Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
Hayride Blankets and Fall Farm Gear I Pack Every Year for My Kids
35
items Every October we pile into a hay wagon and within five minutes someone is shivering, someone spilled cider, and someone lost a glove. After four years of freezing, sticky, chaotic hayrides I finally dialed in exactly what to bring. This is for the pa...
Sections
5
Warm Blankets That Survive Hay, Dirt, and Apple Cider Spills
Hand and Body Warmers for When Blankets Aren't Enough
Spill-Proof Cups and Snacks That Won't End Up in the Hay
Layers and Accessories That Actually Stay on Kids
Farm Day Bag Essentials I Never Leave Home Without
Warm Blankets That Survive Hay, Dirt, and Apple Cider Spills
I used to bring our nice throw blankets and they came home smelling like a barn for weeks. Now I only pack blankets I can toss straight in the washer without guilt.
Grab a couple of these in fall colors. They cost almost nothing so when my four-year-old drags one through mud I don't even flinch. Washes like a dream.
Mainstays Cozy Fleece Throw Blanket, Gray Paw, 50 in x
Keep this one for yourself while the kids get the cheap throws. I wrap up in mine the second we sit down and it blocks wind better than my actual jacket.
Pendleton Jacquard Fringed Throw Blanket - Wool, 60x62"
Toss this in the wagon for the kid who always says they're fine then shivers ten minutes in. Thick enough to matter, light enough to fold into a tote bag.
Cabin Plaid Black Sherpa Fleece Throw Blanket by Eddie
Use this in the car on the way home when everyone is frozen and cranky. Plug it into the car outlet and the backseat goes quiet in about two minutes. Worth every penny on cold October nights.
Sunbeam® Heated Bedding Care and Cleaning
Pair the sherpa side against skin and the knit side facing out. My daughter calls it her cloud blanket and refuses to leave for the farm without it.
Better Homes & Gardens Red Plaid Velvet Plush Sherpa
Switch to this if your hayride goes through dewy fields. The waterproof bottom means nobody ends up with a soggy lap. Folds up with a carry handle too.
Ozark Trail Packable Blanket, 70 in x 60
Bring two as backup blankets you won't cry over. I keep them in the trunk from September through November. They've survived three seasons of farm chaos.
Throw Blankets
Hand and Body Warmers for When Blankets Aren't Enough
There was one hayride two years ago where it dropped to 38 degrees and blankets alone didn't cut it. Now I always pack warmers like I'm prepping for a polar expedition.
Snap a pair for each kid right before you board the wagon. My son shoves them in his pockets and stops complaining instantly. Stock up now, they disappear from shelves by late October.
HotHands Large Body & Hand Super Warmers, 10-Pack
Stick these inside their boots if you're doing an evening ride. I learned the hard way that cold toes will ruin a hayride faster than anything else.
HeatMax Hot Hands Foot Warmers, 2.0 ea
Get this for yourself. It lasts twelve hours and actually puts out real heat, not the lukewarm nonsense from the cheap ones. Refill it once and you're set for the whole season.
Customer reviews for Zippo 12-Hour Refillable Hand Warmer
Peel and stick one on the inside of your jacket before you leave the parking lot. I put one on my lower back last year and honestly forgot it was cold outside.
Customer reviews for HotHands Stick-On Body Warmers
Try these on the kids who won't keep gloves on. Stick one inside their sweatshirt and they stay warm without losing anything. Parenting hack I wish someone told me sooner.
Peel N' Stick Body Warmers, Long Lasting
Use this if you hate the waste of disposables. Charges via USB, fits in a coat pocket, and doubles as a phone charger when your camera dies mid-hayride.
OCOOPA Rechargeable Hand Warmers, 2 Pack 5200mAh
Toss a box in the diaper bag or farm tote as emergency backup. They activate in about a minute and last long enough for even the longest wagon loop.
Yaktrax Hand Warmers, 1 Pair
Spill-Proof Cups and Snacks That Won't End Up in the Hay
One year my kid dropped an open cup of hot chocolate into the hay bale we were sitting on. We smelled like a chocolate barn. Never again.
Bring this loaded with warm apple cider. The spout locks so even when the wagon bounces over a rut nothing spills. My two-year-old has tested this theory aggressively.
Customer reviews for Contigo Kids Straw Water Bottle
Pour your coffee in this before you leave the house. It stays hot through the entire ride and the trigger lock means you can set it down on hay without disaster.
Classic trigger travel mug 500ml 500ml/16oz Emerald
Pack warm oatmeal or mac and cheese in here for the little ones. By the time you're halfway through the ride they have a warm snack ready and they think you're a genius.
Thermos, Funtainer Food Jar, 10 Ounce
Perfect for toddlers who want to hold their own drink but absolutely cannot be trusted. Spill-proof from every angle. I own four of these for a reason.
Miracle Mates
Grab the individual packs so you're not wrestling a giant bag on a moving wagon. Each kid gets their own, no fighting, no sharing drama, no crumbs everywhere. Well, fewer crumbs.
Goldfish Cheddar Cheese Crackers, Snack Pack
Fill this with warm milk or cocoa for the kid who wants a grown-up looking drink. Keeps liquids warm for hours and survives being dropped on concrete, which mine has. Twice.
YETI Rambler Jr. 12 oz Kids Bottle, with Straw Cap
Portion out trail mix, dried fruit, or cereal before you leave. When the ride is done, the bags go in the trash and you're not fishing cheerios out of hay bales.
How waterproof are Ziplock bags?
Layers and Accessories That Actually Stay on Kids
I've lost count of how many gloves and hats we've donated to random pumpkin patches because they fell off the wagon. Now everything either clips on or fits snug enough to survive.
Get these with the velcro wrist strap. They actually stay on, even on my kid who treats gloves like they're on fire. Waterproof too, so pumpkin patch mud wipes right off.
N'Ice Caps Kids Waterproof Thinsulate Snow Gloves
Pull this down over their ears and it stays put. My son wore his through three hayrides last fall and it still looks new. Sized small enough that it doesn't slide over their eyes.
Customer reviews for Carhartt Toddler Hat Acrylic Watch
Layer this under their coat for rides after sunset. It's light enough that they don't complain about being bulky but warm enough to actually help. Comes in about fifteen colors.
Columbia Youth Girls' Benton Springs Fleece Jacket
Put this on under their regular clothes before you even get in the car. They won't feel restricted and you won't hear 'I'm cold' for at least the first twenty minutes.
Fruit of the Loom Boys Thermals, Waffle Thermal Set Sizes
Swap this for a scarf. Scarves fall off, get caught on things, and end up in the hay. A gaiter pulls on, stays on, and covers their neck and chin without drama.
Tough Headwear Swtich Winter Neck Gaiters For Men
Bring an extra one in the bag for the kid who inevitably gets theirs dirty or wet before you even reach the wagon. At this price you can keep two spares and not stress about it.
Hanes - Ecosmart Youth Hooded Sweatshirt
Clip these to their jacket sleeves so when they yank their gloves off, and they will, the gloves just dangle instead of disappearing into a hay bale forever.
Hold'Em Mitten and Glove Clips for Toddler and Kids
Farm Day Bag Essentials I Never Leave Home Without
After showing up unprepared one too many times I started packing a dedicated farm tote every September. It lives in the trunk until Thanksgiving.
Throw phones, wallets, and keys in these before the ride. Hay dust and apple cider get into everything. I learned this after fishing my phone out of a puddle of spilled cocoa.
Hefty Slider Gallon Storage Bags, 40 Count
Use these after the petting zoo, before snacks, and after your kid touches every single pumpkin in the patch. I go through a whole pack per trip and regret nothing.
Wet Ones Antibacterial Hand Wipes, Fresh Scent
Bring this for evening hayrides when the path back to the car is pitch black. Clip it on your hat and you can find your car, your kid's dropped shoe, and your sanity.
Energizer 1 Watt LED flashlight - stop working, help
Pack all your blankets, snacks, and warmers in this one bag. It fits an alarming amount of stuff and the handles are strong enough to hang off a hay bale without ripping.
Lands' End Zip Top Canvas Tote Bag
Smear this on cheeks, lips, and hands before the ride. Cold wind plus hay dust wrecks little faces fast. My pediatrician recommended it and now I bring it everywhere from October to March.
Aquaphor Healing Ointment Advanced Therapy in Jar 396
Toss a handful in your pocket. Someone always scrapes a knee climbing on the wagon or trips on a pumpkin vine. Being the parent with bandaids makes you the hero of the hayride.
Band-Aid Flexible Fabric Adhesive Bandages, Assorted
Use these to roll up blankets tight so they actually fit back in the bag. I also twist one around the stroller handle to clip bags to. Weirdly one of the most useful things I own.
Nite Ize Gear Tie® Reusable Rubber Twist Tie™ 18 in.