You'd think after the 50th game you'd have it figured out. But every hockey parent has that moment where they're sitting in a freezing rink thinking "I forgot the blanket again."
The Non-Negotiable List
- Stadium seat cushion — never sit on bare metal bleachers
- Blanket — throw over your legs, share with the parent next to you
- Hand warmers (HotHands or similar) — buy in bulk from Costco
- Toe warmers — adhesive ones that stick inside your boots
- Thermos with hot drink — coffee, hot chocolate, tea. Rink coffee is always bad.
- Phone charger / power bank — cold drains your battery fast
- Cash — some rink snack bars are cash only
The "You'll Be Glad You Brought It" List
- Extra pair of gloves — for when yours get wet from holding a warm drink
- Reading material or iPad — practices can be long
- Snacks — granola bars, trail mix. For you AND the kid after the game.
- Extra socks — for the kid. Hockey feet get wet.
- Small first aid kit — bandaids, ibuprofen
- Quarters — some rinks still have coin-operated lockers
For the Kid's Bag
- Full gear (obviously) — check the night before
- Water bottle — filled and cold
- Skate guards — save the blades
- Tape — hockey tape for stick, clear tape for socks
- Extra laces — they break at the worst times
- Towel — for wiping down gear after
- Healthy snack — banana, apple, protein bar for after the game
The Car Kit
Keep these in your car all season:
- Backup hand warmers
- Extra hat and gloves
- Blanket
- Toolkit (screwdriver for helmet cage adjustments)
- Air freshener (the hockey bag smell is real)
If you've got all this dialed in, you're ready for any rink at any temperature. Even the 5-snowflake barns.