9 best deals at Costco for families this February

Heading to Costco soon? We’ve walked through the aisles, talked to parents across the country and got inside info from the company itself to determine the best deals on baby and kids stuff available right now. Note: Some of these items are available year-round, while others are seasonal.

Swimsuits: Swimwear—like a lot of merchandise at Costco—is only available for a limited time. Right now, the Skinz two-piece suit with matching hat is on sale for $23.99 (compared that to two-piece swimsuits without a hat go for around $35 at Gap). The catch: they’ll probably be sold out by early February, so soon. If you miss the swimsuits, keep your eye out for Crocs, which will be in stores at the end of February.

Books: Books at Costco are always at least 40 percent off the regular price. The company rotates its selection every six to eight weeks, so there’s always something new to pick up. And we're talking good-quality books here. We spotted compilations of Disney stories, books from the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and the illustrated version of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Water bottles: You can't do much better than $11.79 for a two-pack of Contigo leak-proof water bottles. (Comparable Contigo cups cost about $10 each at Canadian Tire.) But again, these are only available for a limited time, so if you see ‘em, grab ‘em.

Wipes: Parents rave about Costco’s Kirkland wipes! They’re thick and strong, but soft and unscented—a plus for a babe with sensitive skin. But arguably the best thing about Kirkland wipes is the price: A box of 900 goes for $22.50. The same number of Huggies wipes at many drug stores would cost you a about $35, if not on sale—that’s 55 percent more.

Probiotics: The price for 5 ml of Biogaia probiotic drops is steep, often between $40 and $50. Costco sells the same product for $27.50—that’s almost 40 percent less.

Birthday cakes: If you’re feeding a crowd—or, heck, even if you’re not—Costco cakes are a great deal. A half slab will cost you just $19.99. The same size cake goes for $34.99 at many grocery stores.

Sleepers: They’re cute and cozy and at $7.99, the always-available Pekkle cotton sleepers are a no-brainer. They come in sizes 3-24 months and are a third less than cotton sleepers available online at most other kids' clothing stores.

Thermometer: The Braun Thermoscan 5 Thermometer is easy to use (just put it in your babe’s ear and read her temperature instantly) but prices ranging from $70 to as high as $100 make the purchase hard to stomach. The good news: you can pick one up at Costco for $59.99, and it comes with 40 replacement filters—a $10 value.

Lunch bag: Yes, the new school year is many months away, but now’s actually a great time to buy a new lunch bag. A roomy, durable Roots lunch bag goes for around $17, and will be in Costco stores mid-February. Grab two—future you will be happy you did.

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