Top 10 Products for a Farm Baby

The work doesn’t stop around here, even with a newborn or toddler in tow. I’ll admit that at first, I was WAY overwhelmed with trying to work or even feed sheep with a little one around. I remember trying to pack up all the baby’s junk and drive back to the shed, only for him to be hungry the minute we got back there. When I say it felt like an act of congress getting anything done, I mean it.

Slowly but surely, though, we started uncovering little tricks here and there. A gadget that would occupy him, a time of day that made him more content, or a carrier that put him to sleep.

As he grew, the work and days spent outside with Cullen became a new and special kind of normal. He started WANTING to be outside all the time. So you mamas in the thick of it, I promise it gets more manageable.

Now we’re preparing to start all over again with a newborn. Dragging out my totes of newborn clothes and gear got me thinking of all the products that have saved the day for us.

Farm kids don’t need much. Cullen is happy with a stick and a bucket and some dirt. However, in those early days, these are the things that helped us stay productive with our babe in tow. Click on the images below for the same or similar products!

1. Variety of Carriers

You don’t have to be a farm mom for this to be my #1 recommendation for you. Not only are carriers an incredible comfort to newborns, but they also give mama an outlet for productivity. It’s your hands-free opportunity to do a load of dishes, go for a walk, or pull a still-born lamb (true story).

When Cullen was itty bitty, we used a Solly wrap, which is an extremely soft newborn carrier. It gives the baby a feeling of being swaddled and offers your heartbeat as a sound machine, which is what they were used to in the womb. In the days when he was small enough for this, I was still recovering and wasn’t much help with the sheep, so I can’t really include this type of carrier as a “farm recommendation”. But I 100% recommend it nonetheless.

Once he was big enough, we switched to a soft structured carrier. These can be worn on your front or back, and this is hands down the most useful thing we have for farming with a baby. Cullen was happy to ride on my back to check lambs, move sheep into a new pasture, or do anything else that needed to be done. It’s a super cheap investment with a big payout.

Cullen still uses his soft structured carrier, but we were gifted a framed carrier, and he now requests it for daily lamb checks. He’s loving the roominess of it, as he picks out a stuffed animal and some snacks for every ride. As for you, it transfers a lot of the weight from your shoulders to your hips, so it’s a nice transition for toddlers.

2. Sit Me Up Floor Seat

This feels like a lifetime ago.

Back when our son was content to sit (ha!), he loved to hang out in this thing. Therefore, we had one that stayed inside and one that rode around with us outside. I sat him in the grass while I worked in the garden, in the bed of the truck while we worked on the shed, and on the porch while I watered flowers. He didn’t always last a long time in it, but it was usually a nice little stretch.

We love that it’s lightweight and folds flat, which makes it super convenient to cart around the farm.

3. Pop Up Play Yard

This guy was a surprise gift that we didn’t realize we needed. In those months of learning to and perfecting the crawl, Cullen used this play yard both inside and outside.

He didn’t particularly like the feel of it laying on the tall grasses of the pasture, so we typically rotated the play pen from the porch to the edge of the garden. It gave me an opportunity to collect veggies and do any prep work (stringing beans or shucking corn) on the porch.

Again, we love anything that travels easily. This stores like a bag chair, so you can throw it over your shoulder and take it wherever. We also appreciated the sun shade. Not to mention, it’s plenty roomy for mom or dad to climb in too!

4. Convertible Tricycle

Cullen has reached a lull with his tricycle. He’s not big enough to reach the petals, but he’s also too busy to sit still and be pushed.

In his first summer, though, the kid lived in this thing. We took short walks daily to visit the chickens and get fresh air. It was a handy activity for snack time.

It is ideal on concrete, so it’s a bit harder to push / navigate in the grass or rocks. We (especially Cullen) didn’t mind it, but it’s more of a “casual” farm recommendation.

The best part about it is that this transitions into an independent tricycle. The sun shade and tray are convenient when he’s small enough to be pushed, but we’ll be able to remove those attachments once his feet can reach the petals.

5. Wagon

You guys. I can’t say enough about a wagon.

If you’ve ever tried taking a walk with a toddler, you know it only happens at a snail’s pace. Our wagon allows us to out and get some movement, which is so nice during this second pregnancy, without having to wait on the little one picking up rocks or trying to make a run for the woods.

Before he reached the toddler / walking stage, the wagon was a welcome break from packing him around or using a carrier. Being able to reach out and touch the sheep also gave him a feeling of independence.

We take a break from the wagon during the summer heat, but during the spring, fall, and winter, we love to load it up for evening chores. We toss in the boy and buckets of feed, then head to the sheep. It gives us a place to put snacks, toys, and essentials to keep him content throughout the trip. If he does get tired of riding, though, he enjoys getting out and helping to “push” the wagon. That may slow us back down, but, hey, at least it’s entertainment.

6. Pacifier Clip

Not all of your little ones will need this, but Cullen loved (and still loves) a good paci. Having it clipped onto their clothes keeps them from throwing it in sheep poo or dropping it in a mud puddle or just losing it altogether.

7. Bucket Hat / Sunglasses

If you’ve seen Cullen lately, you’ve probably seen him in a bucket hat. And he may’ve even told you that you needed a hat on too. I’m thanking my lucky stars that he loves wearing one and keeping those ears shaded.

When he was younger, we also managed to get him to wear some sunglasses. Baby sunnies are flexible and have a strap, so they’re pretty durable.

Both are a must in this ridiculous 90 degree / haven’t-seen-rain-in-weeks weather.

8. Rain Boots

Okay, if you’ve seen Cullen in his bucket hat, you’ve also seen him in his yellow “boot boots”. OBSESSED.

We all need a good pair of work boots that stay muddy and in the garage. Once your little one starts walking, make sure to grab them a pair, as well!

9. Bunting

THIS. We used this every day of winter.

Even though Cullen never seems to mind the cold, I always fretted over him. We had a couple of buntings, though, and they made me feel so much better about having him out.

We’d layer a warm fleece sleeper underneath his suit, add a toboggan, and throw on one of my fuzzy headbands to cover his neck and mouth. I’d definitely recommend a bunting with fold-over mittens. They’re much more convenient than trying to get actual mittens to stay on.

10. Portable Fan

I will admit that I frequently forget that we have this thing. Now that Cullen is on the go 24/7, it’s a bit harder to actually use it on him.

However, I have been holding it up for him while he rides in our framed carrier on hot days. Since it has flexible legs, it’s also handy to mount onto his wagon or tricycle when we’re walking to feed.

I find myself using it most on the stroller when we visit the park or the zoo, BUT I do think it could be handy for summer farm chores. I just haven’t used it to its potential.

BONUS: 1,000 Hours Outside Tracker

This year Cullen and I have been doing the 1,000 Hours Outside challenge, which is a push to replace screen time with outside time.

I’m a big to-do list and check list kind of girl, so I love their trackers. They have downloadable coloring sheets that allow you to color in a box for every hour spent outdoors. Even if you’re not in a place where you think you can reach 1,000 hours (and we definitely won’t make it this year), their trackers are still great motivators to get your baby into the sunshine every day.