Whether your parents live around the block or across the country, chances are your children’s visits to their grandparents will be among some of their earliest and fondest memories!

Thankfully, we live only minutes from my mom, known to our kids as “Sittu.” We’ve dubbed her house “Sittu School” because it’s decked out for a full day of play, feeding, and rest. She has a baby bouncer, a high chair, multiple cribs, a walker, and the best educational toys on the market. So needless to say, our children love going there.

Whether your parents and in-laws live nearby or are a flight away, you will be the one who benefits from their homes being ready to host your little ones. Our Real Moms (and Real Grandmas) are here to give their best suggestions for stocking grandma’s house with baby essentials!

For Sleeping

The top item our Real Moms and Grandmas recommended is a pack-and-play with a travel bassinet feature.  Although you may think of a pack-and-play as something you pack, fitting one in your trunk or bringing it on a plane is challenging. If grandma’s house is going to be a frequent destination, it’s so much easier to have one waiting! We love this Graco pack-and-play because it grows with your child: the bassinet is perfect for newborn naps and diaper changes, and the large area is roomy enough for toddlers to sleep, too!

Real Moms Rachel G. and Jess C. suggest that grandparents keep a sound machine for the baby at their house. While a travel sound machine like the Hatch Rest Go is great for on-the-go, a permanent one that stays at grandma’s will ensure this sleep essential never gets forgotten (and that the batteries last for hours)!

For Changing

Even though you always try to remember the diaper bag before you leave the house, it’s nice to know your destination has supplies, too! Real Mom and Grandma Souhila says she loves having a portable changing station at her house. She keeps essentials organized in a changing station caddy filled with diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream, and this Skip Hop portable changing mat that folds out for changes and folds away for easy storage.

Messes are inevitable when it comes to babies and toddlers, so backup clothes are a necessity. Why not keep a few outfits at grandma’s for those unexpected outfit changes?

Real Mom Madison C. shares how extra clothes and pajamas can help parents be more spontaneous!

Madison says:

“There have been a few times where our kids have ended up sleeping over at my parent’s house and having the backup clothes and pajamas there came in handy!”

Remember bringing your laundry from college back to Mom’s house? While I don’t recommend bringing an entire load over, sometimes a major spill or blowout requires a quick load of laundry. Real mom Rachel G. says she keeps a bottle of Dreft baby detergent and a stain remover spray at her mom’s house so she can undo the damage that spit-up, food, and diapers often leave behind!

For Eating

Once your baby starts eating solids, a high chair is essential for mess-free meal times. I love this Ingenuity high chair for grandparents because it’s compact: use it on the floor or attach it to a chair. Wiping it down is also a breeze! Best of all, this chair can be used for years to come – the table detaches so toddlers can use it as a booster seat.

Add some plates, bowls, snack cups, and sippy cups to Grandma’s cupboards so she’s ready for meals and treats! Real Mom and Grandma Cheryl A. says she keeps her grandbaby’s favorite snacks and foods on hand at her house because “Grandmas should always have the best of the best treats readily available.” Another essential you’ll be happy to have readily available? A wipeable bib!

For Playing

Playtime for babies is pretty simple: the main goal is just to keep them smiling! This Baby Bjorn bouncer is popular for a reason: choose from three incline positions, add a toy bar, and when playtime is done, fold it flat for easy storage. Real Mom Pamela recommends getting one for your house and one for grandma’s house, so baby always has a safe spot to bounce!

Once little ones are on the move, add a walker to grandma’s toy area for independent play. I love this one from Bright Stars because it’s collapsable and easy to store when not in use.

Beyond the baby stage, Melissa and Doug toys are favorites for hands-on, imaginative play. The Scoop and Serve Ice Cream Set is perfect for kids of all ages. Toddlers will love using the magnetic scoops to stack ice cream on the wooden cones. And older kids will use the sturdy menu cards to take orders and set up their own dessert shop!

Another toy box essential: puzzles! This Wooden Sound Puzzle will delight little ones with its roars, chirps, and hisses!

It’s never too early to start reading to your babies and grandbabies! You might want to keep a box of tissues nearby to read On the Night You Were Born, by Nancy Tillman. It’s one of our favorites, and a perfect bedtime story for grandparents to share with their little blessings. For other must-have titles to add to your library, check out this post!

Keeping a stroller at grandma’s means you won’t have to unload yours out of the trunk every time you stop by or haul it across the country if they live further away. I love having a stroller at my in-laws’ house in Colorado to avoid carrying one at the airport.

We love this Evenflo self-folding stroller for grandma’s house because of its low price, convenient size, and sleek design!

“…to Grandmother’s house we go!”

Every grandmother longs for her grandkids to cheer when they hear they’re headed to grandma’s! We hope this list from Real Moms and Grandmothers will help create a happy, safe place for grandbabies to enjoy in their earliest ages and stages.

Moms-to-be: be sure to add a few of these items to your registry so you can help your parents and in-laws get ready for their grandbaby. You might even add a few items in quantities of 2 or 3 so everyone has their own essentials! Once your registry is all set, you can direct your friends and family to RegistryFinder.com, where they’ll find all of your registries in one convenient place!

Did you love the tips in this post? Our Real Moms are some of our favorite experts! Check out their advice on hospital bag must-haves, first-year essentials, and the top tech items to add to your nursery!

And grandmas-to-be: check out this post on the best ways to help your daughter in her earliest days of motherhood.