Ah, the beautiful scent of glorious spring flowers combined with the smell of a baby and you’re in heaven. As you prepare to enjoy the warmer, beautiful months of spring, there are some baby items that are worth grabbing, or upgrading, to get the most out of the beautiful weather and increased outdoor time.
1. Stroller for heading out and about
A stroller is a must-have for walks with baby on your street, at the park, by the beach, in the shopping mall, local trail, or anywhere your travels take you through the season. When it comes to the outdoors, you might want to consider a jogging stroller. This allows you to still get your morning or afternoon runs in while bringing baby along for the ride. Many of them come bundled with a car seat for a full travel system so you can also take baby along for a car ride. You can also drive to your running or walking destination with the stroller folded neatly in the trunk. Find helpful advice in choosing the right stroller in our baby stroller buying guide.
2. Play yard for relaxing outdoor time
One of the items most borrowed from my home by new parents during our annual spring and summer barbecues is my son’s old foldable play yard. Using one of these outside on the deck, parents can enjoy chatting with the adults while their baby naps peacefully in the shade in the play yard. When you need to grab food or run to the bathroom, you can also safely place the baby inside without asking someone to hold them (though most people are happy to oblige!) Play yards are great for indoors, but there are ones you can use outside, too. They come in handy at home, when traveling to someone else’s house, or even at the park or beach.
3. Baby monitor to keep a watchful eye
Yes, baby monitors are used indoors. But having a good video baby monitor with a strong signal (or that works over Wi-Fi) means you can still take your laptop outside to the back deck, get some gardening done, or even sit on the porch with your morning coffee. Keep the monitor portion of the set-up with you at all times and keep a watchful eye and ear on your little one. A video baby monitor was one of the most valuable purchases we got for my son when he was born. It’s also one of the top ones I recommend to new parents. You can enjoy a few minutes outside while knowing that you will be alerted as soon as your little one awakes from slumber or their afternoon nap. Learn all about how video baby monitors work and the options available in our baby monitors buying guide.
4. A cooler crib sheet
You might have outfitted the crib with thicker or flannel sheets through the winter months. This ensures your baby is sufficiently warm and cuddly at night. But it’s time to re-think crib bedding for the spring. These months are the in-between when you turn the heat off in the house but aren’t yet ready to turn the air conditioning on. You don’t want to leave the windows open overnight. That means it can get hotter at night. Consider swapping out the crib bedding for a cooler material, like cotton, bamboo, or muslin. You can also keep an eye on the temperature in baby’s nursery using a video baby monitor: most of them display room temperature as well (some will even alert you if it gets too hot). If you find that the room is muggy, consider a portable fan or bite the bullet and turn the AC on. Nonetheless, your baby will still appreciate cooler sheets on their skin for these warmer months.
5. Car seat for those road trips
Spring is the perfect time to take a road trip or two. Maybe it’s to see family, the sights of your province or nearby scenic spots. You might be heading up to a cottage or the local fair. Maybe you’re even planning a major road trip for vacation if you’re feeling adventurous. To do this with baby requires a safe and comfortable infant car seat. These typically work with babies and kids up to 22 lbs. after which you can switch to a larger or convertible car seat. If you can find one that clicks into your stroller either automatically or with an optional (or included) adapter, it will make transitioning from car to stroller much simpler. You might have a travel pillow and entertainment to keep you busy for the ride. A simple toy and a comfortable seat with cushioning for the head and secure straps is all baby needs to sit back, relax, and enjoy. Discover the various car seat types, options, and features in our car seat buying guide.
Check out lots more baby gear at Best Buy Online.
