Guide to gearing up for the great outdoors with your baby this summer from our Head Buyer!

In any season, having the right stroller will help you keep your sanity. While I won’t miss wrestling my daughter Reese into her snowsuit, I’m glad that my Bugaboo Cameleon stroller will be following us from winter into summer. When it was cold, Reese and I were able to get out almost every day thanks to the Cameleon’s all-terrain wheels and suspension, and the awesome weather shield, and it was a total lifesaver.

And now that I’m cleaning out my closet and switching my wardrobe from winter to summer, I figured, why not do the same with my stroller? We’re an outdoors family, and we take every opportunity we can to get outside, often at a moment’s notice, so our stroller always needs to be ready to go, too!

Here’s my list of essentials that will always be along for the ride when I take Reese out in her stroller:

• Cameleon Breezy Sun Canopy: Once warmer weather kicked in, we traded out our canvas canopy for this Breezy nylon version. I love the mesh inserts because they keep Reese cool, and she loves them because she can peek out at the world on walks. The SPF 50 protective fabric keeps her delicate skin safe on days when Mommy doesn’t slather on the sunscreen. The Breezy Sun Canopy also has a mesh net that pulls down to cover the entire stroller seat, which is fabulous when we go to watch my husband play soccer at night, since it keeps the mosquitoes away. Finally, there’s a peek-a-boo window that can be opened or closed – Reese has her very own sunroof!

• Bugaboo Seat Liner: Dark stroller seats can get really hot during the summer, so I love my off-white Bugaboo seat liner. It keeps the seat cool, and it keeps it clean, too – Reese isn’t chowing down on Goldfish quite yet, but when she is, I’ll be happy they aren’t in every crevice in the stroller.

• A sun hat: We have an adorable striped hand-me-down from Reese’s cousin Delaney, made by Zutano.

• Real Kids Shades Sunglasses: The baby shades from Real Kids Sun Essentials are the best! Reese can bend them, eat them, throw them on the ground, and they won’t break. They also make her look super cool!

• MD Moms Sunscreen Wipes: These are a MUST! You know how sometimes when your sunscreen gets hot you get a big messy explosion when you open it? I hate that. Instead, I use these easy wipes – one wipe is enough to cover your whole child, and the sunscreen goes on clear and mess free.

• MD Moms All Over Towelettes: These are my everything wipe. I use them to clean Reese from head to toe, clean surfaces when we are out and about, and so much more. I even use them to remove my makeup (and thank you to our MD Moms rep for suggesting it)! Insider tip: keep a pack in your fridge, and use them to wipe down yourself and your baby after a long hot walk. It’s so refreshing!

• Bitybean Carrier: I love my Baby Bjorn ONE Carrier, but I can’t always squeeze it into my stroller basket, so I take the Bitybean along instead for hot days when Reese doesn’t feel like hanging out in her stroller. This baby carrier folds down to the size of a water bottle!

• Monkey Mat: My Bugaboo Cameleon has a pretty spacious stroller basket, but with all of this other stuff, there definitely isn’t room for a huge blanket. This nylon mat is a great space saver: the Monkey Mat rides along in a small pouch, but unfolds to 5’ x 5’. It’s perfect for stops at the dog park near our apartment, and it’s even water resistant, so it’s great if the grass is a bit wet.

And of course, don’t forget your own sunglasses, a bottle of water, some hand sanitizer, a clean diaper, and some snacks! Reese loves Apple Mum Mums.

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