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1. A pack of shoe stickers so your little one can put their shoes on the right foot all by themselves! Put one sticker in each shoe to help them know which is left and which is right. The adorable designs will make it fun for 'em, too.
Each pack contains enough stickers for eight pairs of shoes.
E Roberts Creative Co. is a small biz that sells stickers, stationary, and labels.
Promising review: "Fantastic stickers! My daughter saw them and instantly smiled and said, 'OH MY! Thank you mom! I just match them up and my shoes are right!' These are great. Much better than my Sharpie heart on the side of the sole solution. :)" —Danielle Favreau
Get a pack of 16 from E Roberts Creative Co. on Etsy for $8.50+ (available in three styles).
2. A cereal and snack dispenser to help your kids easily grab breakfast on their own. They'll definitely be more excited to hop out of bed and start their day with this sitting in the kitchen.
Promising review: "We have three kids and a very small kitchen with very little cabinet/counter space. We used to keep our cereal boxes on top of our refrigerator, but I've been trying to de-clutter, and also come up with a solution for our kids to be able to get their own cereal in the mornings. THIS IS IT!!!! It looks great on our counter and we have very little space, so it fits just right! This has been the perfect solution to giving our kids the independence they need to get their own breakfast! It has been a lifesaver!!! Love it!!!" —tenle
Get it from Amazon for $49.99 (available in eight different sizes and colors)
3. A pair of genius faucet extenders if your child isn't quite tall enough to reach the faucet. This allows them to wash their hands and brush their teeth without you needing to give them a boost every time!
Promising review: "I got these for my 3-year-old who is tall enough to reach the sink on a step stool, but I was still having to pick him up to reach the water. He is getting heavy so these were the perfect solution. This angled the water just enough for him to be able to wash his hands without having to pick him up. Quick parent win!" —Amber
Get a two-pack from Amazon for $11.49.
4. AND a sturdy step stool with slip-resistant rubber feet so they can confidently ~step up~ to the challenge of independence and being the big kid you know they are.
Promising review: "Must have for little one for potty training or washing their own hands at the sink. My daughter is 3 and is average height. This is just enough for her to reach the sink to wash her hands/ get to the toilet seat. It's quite sturdy and we haven't had any problems of it toppling over." —Suzi
Get it from Amazon for $25 (also available in a two-pack).
5. A pack of colorful hanging cups because it attaches right to your fridge! With these conveniently hanging (at their height, might I suggest!) they'll be able to grab a cup of water or juice without having to bother you *just* as you sit down to relax.
Promising review: "These things are amazing. We attached these to our water dispenser and the kids are 100% independent now with getting their own drinks of water and returning the cup. Saves me time and dishes daily! Sticker for the hooks are really sturdy, my 2-year-old tried to hang on them and they didn’t budge." —Melissa S
Get a pack of four from Amazon for $28.99 (available in three color combinations).
6. A splashproof kids' smartwatch that'll help teach them telling time and encourage them to keep track of their own schedule. This watch is super durable and features everything they'd want in a smartwatch — from taking pictures, videos, and even games.
Promising review: "My 4.5 year old absolutely loves it. She can be independent with checking the time, acting like a big kid, have a camera on hand, and a few games. We have the parent controls set to an hour of games a day and there are many options for parental controls with the amount of time that can be played. Theres even filters on the camera which she is a huge fan of." —YaYa
Get it from Amazon for $49.66+ (available in five colors)
7. A pack of glow-in-the-dark light switch extenders to put in their room so they can easily switch lights on or off when they want to and without having to ask for help to do so. The long extender is even shaped as a moon — how cute!
These install in minutes on standard light switches.
Promising review: "Must-have for toddlers! Perfect solution! As my toddler's independence soars, so do frustrations. This light switch extender pack was a great buy. He can now turn on the lights in his room and bathroom. Installation was easy and works as expected." —AW
Promising review: "My 4-year-old uses this everyday in his bathroom and his bedroom. It makes life easier and he feels like a big boy!" —Danielle W.
Get a pack of two from Amazon for $11.98.
8. A mini child-safe wooden knife if your child has shown interest in helping in the kitchen, but the thought of their tiny hands holding any sharp utensil literally gives you nightmares (and understandably so). This will help them feel like little chefs and encourage independent *and* safe meal prep!
Piccalio is a Cali-based small biz that specializes in unique wooden toys for kids that inspire them to think for themselves.
Promising review: "My 2-year-old loves cooking with me and this actually cuts things but isn’t too sharp to get hurt on! It’s great! She cut up a whole apple today for her daddy and took it to him! So sweet!" —Erika Badida
9. Or a set of plastic knives that come in various sizes. These are sharp enough to chop fruits and veggies, but safe enough not to slice your little's finger. This set is great if you've got multiple kiddos in the house, too!
Children still need supervision while using them.
Tovla Jr. is a woman-owned small business founded by Tova, a mother of five. The biz provides child-safe kitchenware that are all certified food safe, top-rack dishwasher safe, and made with BPA-free, non-toxic plastic!
Promising review: "I got these as a gift for my 5-year-old niece who has started helping out in the kitchen. They were a huge hit with her and her mom! She can actually delegate some of the dinner prep to her child. What a great way to tech responsibility and working together as a family. They can cut veggies without fear of losing a finger. You could probably scratch yourself with them if you tried really hard or applied a LOT of force. But definitely safe for your budding tiny chef." —Bob Beckwith
Get a set of three from Amazon for $9.95 (available in two color combos).
10. A Melissa & Doug magnetic responsibility chart so they can keep track of their big kid duties without you having to remind them every five minutes.
The sets comes with two fabric hinged dry-erase boards (one with spaces to track seven goals, and one that’s blank for magnet storage), a hanging cord, and 90 magnets featuring behavior and rewards like get ready for bed, get dressed, take bath, clear table, put toys away, share, brush teeth, apologize, say please, thank you, help with indoor/outdoor chores, no teasing, show respect and more! Plus, there are two blank magnets to write your own personal goals.
Promising review: "It works great and my 4-year-old loves that she gets smiles every time she accomplishes something. It has helped tremendously with her becoming more independent and finishing her own responsibilities around the house." —Jennifer Bonner
Get it from Amazon for $14.89.
11. A viral TikTok toothbrush holder and dispenser because when kids try to use a normal tube of toothpaste, it gets *everywhere* (the sink, their clothes — no surface left untouched). But with this, they'll be able to successfully brush their teeth without a mess for you to clean! This dispenses just the right amount so they can be more independent when it comes to brushing.
This bad boy includes a toothpaste dispenser (that'll squeeze out every last ounce!), four cups and holders, and a place to store your toothbrushes.
Promising review: "So glad we found this! With a 4- and 5-year-old I was constantly cleaning toothpaste off everything in the bathroom! This is great, they basically need zero help from me now. And it keeps my counter less cluttered with everything in one handy place. Highly recommend especially if you have kids!" —Maggie Byers
Get it from Amazon for $17.79+ (available in three colors).
12. A double closet rod so your little fashionista can pick out (and reach!) their own clothes for the day. This rod hangs clothes at their eye level and will allow them to grab what they want, when they want it!
There's no installation required — simply hang it from the top rod.
Promising review: "This was exactly what I was looking for. My 5- and 3-year-olds love dressing themselves but could not reach their clothes so this is the perfect solution. I like that it was all metal and there were no straps or ropes they could get tangled in. Seems durable and held a lot of clothes. I saw others that were adjustable and that would have been nice but this seems sturdy. Would recommend.." —LuvShping
Get it from Amazon for $11.99.
13. And a toddler busy board that'll help your little one learn how to tie laces, button up shirts, and zip up their jackets so they'll be able to dress themselves.
This board has various zippers, snaps, buttons, and strings.
Promising reviews: '"My 1-year-old loves it and it will grow with her with so many different things to master. Super handy for in the car or at other people’s houses. Lots to do with no mess." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in three colors).
14. Bob Books, Set 1: Beginning Readers to help start their reading journey by introducing a few three-letter words at a time and gradually building in difficulty as the books continue. The story will keep them engaged and they'll be *so* happy they finished an entire book on their own!
The set comes with 12 books.
Promising review: "My 4-year-old daughter has known letters and sounds since just past her second birthday and could 'read' a few sight words, but she had a hard time mastering the process of sounding out a word. For the last two years, she would read the word 'stop' as 'sss- tuh- ah- puh,' but didn't understand how to really blend the phonemes. But somehow, as soon as we got them for her, Bob Books finally unlocked the part of her brain that could really solve the puzzle of phonics! I'm thrilled by the amount of progress we've seen in just TWO DAYS-- going from 'getting' phonics, but not really reading, to completely consolidating and understanding the two concepts. She's also very suddenly taken up a lot of initiative in independent writing and spelling. I couldn't recommend these books more highly. They are a miracle!!" —Juniper
Get a set from Amazon for $14.91.
15. A splurge-worthy kitchen helper tower for the tiny chefs who can't reach the counter just yet. This will allow them to help out without needing a lift from you! It can also transform into a table and chair set, so you're really getting a 2-for-1 deal here.
Wood and Hearts is a small biz based in Ukraine, owned by a dad, who specializes in building Montessori furniture using kid-safe, sustainable, water-based paints, and eco-friendly varnish.
Promising review: "This is the most perfect thing for my toddler ever. She’s loving being able to be at the sink and countertops to 'help' us cook. She sat at it for hours the morning we gave it to her doing puzzles and just excited to have her own table. I have sent the link for this to all my friends with toddlers! So awesome. I ordered it on a Monday and I swear by the end of that week it was on my porch and the communication from the seller couldn’t have been any more wonderful. It was assembled in less than a hour and I am impressed with the quality. We love this!" —Sierra Widener
Get it from Wood and Hearts on Etsy for $91.80 (originally $153).
16. A leak-proof snack spinner so your picky eater can decide on what they eat in a pretty fun way. It's got five compartments and one simple button to get it movin'. Plus they're super convenient to take on the go!
Promising review: "I’m obsessed with this snack container! It’s definitely a little pricier but totally worth it! Plus it makes snack time for my baby more fun!! It works super well and cleans super easily! It also makes taking snacks in the diaper bag easier too!" —Morgan Griffin
Get it from Amazon for $29.95 (available in three colors).
17. And a food pouch and juice box holder to ensure your little one can hold onto their own beverage without gripping so hard it immediately splashes everywhere, and so you don't have to constantly eye them in the process!
Watch this mama's review of the flipping holder in this TikTok.
Promising review: "BEST THINGS EVER!! My little one is 10 months old and a little miss independent. She HATES when I have to help feed her. She LOVES the applesauce pouches, but always squeezes them and makes the biggest mess ever! I thought these would be worth a shot. I was right!! Works awesome for her with juice boxes, too! AND she's happy because mommy doesn't have to help!! I would definitely buy them again, and I told EVERYONE with littles how much they need to buy these!" —Kaila
Get a two-pack from Amazon for $17.99 (available in five colors and sold individually).
18. A Melissa & Doug wooden cleaning play set with adorable mini versions of all the essential cleaning tools. It'll teach your kiddo to clean up after themselves while making it feel like playtime! Honestly... this is really a gift for you.
Set includes a mop, broom, dust pan, dust brush, duster, and a stand.
Promising review: "These are just what I needed! I bought these for my 1-year-old and while I know she’s not quite ready to really be cleaning, she really tries to help me when I’m doing it. I figured why not grab her her own set to foster some independence and start helping her momma out lol. The stand is easy as pie to assemble, literally stick it in and go. It’s totally functional as well. We haven’t tried the mop one out for real, but it is absorbent because she’s used it while I was Swiffering. Packaging for this product is great as well." —Danae Baptiste
Get it from Amazon for $34.99.
19. An anti-slip potty training seat because nothing says "independent" like going the bathroom all on your own. This seat even includes a ladder so that they can get up to the porcelain throne with zero assistance.
Promising review: "Bought this for our son who we are starting to potty train. It is made of durable plastic. It is easy to assemble (there is a one page illustration on how to assemble it) and there is no need for tools to assemble this. It is foldable for easy storage. Our son loves this as it gives him a sense of independence: (1) the step ladder enables our son to climb and sit on it on his own— yay!, (2) the handles on each side provide for additional support, and (3) it doesn’t slip as it rests on our toilet. There is a removable cushioned seat included for added comfort. The height of the potty training seat can be adjusted to fit the height of the toilet. Would recommend this product." —Jhyza
Get it from Amazon for $35.99 (available in seven colors).
20. A bed rail guard so that their transition to a big kid's bed doesn't involve any falling out at night. Plus, it can easily be folded down when it's not in use!
Promising review: "These bed rails are great — very easy to install and use. We just transitioned our 3-year-old to a regular bed and these made it easy. The mesh is great as my son can still look out of his bed while laying down (to make sure that the light in the hall is on!). He likes to curl up right next to them and we've not had any problem with them moving. They snap down without difficulty. (But not so easily that your child can do it!) We haven't used this feature much as we have it on a twin so have just had our son climb off and on the bed from the bottom. Definitely a great buy." —Elizabeth
Get it from Amazon for $54.99+ (available in two sizes and four colors).
Your confident kiddo cutting their own fruit and wearing the clothes they picked out:
