Huatulco Packing List for Babies, Toddlers & Preschoolers: What We Actually Used

One of the most common questions when planning a family trip is…

“What do I actually need to pack for my kids?”

The good news is that almost everything can be purchased in Huatulco if you forget something. Diapers, wipes, baby food, sunscreen, toys, and even strollers are available at stores like Chedraui and Soriana.

That being said, if you’d rather spend your vacation enjoying the beach instead of running around looking for forgotten items, this packing list is based on what we’ve actually used over multiple trips to Huatulco with babies, toddlers, and preschoolers.

Before You Start Packing

If there’s one mistake I make every single trip to Huatulco, it’s overpacking, and that’s despite having been there multiple times with babies, toddlers, and preschoolers.

While I’ve gotten more efficient, even on our last trip, I still packed way more clothes than we needed, especially because we had a washer in our unit.

The reality is that Huatulco is hot.

Most days, your kids are going to be rotating between the beach, the pool, restaurants, and your accommodations. A lot of the time they’re wearing swimsuits under their clothes because it’s easier when you know you’re heading back to the water later.

When I was packing for my daughter, I brought dresses because they were cute, but she barely wore them because they just weren’t as practical.

What she actually wore was:

  • Shorts
  • T-shirts
  • Tank tops
  • Swimsuits
  • UV shirts

That’s it.

If you have access to laundry, you can pack far less than you think.

Even now, after multiple trips, I still have to remind myself that I don’t need ten outfits for every possible scenario. Most of the time, the practical items are the ones that get worn over and over again.

Baby Packing List (0–12 Months)

Feeding

  • Bottles (if needed)
  • Formula (if needed)
  • Baby spoons
  • Bibs
  • Sippy cups
  • Reusable plastic cups
  • Familiar snacks, applesauce pouches, baby cereal
  • Insulated water bottle

I exclusively breastfed my children, so I can’t personally speak to preparing formula or sterilizing bottles while in Huatulco.

Diapering

  • Diapers
  • Swim diapers
  • Wipes
  • Diaper cream
  • Change pad for changes on the go
  • Plastic bags to store dirty diapers on the go (we use doggy bags)

The nice thing is that diapers and wipes are easy to find in Huatulco if you run out. We have purchased both while there. Huggies are available, along with Mexican brands that are usually a little cheaper.

Sleep

  • Portable sound machine
    • We’ve had this one for since 2022, which has multiple sound options, night light and timers.
  • Sleep sack
  • Favourite blanket
  • Favourite stuffed animal
  • Portable crib or Pack ‘n Play (if needed)

Many airlines allow complimentary checked baby items, making it easy to bring a Pack ‘n Play if that’s what your child sleeps in at home.

Sun Protection

  • Wide-brim sun hat
    • We love these wide brim Jan & Jul sun hats. They have the cutest designs, adjustable chin straps and adjustable straps for head size, and UPF protection. There are multiple styles available if you prefer a bucket hat or something with a neck flap.
  • Baby sunglasses
  • Long-sleeve UV swim shirt
  • Short-sleeve UV swim shirt
  • Sunscreen
  • Aloe or after-sun lotion
  • Lightweight cotton blankets

We always preferred wide-brim hats because they provide protection for the face, neck, and ears.

Pool & Beach

  • Baby float with sun shade
    • Under 6 months: If you’re baby is under 6 months or not sitting up I recommend this Mambo baby floatie. This is what we used with my son as he was only 3 months on his first trip.
    • Over 6 months: If you’re baby is over 6 months they may prefer a floatie where they are able to sit upright. We used this baby float on our last trip.
  • Lightweight beach towels
    • Most accommodations provide towels but they are usually bulky. We’ve had this one for YEARS and it packs up nicely and has a cute design. If you prefer cotton, as my husband does, we also have this one that we bring with us.
  • Stroller fan
    • This stroller fan was an absolute gamechanger. Probably the most important purchase you didn’t know you needed.
  • Water shoes
  • Small beach toys

We used a Mambobaby float with our son when he was younger and really liked it because it provided shade while keeping him comfortable in the water.

Toddler Packing List (1–3 Years)

Clothing

If you have laundry available:

  • 5 t-shirts or tank tops
  • 5 pairs of shorts
  • 2 swimsuits
  • 2 UV swim shirts
  • 1 lightweight long-sleeve shirt
  • 1 lightweight pair of pants
  • Underwear
  • Pajamas

If you don’t have laundry available:

  • One outfit per day
  • One backup outfit

I know it’s tempting to pack extra outfits because kids are messy, but unless you’re staying somewhere without laundry, you probably don’t need nearly as much clothing as you think you do. I certainly didn’t.

Sleep Tips for Toddlers

One thing that worked really well for us was bringing inflatable bed bumpers. They’re essentially portable bed rails that slide underneath the fitted sheet and help prevent your child from rolling out of bed.

When we travelled with my son at around 15 months old, he was still sleeping in a crib at home, but our accommodations only had a regular bed available for him. We purchased these inflatable bed bumpers and they gave us some peace of mind and worked surprisingly well, plus they didn’t take up much space in our luggage.

We also lined pillows around the bed as an extra precaution because many accommodations in Huatulco have tile floors.

Between the bed bumpers, pillows, and a familiar sound machine, he adjusted much better than we expected.

Footwear

  • Supportive walking sandals
  • Water shoes
    • We purchased these Jan & Jul water shoes for our daughter when she was 15 months, and loved them because they weren’t just for the water. They were lightweight, breathable, and comfortable enough for her to wear while walking around, but worked perfectly at the beach and dried quickly afterwards. We didn’t have to keep changing her shoes or pack extra pairs when we went to the beach.

Water shoes ended up being one of those things we didn’t realize we’d need until we got there. Some beaches have extremely hot sand, especially during the middle of the day.

Beach & Pool

  • Puddle jumper
  • Life jacket
  • Swim goggles
  • Bucket and shovel
  • Inflatable beach ball
  • Beach toys
  • Lightweight beach towels

For boat tours, I always recommend bringing a properly fitted life jacket if you have room. We preferred having exactly what fit our children rather than hoping something would be available when we got there.

Comfort Items

  • Favourite stuffed animal
  • Favourite blanket
  • Familiar snacks
  • Sound machine
  • Water bottle

When you’re in a different country, staying somewhere unfamiliar, and trying to maintain nap schedules, comfort items go a long way.

Preschooler Packing List (3–5 Years)

Clothing

  • 5 t-shirts
  • 5 pairs of shorts
  • 2 swimsuits
  • 2 UV swim shirts
  • 1 lightweight long-sleeve shirt
  • Underwear
  • Pajamas

Again, if you have laundry available, you really don’t need much more than this.

Activities

  • Colouring books
  • Crayons or markers
  • Sticker books
  • Magnetic toys
  • Small travel games
  • Fidget toys
  • Lightweight books

We always bring a few bedtime books because reading before bed is part of our normal routine at home.

Electronics (Optional)

  • Tablet
  • Charging cables
  • Downloaded shows
  • Downloaded movies
  • Downloaded games

Important: Download everything before leaving Canada.

We learned quickly that apps and streaming services don’t always work the same way once you’re connected to networks in Mexico.

Health & Hygiene

I always pack:

  • Children’s Tylenol
  • Children’s Advil
  • Thermometer
  • Band-Aids
  • Polysporin
  • Antiseptic spray or wipes
  • Prescription medications
  • Sunscreen
  • Aloe or after-sun lotion
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Baby wipes

Even with older kids, wipes are incredibly useful.

Sticky hands, restaurant messes, beach clean-ups—you’ll use them constantly.

Toiletries

  • Toothbrushes
  • Toothpaste
  • Shampoo
  • Body wash
  • Hairbrush
  • Children’s washcloths

One thing I’ve noticed is that accommodations don’t always provide washcloths, and when they do, they’re often full-sized adult ones. We always bring a few smaller washcloths from home for the kids.

Travel Entertainment

One of our favourite travel tricks is buying a few inexpensive new toys before the trip and keeping them hidden until travel day.

A new toy almost always gets more attention than one they’ve already played with a hundred times.

Some of our favourites include:

  • Sticker books
  • Colouring books
  • Magnetic toys
  • Fidget toys
  • Small building toys

These have saved us on flights, in airports, and at restaurants.

Beach & Pool Items We Use Every Trip

If I had to narrow it down to the items we consistently use the most, it would be:

  • Stroller fan
  • Wide-brim sun hat
  • UV swim shirts
  • Lightweight beach towels
  • Insulated water bottles
  • Familiar snacks
  • Sound machine
  • Supportive sandals
  • Water shoes
  • Stroller
  • Swim goggles

These are the items that seem to get used every single day.

Optional Items

Beach Tent or Pop-Up Shade

We never found these necessary.

Between beach umbrellas, palapas, stroller shades, and natural shade, we always had enough coverage.

Large Beach Mats

These can work well for babies who aren’t mobile yet.

Once babies start crawling or walking, we found they spent very little time actually staying on the mat.

What We Wouldn’t Pack Again

After multiple trips, these are the items I consistently find myself overpacking:

  • More than two swimsuits
  • More than two UV swim shirts
  • Multiple hats per child
  • Too many toys
  • Heavy blankets
  • Excessive clothing
  • Multiple pairs of shoes

Huatulco is a simple destination.

Most days are spent at the beach, in the pool, exploring town, or relaxing outdoors.

Pack lighter than you think you need, focus on sun protection and comfort, and remember that most essentials can be purchased locally if you forget something.

The things that matter most aren’t the extras.

They’re the items that help your kids stay cool, comfortable, entertained, and well-rested while making travel easier for everyone.