At different ages, kids require vastly different products, equipment, and types of stimulation. As such, when making your checklist of essential items for your kids, it’s important to tailor that list to suit their specific needs. What to prepare for a newborn, for instance, is vastly different from the things you’ll need for a child approaching school age. The former will require safety, comfort and nutrition in spades, while the latter focuses on exploring, learning and developing autonomy at far greater rates. In what follows, we’ll go into more detail about these essential products for each age group.

There are a lot of things to think about before your baby arrives. This is a time marked by excitement, and anticipation, but also, understandably, nerves! Before your baby is due, consider what your baby will need in its first few months. Babies grow a lot during this period, and it’s critical that their nutrition and health is maintained optimally. Moreover, you’ll likely be carrying your baby around with you almost everywhere you go, meaning that a comfortable method that will allow you to take your newborn from one place to another is essential. Take a look at our baby gears category and bring home a stroller, baby carrier and baby portacot for your little one. To ensure that they have all the nutrients they need for healthy development, check out the full range of our feeding and nursing products. 

Start your parenting journey with the must-have of all parents: a stroller. On iShopChangi, you’ll find dozens of the highest-quality strollers in Singapore, like this fully assembled Bugaboo Bee5 Classic Complete. This stroller comes in aluminium grey, black grey and black navy, and features a sun canopy, under-seat basket and rain cover, making it one of the most stylish, functional and comfortable. The Bugaboo Ant Complete (Black Chassis) is also a stellar choice, coming in a slick red and black design and a high-set seat for your newborn. Alternatives to strollers include the Stokke MyCarrier Front & Back. This ingenious, comfortable contraption, made of cotton, will allow you to walk and carry your newborn hands-free. They can face you or face the world as they go, giving you and your baby ultimate freedom and flexibility. Alternatively, turn the Joolz Hub Carrycot into a stroller all of its own, and ensure that your baby doesn’t wake up when being taken out. With wind and rain protection, and a range of colours such as Nero, hippo grey, parrot blue and Rosso, this carrycot is a standout option for all parents.

One item that will never go astray for parents is the Phil & Teds Traveller portacot, which features a protective mesh for your child. Keep away harmful insects, like mosquitoes, and ensure that your child doesn’t crawl, roll or walk where they’re not supposed to late at night. The mifold Grab & Go Booster Seat, meanwhile, will keep your kids safe in the car. Compact, secure and available in a range of colours from perfect pink to denim blue, this car seat is a wonderful pick for long journeys abroad and daily commuting around your neighbourhood. 

At feeding times, the Oribel Cocoon Delicious – Rose Meringue will serve as an excellent companion. This high chair transforms into a relaxing recliner seat, making it a versatile item for your baby when they want to eat and sleep. When it comes to your baby’s diet, you can’t look past Lilo. The Lilo Premium Mushroom Powder and Premium Kombu Powder provide many of the most essential nutrients for your baby, such as B vitamins, phosphorus, manganese and zinc. Each will add volumes to your baby’s muscular, neurological and general development. Buy a two-pack of Hegen Breast Milk Storage Cups while you’re at it, to ensure that breastmilk is conveniently stored and easily accessible at all times.

During your child’s toddler years, they’ll likely be intensely curious, creative and exploratory. Before daycare, you can give your child a head start by feeding their desire to learn, grow and play. Toys from the nursery section on iShopChangi are cute, cuddly and educational, meaning your child will likely make a new friend as well as prepare themselves naturally for the beginning of their formal educational journey. Other items, like bottles, crayons and musical instruments are both functional and stimulating for your child’s development. 

Buy your toddler a Baa Baa Sheepz Double Layer Blanket that acts as a baby swaddle, so they stay warm and toasty on cold nights. Made from 95% bamboo, this blanket is softer and more huggable than most and is available in blue, pink and yellow colours. Take home a pillow to go alongside it, like this Medium Bed Time Buddy Star and Sheepz Kidz Bolster Pillow, also from Baa Baa Sheepz. You’ll be able to deck out their bedroom to make it as cosy as can be, allowing them to rest and relax in comfort after a long day at daycare.

Parents on the lookout for plush toys need not look any further. iShopChangi’s collection of plush toys and games which can also be found under the gifts and souvenirs section by Changi Airport includes dozens of the cutest, cuddliest plush animals, dinosaurs and mythical creatures which your child will instantly fall in love with. Take a look at the Sparkle Tales Daydream Golden Labrador Plush Toy, an adorable-looking pooch with big green eyes and bedazzling green paws. Sparkle Tales also has the Oceana Turtle Plush Toy on offer, a gorgeous pink turtle with a retro, multi-coloured shell. Meet Ted, the Attic Treasures Brown Fox toy from TY, who may or may not be up to no good, but sure looks happy about it either way. Otherwise, introduce your child to Sequin Moonlight the Purple Owl toy, who, as the name suggests, has a purple coat and is covered in sequins. Some other plush toys your child might fall head over heels for include the Rilakkuma Mini Mochi from San-X, the Regaliceratops from Safari, or Corsica the Mermicorno from Tokidoki. 

Other games your child can play include a variety of creativity and cerebral games, like those from Oribel. Check out the VertiPlay Wall Toy: Musical Rail Track, which teaches your kids how to create sounds with their first musical instrument. Brightly coloured and highly accessible, this toy will be a delight for your child, and will educate them about the fundamentals of how to create distinct sounds. Also from Oribel comes the Vertiplay STEM Marble Run, which can entertain your child for hours as they roll a marble down the track over and over again. With adjustable tracks that can change the marble’s direction, this toy will cleverly teach your kids the fundamentals of motion, making it a great toy to give your little one a little brain exercise. Alternatively, kick-start your kid’s creativity with 16 Twistable Crayons from Crayola. With a piece of paper and these crayons at the ready, there is simply nothing that your child can’t think up on their own. Perfect for afternoon activities, slow weekends or weekdays at daycare, these crayons will be an ideal companion both at home and away. 

Starting school can be daunting not only for your child but for their parents, too! Letting go of your little one for the first time as they wander off on their own into the world can be a challenging experience. However, you can prepare your kids for school in a range of ways, and some of the targeted school and pre-school products on iShopChangi can help you on your way. Backpacks and accessories and apparel for babies and kids are a must, as are school staples like coloured pencils and water bottles. Other fun, more advanced toys, like Rubik’s cubes and chess sets, can do wonders for your child’s intellectual and creative development. They can also be a great companion for your kids as they start school and learn to make new friends based on shared interests and hobbies. 

Buy your kid all of their essentials for school, like these 12 Twistable Coloured Pencils from Crayola. Whether your child is in classes for art, science, humanities or mathematics, these coloured pencils will serve them well, being a standard requirement in most early-years learning. Other staples, like this bright red or blue LEGO Hydration Bottle 700mL, are also a must. This drink bottle has a simple, fun design, a sturdy build and a removable silicon strap for your child’s convenience at school. Being dishwasher-safe and easy to clean, this drink bottle is a great choice for hydration and cleanliness. Backpacks, like the ergobag School Backpack Set Pearl DiveBear, come with an ergonomic school backpack, gym backpack, pencil case, hard pencil case, A4 folder box and a 5-piece Klettie patch set all in one! This particular backpack comes in a brilliant two-tone purple and pink, which your child is sure to love. Ergobag also has similarly themed backpack sets that are available in vibrant combinations like green-neon and black-blue-silver. 

There are a variety of games that are appropriate for kids approaching school age. For instance, you can teach your kids how to play chess with the Shifu PlayShifu Tacto – Chess Set. With a bright green, illustrated board and large, intricately-designed pieces, this chess set is as much of a spectacle as it is a staple in every child’s bedroom. Watch as their imagination and concentration are wrapped in learning the rules of this ancient game. Alternatively, there is nothing quite like a 3x3 Rubik's Cube to occupy your child’s mind. Stimulating, challenging and ultimately a lot of fun, the Rubik’s Cube will be your child’s ultimate companion through moments of idleness. Watch as your child becomes absorbed in the Rubik’s Cube and figures out just what makes it tick, and see them turn moments of frustration into pure satisfaction.

Find all of your essential childcare needs duty-free on iShopChangi! Shop through a range of Singapore’s best-in products for babies, toddlers and kids, and have your goods delivered for free when you spend at least $59 at the checkout. For even more discounts on iShopChangi, sign up for Changi Rewards to reap the benefits of even more exclusive deals and discounts. Membership is free, and you’ll receive 10% off your first product after joining! Spend it on your next pusher, breast pump or school bag and kit out your kids with everything they need for healthy, active growth. 

Are you a busy parent? If so, take a look at some of our other guides to navigating a healthy work, life, and family balance. You can learn about keeping fit and active with our guide to sports and athletic apparel, or about how to maximise your productivity with the latest and greatest in electronic goods. There’s plenty to explore through iShopCurates, so spend some time there and see what you find!