Want to be prepared to nurse your little ones injuries and ailments? Here’s everything you need to create a DIY First Aid Kit for Toddlers.
A day in the life of a mom of a rambunctious toddler (or toddlers) is sure to bring about many twists and turns that may result in needing a DIY first aid kit for toddlers to have on hand.
At any given moment it may be necessary to provide toddler wound care or alleviate illnesses.
I never knew what my toddlers were going to get into, especially the littlest boy. He’s sooo wild.
He harnesses an inner Tasmanian Devil that he unleashes upon the household, creating chaos and delight with all of his shenanigans. He’s got a lot going on. It’s pandemonium sometimes!
You never know what kind of injury or ailment your child may become afflicted with or accidentally inflict upon themselves during those unsuspecting and unpredictable days.
Be prepared to provide toddler wound care and manage ailments your toddler may spontaneously experience by creating a DIY first aid kit for toddlers with these items and keeping them readily available.
This post is all about DIY first aid kit for toddlers.
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DIY First Aid Kit for Toddlers:
Essentials for Illnesses
These are the everyday over-the-counter medications that helped me nurse my little ones back to health.
1. Thermometer
Before you administer any medications to your toddler, you will need to get an accurate temperature reading with a thermometer.
That way, you know if they need a fever reducer or something else entirely.
For a squirmy, resistant toddler who may not sit still long enough for a traditional digital thermometer reading and who probably won’t fully understand the concept of holding the thermometer beneath their tongue, I recommend having a thermometer like this one.
Just point it at their forehead and press the button.
It makes life sooo much easier!
2. Children’s Tylenol
Children’s Tylenol is excellent to have on hand for relieving pain and reducing fevers.
I keep both Tylenol and Motrin on hand just in case.
If your child has a high temperature, or you can tell they feel overly warm to the touch and seem uncomfortable, I’d give them a dose.
Also, when my wild child happens to climb up something and fall and bang his head pretty hard – hard enough for me to realize he more than likely will have a headache from what just transpired – I like to give him a dose of Tylenol.
NOTE: A toddler can take either one (Tylenol or Motrin), but babies can only take Tylenol at first. Motrin is not recommended to be given to a baby until at least 6 months of age. Keep that in mind if your toddler has a younger sibling who may need some of their medicine.
TIP – When giving your child their medicine with the liquid dropper, aim for the inside cheek to help prevent choking or spitting.
3. Children’s Motrin
Children’s Motrin is great to have on hand for fevers. I tend to use Motrin or Tylenol interchangeably for fevers, but I noticed the healthcare providers at Children’s Express Care tend to offer Motrin.
You can use Motrin for both fever reduction and pain relief. I tend to use Motrin and Tylenol, both for fevers.
4. Acetaminophen Suppositories
There may be times when your toddler has a fever that needs to be brought down, and yet they’re refusing to open their mouth or swallow their medicine, and they just will not cooperate.
For these kinds of situations, I found that acetaminophen suppositories worked great.
My firstborn was behaving this way at a time when he was super ill and was life-flighted to the nearest children’s hospital.
While there, they gave him acetaminophen suppositories.
I liked that he could still receive his medication to lower his fever, but besides that, it dropped his fever so much faster than the standard liquid form.
So we actually came to use them in general because of their rapid relief.
5. Upset Tummy Medicine
Having a toddler with an upset tummy will be one of the most common ailments you’ll encounter.
They have medicine for little ones that soothe multiple upset tummy issues.
It works like Pepto Bismol does, except it’s specifically for kiddos.
I recommend keeping this in your stash to soothe your child’s discomfort.
6. Pedialyte
During times of fever and upset tummy issues with a toddler, Pedialyte is a go-to.
It’s lighter and less harsh on the tummy than milk or water, and it’s a convenient source of helpful electrolytes.
Keeping Pedialyte readily available during these times will help your toddler perk up a little faster.
7. Children’s Antacid
My firstborn child would come to me and tell me his chest felt like it was burning.
I’d ask him, “does it burn on the inside or the outside?”
His response that it was the inside cued me that he may be experiencing some issues with heartburn.
I couldn’t give him regular tums, but they do have children’s antacid available.
8. Melatonin Gummies
Melatonin can be used to help adjust the body’s internal clock or improve sleep.
My firstborn always slept like an angel, but my second born little wild child toddler was a different story.
I found these Spring Valley melatonin gummies helped wind him down a bit so he could sleep more soundly with less interrupted sleep patterns.
They seriously work wonders, and they taste DELICIOUS!
9. Pedia-Lax
If your son (or daughter) is anything like mine, you may find he has some resentment or resistance toward pooping.
The doctor said it was common with little boys, but at some point, he experienced pushing out a very hard poop that caused him pain, and he became completely opposed to pooping for years after it happened.
We’d find him standing somewhere, crossing his ankles and squeezing his butt cheeks tightly together in hopes to keep his stool from passing.
In some cases, he was successful at doing just that.
To ease his discomfort and help him poop with more consistency, we gave him Pedia-Lax, which comes in suppositories, liquid, and tablets.
Choose whichever your child will be most comfortable and accepting.
10. Children’s Vicks
It is not fun at all to watch your sickly child dealing with nasal congestion.
Seeing and listening to them struggle to breathe through their nose comfortably can be heart-wrenching.
It also makes for a difficult, uncomfortable sleep.
Keep some Children’s Vicks on hand to apply during these times to help clear those nasal passages so they can breathe easier and rest more comfortably.
11. Nasal Aspirator
There will be times when you will need to clear clogged little nostrils. Runny noses are common when your little one is ill.
It tends to get very messy and makes for difficulty breathing and uncomfortable sleeping.
It can be challenging for little ones to get the gist of how to blow their nose correctly.
So instead, you can suction out the excess mucus for them with a nasal aspirator.
You can use the traditional aspirator, electronic, or the snotsucker aspirator (which is highly regarded and actually performs the best out of the available options).
I’ve tried all three, and the snotsucker works the absolute best for me. It’s my favorite, hands down.
DIY First Aid Kit for Toddlers:
Essentials for Boo-Boos
12. Antiseptic Spray
With a toddler running around, tripping, falling, and exploring things that they maybe shouldn’t, there will undoubtedly be some cuts and scratches that will need a little tender love and care.
Aim for a mild yet effective antiseptic that won’t contribute much to causing your little one additional pain.
I would steer clear of alcohol.
As opposed to a pour bottle, a spray bottle makes it very convenient to spritz the boo-boo. You can then move on to the next phase of Dr. Mom as you continue to dress the wound.
For smaller wounds that may need a more precise application or for facial cuts and abrasions, spritz the spray on a q-tip, then dab it precisely onto the wound.
I prefer a traditional peroxide spray (which typically does not sting) or a non-stinging wound cleanser.
13. Cotton Balls
Keep cotton balls in your stash to use for dabbing the antiseptic on cuts and wiping up excess antiseptic that may be dripping a bit.
Spray your antiseptic directly on the cotton ball (instead of directly on the cut) for more control over potential dripping.
14. Cotton Swabs
Use cotton swabs to easily and precisely apply antiseptics and ointments to minor cuts and abrasions.
15. Antibiotic Ointment
Follow up the disinfection process with a nice triple antibiotic ointment layer to help keep boo-boos free of germs and healing nicely.
16. Adhesive Bandages
The next phase of Dr. Mom will require you to follow up the antiseptic and ointment application with some bandaging with a STRONG adhesive.
Some of the generic brands do not stick for more than 60 seconds.
Once you factor in a playful kid putting a lot of wear on the bandage or picking at it, it’s not even going to last a second.
Strong band-aids with ultra-tough adhesive will be your best bet. Curad brand makes durable bandages.
17. Epsom Salts
My toddler is literally so rough and such a wild child that he is sometimes covered in scrapes and bruises.
It’s bewildering to me. I’m like, “Boyyy!… What have you been doing in here?? It looks like someone beat you up!”
I keep Epsom salts in my stash to soak battle wounds when things seem a little over the top. A nice Epsom salt bath soak is always soothing to him.
18. Oatmeal Soak
Another soak that is nice to have is an oatmeal soak like Aveeno for unexpected rashes and skin irritation.
19. Ice Pack
For more injury relief, get an ice pack and keep it in the freezer at all times.
At any point in time, your toddler may slip, trip, tumble, or randomly fall and bump their head or something.
Keeping an ice pack around will help you nurse those unexpected lumps and bumps.
20. Eye Drops
Your toddler’s eyes will get exposed to irritants from time to time.
Sometimes they just wake up with red eye(s), or they may accidentally get something into their eyes.
So, eyedrops to the rescue.
21. Burn Gel
The hope is definitely that burns of any kind can be avoided at all costs, but in the event your little one manages to get their hands on the oven door or hot hair tool, some burn gel will help soothe the burn (assuming it’s only minor). Also, it’s fantastic for sunburns.
22. Multi-Compartment Box
And, of course, you’ll need a box with multiple compartments to neatly organize your supplies and keep them easy to access.
*Bonus* Staples for Your DIY First Aid Kit for Toddlers:
- A watchful eye – to try to intercept, intervene, and possibly prevent first aid-necessitating events.
- Time – to allow those pains and sicknesses to subside.
With your fully-stocked emergency safety kit for toddler wound care and ailments, you’ll be prepared for the most common illnesses and injuries that are bound to spring up on your toddler at the most unpredictable times.
This post was all about DIY First Aid Kit for Toddlers.
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