DON’T FORGET A THING! TRAVEL BASEBALL

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Spring is in the air and the baseball season has started! Playing baseball is just one part, packing and getting there is the other. I created this list and PRINTABLE DOWNLOAD AT THE BOTTOM to help all the moms and dads who could use a little extra help remembering all the things!

Don't forget a thing! Here's what to pack for travel baseball tournaments.

^{Whether it’s baseball, softball, soccer, or football, this will help you remember the important (and maybe not so important but nice to have) things that can easily be forgotten. Great holiday and birthday gift ideas too!}

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Uniforms for your player

I have everything in a tub and bring ALL UNIFORMS along with sweatshirts, socks, hats, thermals, leggings, sweatshirts, etc. It goes from the laundry straight to the tub.

Jersey
Hat
Pants
Belt – might need another one for back up
Sliding shorts and cup– not only do these add padding but also help prevent chaffing
Socks – two or three pairs recommended if your son is anything like one of mine
Cleats and turf shoes
Extra clothes to change into if muddy or wet
Extra tennis shoes or slides

Equipment Bag

Helmet
Glove
Bat(s)
Batting gloves
Eye black – we like the stickers. The eye stick ended up all over their white baseball pants, plus the stickers are much easier to get off. If you decide to use the stick, I suggest using the eye makeover remover wipes to get it off.
Other gear related to position

Water Bottles / Thermos

Our boys got these gatorade bottles in their team colors for Christmas. I like the white space at the top to put their name and number. They also go with gatorade pods so you can fill your bottle with water and add a pod. You can also buy the individual powder, large canister or just use refreshing ice water. For tournaments and double headers the 64 oz. thermos is great. This one comes in a lot of different colors and also makes a great gift.

Cooler full of snacks and drinks

When your kids want to eat ALL DAY LONG concession stands can add up real fast. Pack a cooler filled with favorite snacks and drinks to get you through the day. Just watch out for foods that can stain their uniform. I added some of our favorite snacks down below if you need some ideas.

Some tournaments do not allow coolers, but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep them in your car. If you’re a family always on the go and don’t mind making an investment in a large quality hard cooler then you might want to invest in the Yeti with wheels or this Igloo cooler. I also like all the features of this smaller soft sided cooler or this one. We also have a backpack cooler and it comes in handy when your hands are full.

Folding Chairs or Bleacher Seats

There’s so many nice chairs, but I prefer the ones that fold up with a carrying bag like this chair so I can easily throw it over my shoulder or throw it in the wagon. You could also add a clip-on umbrella for shade. Sometimes for single games I’ll bring my bleacher seat from Play It Again Sports. You can customize it if you want and they have the standard or wide size. I got the wide one for extra space. Also, I just found out about heated chairs! Holy moly, this would be heavenly on a cold day.

Weather Related Items:

Rainy Days: raincoat, ponchos, umbrella, Mypod (see picture below)

Cold Days: coats, gloves, kleenex, stocking caps, ski mask (perfect for players on a windy day), hand-warmers, thermal undershirt, leggings, Mypod, heated chairs, wearable sleeping bag

Hot Days: cooling towel, misting fan, umbrella or sport-brella

Blankets

You can never go wrong by packing a blanket or five. Even if it seems like a nice day, ball parks can be misleading. Trust me on this one. You’ll thank me later! We were given this fleece tie blanket shown in the picture below as a gift and absolutely love it! Here’s a YouTube video on how to make your own https://youtu.be/8rQ89wbLOZ8 if you’re the crafty type.

Portable wagon

What a lifesaver this thing is. Throw everything in the wagon and keep all your stuff in one spot.

Pop-up tent for shade

This basic 10×10 Ten t does the job or you could go a little fancier with this one.

Large tote

If you need a new one, this XL waterproof tote has some cool features. I personally love one with pockets so you can easily find ALL the things below:

Cash for concessions and admission fees
Portable charger – so your phone doesn’t die from watching Gamechanger.
Sunglasses and/or hat – Play It Again Sports have some cute Wilson or Evoshield hats.
Ziplock bags with ice
Ziplock bag with wet washcloths, baby wipes, or hand sanitizer since bathrooms can be on the other side of the park.
Ibuprofen and a First aid kit – we have something like this basic one but you could also make your own from the dollar store.
Baby powder or chaffing cream
Lip balm – O’ Keeffe’s is great for dry and chapped lips. Banana Boat Sport is a good one to help protect against wind and sun and I personally really like this Sun Bum Tinted Lip Balm in Sunset Cove for a little color.
Sunscreen – Coppertone Sport Spray or lotion for players. My favorite face sunscreen is Unseen Sunscreen by Supergoop. I put it on after washing my face in the morning and don’t leave the house without it. It’s a little pricey, but lasts a long time and 100% worth it.
Bug spray – this Avon Bug Guard has great reviews or try a bug spray and sunscreen lotion in one. If you have essential oils on hand you can make your own spray. Just add 10 to 20 drops of your favorite essential oil (citronella, tea tree, lemongrass, eucalyptus, cedarwood, lavender, clove, or mint are some good ones) mixed with 1 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol, half a cup of natural witch hazel and half a cup of water. Give your bottle a good shake before using. You can apply it directly to your skin or spray it on your clothes, especially if you have sensitive skin.
Camera
Books, magazines, air pods for in between games – (I’ve been reading “Boy Mom: What Your Son Needs Most From You” and I highly recommend it!
Something for siblings to do – (iPad with movies downloaded, markers/paper, their glove and a ball, etc.) Make sure they don’t leave their glove laying in the grass somewhere.

Staying overnight? Don’t forget these 5 things

Plans for your pet, schedule a house sitter. No, I will not give the number out for mine. Lol
Laundry detergent or stain stick (I think the stick is easier to travel with vs. the spray)
Hanger to dry uniforms
Dirty clothes bag – can’t beat this 2 pack for $12.74
Swimsuits, goggles, slides for the hotel pool

TIPS:

As soon as I wash their uniforms I put everything back in one designated tub that stays in my room. That way I know where everything is and my children can’t loose anything. Lol! If I put it back in their closet, who knows where it’ll be on game day. This includes everything and anything baseball related. There’s nothing worse than running around the house like a crazy person trying to find something before you leave.

Double check their equipment bags before leaving home and again before leaving the ballpark. No matter how many times you remind them or ask them if they have everything, just take an extra minute and double check yourself. This little tip will save you a lot of headaches.

Keep a tub in the back of your car for muddy cleats, dirty uniforms, dusty hats and any other mess that is sure to come along.

Go to Sams or the grocery store earlier in the week, pack the car and fill up with gas the night before.

Keep a cooler in the car if it’s not allowed into the park – tailgate in between games.

Go to the dollar store and stock up on some candy since you know they’ll ask.

Bring your tennis shoes and walk around the park for some exercise in-between games.

It never hurts to read through the park rules and regulations before packing. Some ballparks don’t allow tents or other items so save yourself the trouble. Also, depending on the ballpark you may want bleacher seats instead of a folding chair since some parks have a wall half way up.