Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Last updated
General product and checklist information only, not medical advice. Ask your child’s pediatrician what belongs in your kit.
A newborn first aid kit is a single, labelled container of basic care supplies, plus a contact list, kept where adults can reach it quickly and children cannot. Below are the items two children’s hospitals list for a home baby kit, how it differs from a disaster go-bag, and where to keep it and when to check it. Sources are listed at the end (checked 2026-11-01).
Purpose and setting
The kit is for minor, everyday needs at home and on the go, and for keeping the right phone numbers in one place. Children’s Hospital Colorado advises building the kit “before you think you’ll need it”, and Seattle Children’s recommends one kit in the home and one in each car. The CDC’s infant emergency kit checklist (for disasters) is a different list; see the comparison below.
Newborn first aid kit checklist by category
The table combines items named by Children’s Hospital Colorado (“Baby First-Aid Kit”, dated 2021-03-17) and Seattle Children’s (“First Aid Kits”, published 2018-04-04). Quantities are given only where a source gives one.
| Category | Item | Source note |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Emergency numbers: 911, poison center, doctor, dentist, crisis line; a first aid book | Seattle Children’s. Children’s Colorado lists the pediatrician and poison control. |
| Temperature | Thermometer | Both sources list a thermometer; see the related guides below. |
| Wound care | Bandages; gauze pads and rolled gauze; adhesive tape; elastic roller bandage; triangular bandage | Seattle Children’s lists the full set; Children’s Colorado lists bandages. |
| Cleaning | Soap; antiseptic or alcohol wipes; a bottle of water; antibiotic ointment or disinfectant; cotton swabs and balls | Children’s Colorado uses alcohol wipes to clean tweezers, clippers and thermometers before and after use. |
| Tools | Tweezers; scissors with rounded tips; safety pins; baby nail clippers and file | Both sources, split by item. |
| Nose and comfort | Nasal aspirator (bulb syringe) with saline drops or spray; petroleum jelly | Children’s Colorado. |
| Cold therapy | Instant (disposable) cold pack | Seattle Children’s lists an instant pack. Children’s Colorado says reusable cold packs stay in the freezer, not in the kit. |
| Safety gear | Plastic gloves (2 pairs); flashlight with extra batteries; space blanket or regular blanket | Seattle Children’s. |
| Dosing device | A medicine dropper | Children’s Colorado. Both sources also list medicines; ask your pediatrician about those. |
| Medical equipment | Extras of any special medical equipment your child uses (Children’s Colorado gives a gastrostomy tube emergency kit as an example) | Children’s Colorado. |
Related reading on this site: infant digital thermometers and what a medical thermometer is.
Baby, newborn and toddler first aid kit lists
Baby first aid kit list
The two hospital lists above are written for babies and young children together, so the same core contents (contacts, thermometer, wound-care basics, cleaning supplies, tools) serve a baby from the first weeks. Children’s Colorado suggests a smaller to-go version for the diaper bag.
Toddler first aid kit
Seattle Children’s list is written for families with children of different ages. It says to keep the kit “where adults can easily reach it, but young children can’t”, and to show babysitters and older children where it is. Ask your pediatrician what to add as your child grows. For group settings see the daycare and childcare first aid supply checklist; for camps see summer camp first aid supplies.
First aid kit versus emergency go-bag
The CDC’s “Emergency Kit Checklist: Pregnant Women, Infants, and Children” (page dated 2026-04-30) covers disaster preparedness. Its infant (0 to 12 months) list includes a copy of vaccination records, medications, a thermometer, antibacterial wipes or sanitizer, diapers, wipes and diaper rash cream, bottles, nipples and formula, and electrolytes; “first aid kit” appears separately under essential items for everyone. A first aid kit is therefore one part of a go-bag, not a replacement for it: feeding, diapering and records belong in the go-bag, while wound-care and cleaning supplies belong in the first aid kit.
Storage, expiry and restocking
- Where: Seattle Children’s: keep a kit in your home and in each car. Children’s Colorado: ideally a container with a locked lid, convenient for adults but out of children’s reach.
- Check: Seattle Children’s: keep the list with the kit, check it yearly, and replace missing and old items. Children’s Colorado: check often and replace expired and used items.
- Tell others: show babysitters and older children where the kit is.
Standards and rules that apply
The contents above come from two children’s hospitals and the CDC. These are guidance lists, not regulations, and the CDC checklist page is dated 2026-04-30. The items and quantities you keep are for you to settle with your pediatrician.
FAQ
What goes in a newborn first aid kit?
Contact numbers, a thermometer, bandages and gauze, wipes and soap, tweezers, rounded scissors, a nasal aspirator with saline, and the other items in the table above, as listed by Children’s Hospital Colorado and Seattle Children’s.
Where should I keep it?
Within adult reach and out of children’s reach, ideally in a locked-lid container, with one in the home and one in each car.
How often should I check it?
At least yearly per Seattle Children’s, and whenever an item is used or expired.
Is a first aid kit the same as an emergency kit?
No. The CDC’s emergency kit checklist adds records, feeding and diapering supplies, and lists a first aid kit as a separate item.
Do cold packs go in the kit?
Seattle Children’s lists an instant cold pack; Children’s Colorado says its cold packs stay in the freezer, not in the kit.
Sources
- Seattle Children’s, “First Aid Kits” (published 2018-04-04): https://www.seattlechildrens.org/health-safety/injury-prevention/first-aid-kits/ (checked 2026-11-01).
- Children’s Hospital Colorado, “Baby First-Aid Kit” (2021-03-17): https://childrenscolorado.org/conditions-and-advice/parenting/parenting-articles/baby-first-aid-kit/ (checked 2026-11-01).
- CDC, “Emergency Kit Checklist: Pregnant Women, Infants, and Children” (page dated 2026-04-30): https://www.cdc.gov/children-and-school-preparedness/resources/emergency-kit-checklist-pregnant-women-infants-and-children.html (checked 2026-11-01).
See also the pediatric clinic supply checklist and OB kits.
