Knowing what to have for a toddler can be just as overwhelming as for a baby. The idea that you need a lot to keep a toddler well kept and happy is just as prevalent - and just as wrong - as the idea that you need a lot to have a baby. I have found that my toddlers are happier with much less than even I expected as a minimalist. So what to you need to keep your toddler happy, healthy, and wise?
A bed: The first and most important. And what do I mean by a bed? I mean a flat surface upon which to sleep. It doesn't get simpler than that. For you, this may mean a Montessori floor bed, a regular adult bed, or a toddler bed. It might mean folding up a blanket and letting them sleep on that. Whatever you decide on, it should be a bed in which your child will be and feel safe. We have tried all the above and have had most success with a toddler bed. It's a pretty easy transition from a crib, as the child finds it a little harder to fall out. No matter which bed you choose, get a good mattress. I had back problems from age 11, but they stopped after we bought a memory foam mattress when I was 27. Even children need to take good care of their bodies.
To go along with your bed, I would suggest bedding that is easy for your toddler to manipulate. You can find various ideas out there, but my favourite bedding for toddlers is Beddy's. These blankets zip up both sides, much like a sleeping bag. They are easy for a toddler to use, and whether he/she likes things loose or snug, it can be made comfortable. They also make it easy for toddlers to make the bed when they aren't using it.
A few toys: Let me start by saying that if you have more than 20 toys for your child, you probably have too many. We have tried to keep toys at a minimum but have consistently found that as soon as the amount gets much over ten, our children aren't as interested in them, and the bickering increases. Instead of having a lot of small toys, we tend toward sets of toys and toys that encourage sharing - like blocks, wooden train sets, wooden animals, and dominoes. We also have a few larger things - a doll house, a wagon, a balance board, and a stroller. My oldest daughter has a doll and my son has a lovey, but I don't feel these count in the quota since they are not required to share these precious items with anyone. Our kids are happy with this selection, and an added benefit of having few toys is that they rarely put up a fuss about tidying.
A child's table and chairs: Although I don't think you need everything in a child's size, I think having a table they can comfortably sit at for coloring or other activities is important. They feel more secure and can more readily learn to get on and off the chairs themselves. It allows more independence, which is always something worth cultivating in a toddler.
A library card: Your toddler can actually your library card, or you can get him/her one. This is so you can get lots of books to read together! Although we have a small selection of about 15 books that our children own, we also get 30 or so books at the library every week. It is a daily habit for the adults to read to the children, so we get through them quickly.
Blankets: Blankets are great for all sorts of creative play. They don't have to be out all the time; as long as your toddler knows some can be gotten out when asked for, that is sufficient.
A creative outlet: This can take many forms. It can be paper and crayons, paint, chalk, a dry erase board with markers... whatever appeals to you and your toddler. Whatever you choose, make sure you don't have so many it's overwhelming. They don't need 120 crayons to color. They only care about basic colors at this age, anyway. Once they are older and show interest in blending and things like that, more options might make sense.
Balance bike: A balance bike is a great alternative to a child's bike with training wheels. Training wheels actually teach bad (wrong) biking techniques whereas a balance bike teaches how to balance on your sit and lift your feet - a skill necessary for proper biking. Our daughter was able to bike on a regular bike without training wheels at 3 1/2 years old after learning basic balancing skills when she was 2 1/2.
Something to burn energy inside: This is mostly if you live in an area where it gets too cold to go outside for longer lengths of time. We got our kids an indoor trampoline to help them burn energy when they can't run outside. It definitely helps.
A chair for the dinner table: This might take the form of a restaurant style seat you put in a chair. A better option is a seat with a footrest like a Stokke or Keekaroo chair. These are great because kids can get in and out of them by themselves and also have the stability given by the footrest.
Humidifier: This is just good for colds. They sleep better. We didn't have one with our first child, and my husband had to go buy one in the middle of the night in the middle of a bad cold.
3-5 Outfits: I know. It's not much, but kids prefer to wear the same things over and over. If you do laundry once or twice a week, this is plenty. My daughter has three outfits and my son has four, since he's messier.
A bottle: Each of my kids has a bottle (not a sippy cup) from lifefactory. We only put water in them. They're easy to clean and hard to break. We've had a couple broken lids from being dropped too much, but that is what I'd expect from any item with rough treatment.
Step stool: This is so your child can teach the bathroom sink. Enough said.
Packaging: When you get a package, give the kids the packaging for the day. This will be a change in the routine of toys that will give much delight and is easy to clean up. But no plastic bags, okay?
Potty seat: If you're potty training, you'll need one. Preferable a small, plain one that can double as that step stool I mentioned before.
Some things you don't need
Special dishes: I strongly believe that toddlers do better with adult dishes than dishes for children. They don't need small dishes. They don't need plastic dishes. Children are worth the trust and honor of using the same dishes as everyone else. Yes, sometimes dishes are broken, but adults break them just as often in my experience. The only thing that might be nice is a rubber spoon before they have teeth, so the metal of a real spoon doesn't hurt their gums. As soon as this will no longer be a problem, switch to real spoons.
Their own soaps and towels: We use one bar of soap for everything and everyone in our home uses it. We use bars of soap from Chagrin Valley Soap and Salve to wash our hair and bodies and for shaving. We use no other shower products and love the simplicity of it. If you sign up for their newsletter, you will be notified when they have a scrap sale. These are great, because you can buy double the soap for half the price.
Bath toys: We have a couple, but the kids enjoy playing with rags. They wash themselves and the tub in the process, so it's definitely a win-win.
Bibs: I've had these... but kids really suck at aiming their messiness at a bib. It gets all over them anyway, so I don't even bother. If I'm worried about protecting the clothes they're wearing, I take them off.
What are some things you think toddlers do or don't need?
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