MOMeo Gadget Guide: 10 Must-have Miniatures for your Mom Purse!

Take a look in your purse and answer this question: “Does it contain miscellaneous items that your former (single) self would find odd, embarrassing or just downright ridiculous?” Kid stuff like a miniature elephant, a lone fuzzy sock, 5 broken crayons, a half-eaten granola bar, and a gold star?

Half diaper-bag, half mobile toy box, the mom purse is the central hub for all on-the-go activity – an emergency outfit change at the playground, an improvised art class that gets you through dinner at a restaurant or snacks for an impromptu picnic in the park.

Beware of purse overload – too much weight in your purse can cause serious muscle strain in your neck, shoulders and back. Whenever possible, opt for compact, lightweight versions of your favorite mom purse staples. That’s why we pulled together a list of must-have miniatures so you don’t have to sacrifice that handy gadget or in-a-pinch snack for your little one!

10 Must-have Miniatures for your Mom Purse

#1: Single serving packets – Just enough for a single outing, look for one-time use packets of your favorite mom essentials! Two of our favorite single serving packets are Wet Ones and Off!

#2: Small notebook – Where there’s a blank piece of paper, there’s fun to be had! Keep a small notebook on hand for those times when you need to sketch a funny scene or write down important details for an upcoming meeting! We recommend the Moleskine brand, both for their literary history and very small sizes.

#3: Pint-sized pen – Handy for a quick game of X’s and O’s or to jot down that BIG idea, micro pens easily tuck into any notebook or day planner. We love the Pilot HI-TEC-C because they are ultra-stylish, functional and available in a rainbow of colors.

#4: Lightweight packable jacket – It never fails – just as your little one settles into a rousing game of tag at the playground, it gets windy and you get chilly. Packing up to the size of an apple and feather-light, the Patagonia Houdini packs into its own pocket for the ultimate in mom purse convenience.

#5: iPhone or iTouch – Load audio books, movies, TV shows, games and of course, your favorite mommy productivity tools in one convenient do-it-all device! A few of our favorites are Super Why! (Educational TV Show), Cloudy with A Chance of Meatballs (Movie), and How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Read-to-Me Audio Book). Check out our Top 10 iPhone applications for kids for our games picks!

#6: Mini activity books – A tiny activity book is usually enough to occupy a busy toddler to get you through the last half hour of the road trip. Dover Little Activity Books specializes in pint-sized publications, including mazes, dot-to-dot and a multitude of themed activity coloring books.

#7: Stainless steel water bottle – Never mind that juice boxes pose a disposal problem, stainless steel water bottles let you get away with a smaller size because you can refill them at every stop! Kleen Kanteen offers a wide range of sizes, but if you are going for compact, try their 12oz (355ml) Klean Kanteen Classic.

#8: Fruit leather – It wouldn’t be an outing with a child if you didn’t hear, “Mommy, I’m hungry!” Rather than haul around a virtual grocery store of snacks, keep a few fruit leather bars handy. Boosting one apple in every bar (and nothing else), Kettle Valley Fruit Snacks are our pick for the best fruit leather!

#9: Capsul – Less bulky than a wallet and way more water resistant, the Capsul holds cash, keys, credit cards or a stash of business cards in case opportunity knocks on the playground!

#10: Reusable shopping bag – Because you never know when you need to pack a jacket, an objet d’art or a dozen pine cones that must, must, MUST come home with you! Our pick is the Envirosax because they are ultra-lightweight and feature wide comfortable handles.

What do you carry in your mom purse? Tell us your must-have-at-all-times essentials!