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Au pair packing list: what to bring (and what to leave)
A practical packing list for your au pair year — documents, clothes, small gifts and the things people wish they'd brought.
4 min read · Updated September 2026
Documents
- Passport and visa
- Signed au pair agreement
- Insurance documents
- Driving licence (and international permit if needed)
- Copies of certificates: first aid, childcare, education
- Bank card plus a little local currency
Everyday essentials
- Clothes for the current season, plus comfortable outdoor clothes for playing with children
- Any prescription medicine, with a doctor's note
- Phone, charger and a plug adaptor
- A few photos or small things from home
Nice to bring
A small gift from your home country for the family, and a game, book or song in your language to share with the children. It's an easy way to break the ice in the first days.
Leave behind
Bedding, towels and toiletries are easy to find on arrival — and the family usually provides bedding. Save the space.
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