For mothers of toddlers, it often feels like you have to be willing to accept any bit of help you can get. Whether it’s potty training, trying to cook dinner with kids in tow, or keeping the family entertained on a road trip, there are plenty of obstacles that can make the experience rough.
Not anymore, though! With these gadgets, life with your young ones is about to get a whole lot safer and simpler.
Consider plates on the floor a thing of the past with this budge-proof silicone mat that’s easy for mom to clean and fun for kids to use.
Review: “Best placemat EVER!!!! My son tries, and tries to pull it up with no success! Highly recommend for any parent. Especially if your child LOVES to lift up and toss his/her placemat. You won’t regret this purchase! I promise!” –RCB
Blue, coral, or lime? Pick your mat here.
2. Little Partners Learning Tower
Make things easier for your kitchen helpers with this ultimate step stool. It’s sturdy, easily accessible, grows with your kids, and gives them protection from all sides, leaving you with one less thing to worry about during dinner prep.
Review: “My toddler uses this tower 5x a day. It is a must have for the inquisitive toddler in the kitchen. She can see everything in a safe area instead of trying to pull things down on herself or trying to climb up on the counters.” –Eric R
Get your sous chef their very own lookout here.
For a toddler-proof vessel made on the fly, try these stretchy toppers that fit snuggly over the opening of any standard cup. Pack comes with 3 lids and 1 cup.
Review: Love these [cup] toppers! Great for traveling with toddlers. Stretch to secure around most/many cups both at home and in restaurants. Mason jars work well too. Overall great product! –Santa Barbara R-W
Whether you’re going for a short drive or a longer trip, this tray table is perfect as an in-car coloring table, snack tray, or even just a stand for the DVD player.
Review: “This is exactly what I wanted for our long road trip. It fits perfectly in the car seat and is nice and soft on edges. The plastic insert fits in nice and snug and creates a really nice surface for coloring and activities. Only bought one for boys to share but wish I had bought 2!” –jaddy
The Potette makes potty training easy wherever you are. Use it at home over your regular toilet, or pack the Potette and its custom travel liners for a mess-free potty on the go.
Review: “This portable potty is always in our car. It is easy to setup, easy to clean and is ready whenever my daughter needs it. I like the size (can fit in any diaper bag).” –Amazon Customer
Get ready to toilet train here.
Kids will never have to be scared of a midnight bathroom break again thanks to this motion-activated toilet nightlight.
Review: “Perfect for kids. I got this light for my daughter’s bathroom because she was scared to go there alone at night. She loved the changing colors of her toilet and now she goes there at night by herself just to see how it glows.” –Janett
No more lifting your child up so they can wash their hands in the sink. With this device, the water flows toward them, helping them become more independent and conscious of bathroom cleanliness sooner.
Review: “This is a simple little device that makes hand-washing much easier for my toddler. I don’t have to hoist him up on my knee and lean him into the sink. He can easily reach the flowing water from his step stool. It’s an inexpensive convenience. Whoever thought of this is a genius.” –The Southern Review
Protect your babe from bumps and bruises during bath time with this rubber cover designed to enclose the hard, sharp edges of your tub’s faucet.
Review: “It looks very cute and it does a great job protecting my toddler’s head from bumping into the faucet. She is a very active and this spout cover has saved us from a lot of bumps and tears.” –Olipho
This flexible belt uses the loops on your child’s pants to hold them up without making them too tight to get off quickly during bathroom breaks.
Review: “I love these!! If you have a tall thin child, it can be very challenging to find pants that fit. These are awesome because they go on the back of the pants and do not make it harder or interfere with potty training. I recommend these to everyone, they are great!” –LittleRochi
10. Kaboost Portable Chair Booster
Make your little ones feel like they’re truly part of the family dinner with this device that turns virtually any chair into a booster seat.
Review: “This product is amazing. Perfect for kids who want to sit up high at the table. It has two height settings to accommodate different table/chair heights and it’s designed to fit several chair styles. It’s very easy to pop on and off of your chair and it has stayed secured to our chair for years now, despite much toddler abuse.” –Chelsea Mac