Soccer Mom Must Haves

If you’re the parent of a kid playing sports, you know that there is no time to pack a bag when you’re trying to find a clean uniform, all their gear, and get out the door on time. I have been left at the field wishing I had certain things so many times, that I decided to round up all of my favorite items for when we hit the field in this soccer mom must-haves post. But really, it’s for any sports parent!

This post contains affiliate links and was updated March 2024.

Soccer Mom Must Haves

We love spending time supporting the kids at their games. It is the perfect opportunity to get some fresh air, watch the kids learn something new, and enjoy a little time away from screens. But, if we forget one thing, it can often send the whole outing into a downward spiral.

With 4 kids, you can imagine that we spend A LOT of time at fields of some sort. And I don’t see that changing for quite some time. Over the years, I have really streamlined what we take with us to make everyone’s time at the field enjoyable.

Soccer Mom Bag Must Haves

Nothing like carrying too much stuff when 4 kids are pulling you in different directions to make you figure out the things every sports mom needs in her bag!

In this post I will talk about great options for your afternoon out whether you’re at the ball field or taking your turn as team mom.

Packing up for a game or practice is so much work especially on weekdays! Add kids and babies into the mix and it doesn’t get any easier.  I have 4 kids, and we head to some field a few times a week, so I feel like I have truly mastered the art of what to take (and what not to take) over time.

I include mostly options that are more compact so that you can fit nearly everything into one bag.  

Best Bag for Sports Mom

Now, let’s discuss what that one bag will be. There are two great strategies here, both of which I have tried and love for different reasons.

The first strategy is going with a completely wipeable or machine washable bag. I have recently been going this route with my beloved Bogg bag. These bags can run pricey, but they are worth their weight in gold. Any apple sauce, bug spray or other questionable fluids that get on the bag can be wiped away easily with a wet wipe, which conveniently is always in my bag.

The other tried and true bag strategy is the backpack. Backpacks are particularly great when you have little ones that you will need to carry or hold hands with frequently. Backpacks are also a great option because they often have lots of compartments so you don’t have to stash everything into it’s own smaller bag (I recommend waterproof/washable bags for this) before loading up.

I love to keep my backpacks simple and neutral, which makes it easy to hand off the bag to your husband and he’s not carrying a giant bag that screams “I am loaded with baby diapers!” You can’t go wrong with the classic Hershel backpack.

Sports Mom Bag Essentials

And now on to all the essentials that you will need to load into your bag! After years of hitting the fields, I have come up with the crucial items every sports mom needs in her bag.

All items available via Amazon are also linked in my Sports + Outdoors section in my Amazon storefront!

The first group of items are the functional essentials. Think about things like seating and shade. If you’re heading out to a field, odds are there are only some sort of unsteady bleachers available. I don’t love that, especially with little ones in tow, so I always have compact camping chairs and a water resistant blanket for all of us to share.

And while it won’t always fit in your bag, I love to have a portable umbrella that is easy to set up with me too. This one comes with a shoulder bag and has attached cup holders.

Next are the comfort items. I will always have multiple options for keeping cool. I love a portable fan! I have this smaller personal fan on hand if I only need to keep myself cool, but this larger rechargeable misting fan is great when the whole family comes. Another option is this neck fan.  It’s bladeless and rechargeable.  And these cooling towels are great for the whole family.

Now, we all know that sometimes dinner can fall between the cracks on busy sports nights.  Especially with multiple kids who each play a sport.  I’ve found packing bento boxes with nourishing foods like fruits and vegetables really help to curb any cravings or feelings of being hangry!  Pack them in this slim portable cooler.  It is awesome to take on the go.  It’s light weight and even iceless! Or you can opt to fill it with drinks.  It can fit up to 10 cans or 6 bottles. 

We can’t forget about the siblings who attend and support their favorite players!  I’ve found there can sometimes be a lot of waiting at the sports fields.  I always bring these fun magnetic people.  They allow for independent, open-ended playtime.  It’s also fun for your child to experiment with different surfaces to see which ones these little people will stick to.  

I will also always have bug spray and sunscreen. Sometimes I will use these refillable perfume containers for my bug spray. I also love to carry this moisturizing sanitizer.  It’s great for when the kiddos are ready for their snacks. But I really love to use this 4-in-1 dispenser bottle and fill each side with something like sunscreen and bug spray to minimize the number of items in my bag – especially if it’s going to be a long day.

And finally, we can’t forget about our players. I always opt for powdered sports drinks vs bottled. I love these misting water bottles for players and our personal cheerleading section because they also spray water for a great cooling effect.

And I never forget the powdered mineral sunscreen for the top of our heads!  In addition, use a beauty blender to apply traditional sunscreen to squirmy little ones.

I hope you have found some helpful tips in this post.  Best of luck to your little sports players on a fantastic season!  If you have any questions or need more Sports Mom Essentials ideas, be sure to leave me a comment or DM me on Instagram. 

Shop all my Sports Mom Bag Must Haves Below

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1. Bento boxes – These are great because they come in a 3 pack so you can divide them amongst the group. No hangry vibes here!
2. Hair Tie Holder – This portable hair tie holder comes in clutch time and time again.  Keep your and your little’s hair out of the face.
3. Portable Handheld Fan – Give me all the breeze! I love how compact this fan is and the output is excellent.
4. Roe Brush On Sunscreen – I love using this to protect the parts in our hair. It’s so easy!
5. Misting Compact Fan – Great for a group and you can’t deny the misting aspect is fan favorite.
6. 4-in-1 Dispenser – This dispenser gives you options of what you can bring to the field. Sunscreen, bug spray, lotion, etc.
7. Umbrella – The carrying case makes this so easy to bring along. I love the cupholders. This also comes in a variety of other colors.
8. Water Resistant Picnic Blanket – This blanket is great for the kiddos who want more space to play.  It’s water resistant and dries fast.
9. Compact camping chairs – These chairs fold up so compact that you can throw then in your bag. 
10. Cooling Towels – These can hang around your neck and keep you cool.  Plus, they dry quick and come with a travel bag. 
11. Magnetic People Toy – These are always a hit with the kiddos. Provides ample opportunity for free play. A great boredom buster!
12. Hand Sanitizer – This one provides 500 sprays and is moisturizing. Not as harsh as others we’ve tried.
13. Personal Neck Fan – This fan is bladeless and rechargeable battery powered. It will keep you cool on those hot sport days and nights!
14. Bevpod – This is an ultra slim cooler that is iceless and much lighter than your standard travel cooler. It can fit 10 cans or 6 bottles.