When I take out my children for a few hours away from home, I often long for Mary Poppins’ bottomless carpet bag full of necessary items. Keeping little ones entertained at a restaurant, family function or public venue is usually a monumental task. With little ones, it can be hard to keep a well stocked diaper bag while also keeping the items inside fresh and interesting. With a few kids and many outings under my belt, I have a few tips to share if your diaper bag needs a refresher or you are just beginning to venture out with an inquisitive toddler.

The first thing that my husband and I did after getting our first apartment together (almost two months after we actually had gotten married, thanks to being stationed at first in two different states by the Army) was get a dog. We adopted Gunner, a 1-ish year old shepherd/hound mix, from a local shelter. He was adorable and HYPER. We literally wouldn’t let him sleep during the day so that he wouldn’t run into windows and walls at night. After a few months he settled in and calmed down a bit (naps were now permitted) so naturally we got another