Starting a new daycare center is an exciting opportunity! With all the planning and preparations you’re doing, you may be wondering exactly what supplies you’ll need to successfully open a daycare. There’s a lot to think about, but we’ve got you covered.

In this comprehensive checklist, we’ve outlined 100 of the most important daycare supplies you should consider for your center, why you’ll need them and how to make the most out of them. Every area of your center is covered, from the kitchen to the craft table. You can download this daycare supply list, print it out and use it as a shopping list for your center.

What are Daycare Supplies?

On top of the considerations of child care building design and furniture and decorations, keeping your center well-stocked with child care supplies and equipment is essential to a well-functioning center. By “supplies,” we mean the things you’ll need to buy other than furnishings and fixtures to keep your center running: books, craft supplies, cleaning supplies, toys and so on. 

When making purchases, consider the quality and appropriateness of the materials to your center. All your supplies should be high-quality so they will endure wear and tear without breaking or posing hazards. Materials for children should be age-appropriate and interesting or attractive to kids. Finally, make sure your supplies are well-maintained and in good working order with regular inspections — anything worn out should be replaced.

100 Must-Have Child Care Center Supplies

Daycare Materials

Safety Supplies

Safety supplies consist of everything you need to keep your daycare center and the kids in it safe and healthy. Consider fire safety, first aid and medical emergencies, carbon monoxide, falling/stair safety, building security, room security and outdoor play safety when acquiring supplies.

1. First aid kit
2. Fire extinguisher
3. Smoke detectors
4. Carbon monoxide detectors 
5. Safety gates for doors/stairs and child-proof locks for cabinets
6. Safety mirror

Kitchen Supplies

In addition to the fixtures in your kitchen, you’ll need a number of supplies — not to mention, a generous stock of food! It’s best to have at least a week’s supply of food on hand, just in case of supplier issues or other emergencies. 

7. Pots and pans
8. Cooking utensils
9. Eating utensils (forks, knives, spoons, etc.)
10. Plastic cups, including sippy cups
11. Paper towels
12. Food and condiments

Cleaning Supplies

Now more than ever, hygiene is a crucial aspect of running a child care center. Make sure that your center is well-stocked on cleaning supplies at all times — especially hand sanitizer. Kids can spread illness at the best of times, so you’ll want to do everything you can to keep the daycare environment sanitary.

13. Disinfectant sprays
14. Hand sanitizer
15. Towels
16. Cleaning cloths
17. Mop and bucket
18. Scrubbing pads and sponges
19. Soap and cleaning solutions

Child Care Supplies

These cover the basics you’ll need to provide care for kids, especially infants. Most centers ask for parents to send along their own diapers and wipes, but it’s always handy to have extra! Baby wipes are especially useful for wiping up sticky kids.

20. Diapers in varying sizes
21. Wipes
22. Hand soap
23. Baby bottles and formula
24. Cots and cribs, including a portable crib
25. Blankets and pillows

Child Learning Materials (by Activity Area)

Reading Area Materials

The reading area should be a cozy, quiet zone, with plenty of comfortable child-sized seating, indirect light and soft pillows to help kids get in the mood to relax and read. Use educational displays such as alphabet posters to reinforce the development of literacy.

26. Pillows and rugs
27. A wide variety of books and magazines, including fiction and nonfiction, for various age levels
28. Audio player/listening station with headsets
29. Audiobooks 
30. Written materials from daily life (such as calendars and phone books)
31. Paper and& writing materials

Block Activity Materials

Blocks are a classic activity for kids that engages their fine and gross motor skills, creativity and problem-solving. With a variety of age-appropriate blocks, themed mats and figurines, the sky’s the limit on what they’ll build.

32. 200-250 standard wood building blocks
33. Large hollow wooden blocks
34. Large plastic blocks
35. Foam blocks
36. Cardboard blocks
37. Figurines for block activity play (such as people, vehicles, animals, roads and traffic signs, city-themed play mat)

Fine Motor Activity Materials

This activity center gives children the chance to develop their fine motor skills by manipulating, structuring and sorting small objects. Consider how these activities can be connected with other educational objectives, such as teaching math and science. 

38. Texture and visual puzzles (foam, plastic, wood, etc.)
39. Beads, bead pattern cards and strings
40. Child-safe sewing materials
41. Pegs & pegboards
42. Pop beads, gears and other small connecting objects
43. Shape sorters
44. Connecting straws/sticks
45. Small themed toys for sorting, such as fruit

Gross Motor Activity Materials

This is likely to be the most active, hectic zone in your center, so it’s important to have plenty of space — , separate it from quieter zones, and protect kids from hard falls with soft mats. Some of these items, such as bats and balls, are best used outdoors for safety reasons.

46. Balls (variety, and sports)
47. Soft tumbling mats
48. Catcher’s mitts and plastic bats
49. Riding toys such as tricycles and scooters
50. Helmets
51. Wagons
52. Hula hoops
53. Crawling tunnel
54. Parachute

Sand/Water Activity Area Supplies

Sand and water play are a fun, but potentially messy way for kids to get creative and engage their senses. Make sure to have easy-to-clean flooring under these areas, as well as dedicated toys for sand and water, so that they won’t spread mess when moved to other areas.

55. Sand boxes and tables, bins, tubs and sinks
56. Sand, modelling sand and/or pellets
57. Sprinkler and hose
58. Aprons for protection from water 
59. Trowels, shovels and scoops
60. Cups and spoons
61. Spray bottles, containers, pails and sand molds
62. Sand and water wheels
63. Natural materials such as driftwood, seashells or stones
64. Figurines and vehicles for dramatic play

Dramatic Arts Materials

Dramatic arts materials include everything kids need to get their imagination running wild. This can include play props for games, dress-up clothes, toys and everyday items that can be repurposed into dramatic play. When stocking your dramatic arts area, try to be as creative as a child’s imagination!

65. Play sets, such as kitchen and house
66. Furniture and accessories: tables, chairs, pillows, blankets, storage and a mirror
67. Play food and play eating/ and cooking utensils
68. Play house items: bed/cradle, bottles, telephones, toy iron, toy vacuum cleaner/sweeper, clocks, radios
69. Baby dolls, stuffed animals, figurines for doll houses
70. Doll houses and furniture
71. Dress-up clothes and costumes
72. Prop box for themed dramatic play, such as doctor’s office or salon

Math & Science Activity Supplies

This area of your center gets kids discovering the natural world through their minds and senses, as well as learning basic numeracy and quantity skills. Educational displays such as maps, number lines, species charts or diagrams of the earth’s crust can round out the scholastic atmosphere.

73. Measuring tools such as rulers, measuring tapes, measuring cups, scales
74. Shape puzzles and displays
75. Number cubes and rods, abacus and other counting tools
76. Math games and puzzles, such as dice and dominoes
77. Class pet, terrarium or plants
78. Timekeeping items: clocks, stopwatches, kitchen timers
79. Magnets, prisms, kaleidoscopes and color filters
80. Lenses such as binoculars, magnifying glasses or a microscope
81. Natural materials: labeled rocks/minerals, plant clippings, pine cones, seashells

Music/Movement Supplies

Music appreciation can unite the domains of creativity and gross motor skills. Listening to music can be a quiet activity, but it can also get kids up and moving! A great music area has supplies for both types of musical fun.

82. CD player or other device that can play music (such as a dedicated smart device)
83. CDs or playlist of a variety of music, including children’s, classical, jazz and other
84. Musical instruments such as kazoo, glockenspiel, maracas, tambourine, recorder, drums, toy piano, etc.
85. Props for dancing and rhythm games such as batons, ribbons, balls, etc.

Arts & Crafts Supplies

Arts and crafts are an everyday favorite of all kids, and this area is one of your opportunities to provide the most fun and excitement for the kids in your care. Arts and crafts supplies will need to be restocked regularly as needed. Have fun with your choices, but don’t forget the cleanup required for some craft supplies such as glitter! 

86. Easels and canvas or large cardstock for painting
87. Child-safe paint
88. Paintbrushes, paint cups and palettes
89. Smocks, aprons or paint shirts
90. Variety of paper: drawing paper, construction paper, tissue, etc.
91. Crayons, markers and colored pencils
92. Various colors play dough or plasticine and tools such as rolling pins, cookie cutters, etc.
93. Child-safe scissors
94. Glue
95. Craft materials such as sequins, feathers, foam, pipe cleaners, glitter, cardboard tubes, paper plates, fabric, buttons, pom-poms, etc.

Child Care Technology Supplies

Today, child care technology is an essential aspect of the classroom. Take advantage of the versatility offered by smart devices to provide educational opportunities such as videos, music and even virtual field trips. For teachers, smart devices are a great way to manage drop-offs and pick-ups, keep track of your classroom and easily send updates to parents.

96. Smartphones, tablets and/or digital cameras
97. Computer
98. Printer
99. Speakers (Bluetooth)
100. Procare Child Care Management Software

Manage Your Child Care Center with Procare Solutions

The right child care equipment is essential to help the kids at your center learn and develop. Complete your daycare supplies list with Procare’s child care app, your all-in-one solution to managing centers big and small.

Procare lets you capture the magic that happens when kids grow and play with the materials you provided, and easily share it with parents using the built-in family engagement app. And with features like contactless check-in and child care billing, it’s never been easier to make the most of your classroom technology.

Curious how Procare can become one of your classroom essentials?