else (cash, phone charging cord, etc.).

Also, wearing an ergonomic bag on the waist or across the body makes a huge difference when you’re walking around with an active big kid. You may find that your big kid gets more daring on the playground and gets even more scrapes than as a toddler, so the Bou-Boo bag and the use of your comforting hands will still be crucial.

And let’s be honest, needing less stuff to go out with your big kid means more room for your things – whatever is most important to you. You can even fit a mini-compact umbrella into a fanny pack-sized bag.

The trick to going out with a kid of any age is keeping things simple – essentials only. Whether you have a baby, toddler or a big kid, the essentials may look different to you than to another parent. But when your list of must-haves is prioritized to where you can use a minimalist-sized diaper bag, going out becomes less complicated. 

Wondering about packing for your littler ones?

Read here to review the lists for them:

Baby

Toddler