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    If You Have A Toddler In Your Life, Here Are 26 Things You'll Want To Buy ASAP

    Just a heads up toddler parents, those no-mess paint sticks are pretty life-changing.

    1. A leave-in conditioning spray for curly hair to help restore your little one's curls to their former glory once more! It's also free from any toxic stuff including parabens, sulfates, and phthalates.

    Reviewers say this spray will leave wavy or curly hair (from 2a–4c hair) shiny, soft, and bouncy.

    Promising review: "A must-have. Best product I’ve found for my little one's hair." —Jose Orellana

    Promising review: "This stuff is fantastic for curly girls! I spray it in my daughter's dry hair in the morning, run my fingers through her ringlets (never ever comb or brush curly hair dry), then clip the top back. It smells amazing, and the price on Amazon is better than other national retailers I've found it at. The price is worth it. Minimizes frizz and keeps curls soft and natural looking. My daughter has soft/fine thick hair." —Carolyn Smith

    Get it from Amazon for $9.49+ (also available in a two pack).

    2. A TikTok-famous grape cutter because is there anything more ridiculously time consuming than quartering grapes every day for your little one? This cool device will do it at lightning speed and help reduce the risk of choking at mealtimes — whether at home or at school.

    reviewer's gif showing the grape cutter in action
    reviewer's photo of the grape cutter

    Promising review: "Must have if you have toddlers. Wish I knew of this sooner. Has made it so much easier to cut grapes for my toddler. Now can do it one-handed when my LO won’t let me set him down to cut the fruit. I have also used it to cut blueberries and blackberries." —Crystal Albertin

    Promising review: "If your toddler loves grapes, this is a MUST-HAVE! So much easier than cutting into 4ths with a knife." —Amazon Customer

    Get it from Amazon for $11.95.

    3. A pack of dinosaur bath bombs that'll make bath time fun by filling their tub with color as the egg fizzes away to reveal a hidden dino buddy inside. The best part? These come in a cute carrying case to store all their dino toys for screen-free play after bath time is over.

    The dinosaur bath bombs with a carrying case
    reviewer holding the extra large dinosaur bath bomb

    Promising review: "My 4-year-old is obsessed with all things dinosaur, so I was sure that this would be a hit in our household. Everything from the packaging to the actual product was a pleasant, sensory experience. Normally I have a hard time getting my kid to wash up in the evening because he knows bedtime is around the corner; however, he wouldn’t stop begging to hop in the tub with his new dinosaur eggs! The fact that each bath bomb is made with essential oils makes me feel good about soaking my little one, and the smell is quite delightful. My kid loved how fun it was when the water changed color, but I loved how it didn’t stain my bathroom. It takes a minute to dissolve because the bath bombs are quite large, but the funnest little dinosaur toy emerges once it fizzles out completely. Highly recommend! 10/10, will be purchasing again, as the price point is more than reasonable for 12 of these bad boys!" —Jesseca L.

    Get a pack of 12 from Amazon for $35.95.

    4. Or a whale bath toy which lights up automatically and starts spouting water the minute it hits the water. Who wouldn't want to play with this ~whaley~ cute buddy during bath time? 

    reviewer's photo of the whale toy lit up and squirting water in the bath
    reviewer's gif of the whale bath toy in action

    See why this parent says this toy is a hit with their 7-month-old on TikTok.

    Promising review: "My grandson LOVES this! He has so much fun! Loves the colors and how it squirts the water. Really cute for a 1-or 2-year-old. Heck I think it's fun and cute! Definitely a must-have for bath time!" —Faye

    Get it from Amazon for $19.98+ (available in two colors).

    5. A pack of silicone pouch lids that'll prevent your little ones from squeezing pouches all over themselves, and on your rugs and couches. This clever lid boasts a flow-control valve that prevents spills, but still lets them suck the purées.

    gif of someone squeezing the food pouch and nothing coming out
    reviewer's photo of a cap on a food pouch

    ChooMee is a small biz based in Northern California, owned by a mom, that specializes in innovative products that solve everyday feeding challenges.

    Promising review: "MUST HAVE FOR TODDLERS. My son is a little over 1-year-old and I wish I got these sooner! He gets moments of extreme excitement where is squeeze's the crap out of his pouches and it gets EVERYWHERE. Since having these I have had zero messes! I ended up buying 4 more because I wanted to keep one in every possible place I'd need one. It seems pretty darn secure if you do it following the directions. It fits Plum Organics, Earth's Best, and Happy Baby pouches for sure." —Amazon Customer

    Get a pack of two from Amazon for $9.99 (available in five color combos). 

    6. A set of satisfying tempera paint sticks because they feel like you're painting with rich, creamy lipsticks — but dry very quickly. My toddler is OBSESSED with these and uses them literally every day. The best part? It's all the fun of painting without the mess.

    reviewer's photo of the paint sticks
    reviewer's photo of a pumpkin painted with the paint sticks

    Promising review: "Best invention almost ever (there’s still sliced bread). I mean how can you go wrong with paint in a stick?!! I mean certainly a toddler can go wrong with it. A toddler can go wrong somehow with a spaghetti noodle!!! But seriously, I saw these paint sticks at one of our local art galleries and it was an immediate MUST HAVE!!! Vibrant colors and they fit in little hands SO well!!! My kiddo loves them and so does her Momma!!"RNinMD70

    Get a pack of 24 pens from Amazon for $19.99+.

    7. The Pink Stuff, a magical all-purpose cleaning paste so you don't need to go into full panic mode when lipstick (or Sharpie) marks mysteriously appear on your walls. (Good luck keeping the little Picassos out of your makeup bag, though!)

    Reviewer removing lipstick from the walls using the pink paste
    The Pink Stuff

    Promising review: "A must-have for toddler moms! My 3-year-old recently decided to channel his inner Van Gogh on our stairwell wall, and red crayon was EVERYWHERE. I tried every possible cleaning solution, and nothing was getting it off. I heard about the Pink Stuff on TikTok and decided it was worth a shot. This stuff is a miracle worker! With a sponge and some elbow grease, I was able to remove all the crayon within 10 minutes. There’s absolutely no trace of the crayon left, and it didn’t ruin my paint!" —Casey Blaine

    Promising review: "If you have toddlers, this is a MUST! This stuff is amazing. It gets out crayon, ink, permanent marker, literally whatever way your toddler decides to unknowingly destroy your home — this stuff cleans it up. Will be giving this to all expectant parents as a gift from now on. Forget that cute onesie. They need this. 10/10"Diana

    Get it from Amazon for $5.97.

    8. A pack of sink extenders you can install on any faucet to enable your little one to finally reach the water all by themselves *and* to save your back the strain of hoisting them over the sink.

    A child washing hands in the sink using a sink extender on the faucet
    Gif of water flowing through a faucet extender attached to a faucet

    Promising review: "Must-have for toddlers and small children! LOVE this! My 1- and 3-year-old love washing their hands now and my back gets a nice break. Adding the faucet extenders and a stepstool to our bed time/morning routine has been a godsend. Great bargain for the price." —TeaBea21

    Get a two-pack from Amazon for $11.49.

    9. A pack of bright laminated flash cards to help little Einsteins soak up their ABCs, 123s, shapes, and colors. They're like knowledge sponges at this age, so why not start them early?

    The flash cards with numbers, colors, letters, and animals
    reviewer holding the pack of flash cards

    Promising review: "My 2-year-old recognizes all her number and alphabets so she needed something to challenge her. These cards are it. Shapes, colors, number, counting animals — there is so much to learn, and so many games you can make up. A must-have for any toddler." —IG: Pink_confession

    Get a pack of 58 cards from Amazon for $13.99+.

    10. A set of plastic knives so you can enlist your mini sous chef's help with dinner prep. While these do a pretty decent job of chopping, they're not sharp enough to slice a finger.

    Three knives in different sizes purple, pink, and teal colors
    Reviewer's child slicing a squash with the knife

    Note: Children still need supervision while using them, of course.

    Promising review: "My daughter LOVES helping me cut and prep dinner with these! My LO (2.5 years) feels so helpful in the kitchen and I enjoy spending time together. A must have!" —Kacie

    Promising review: "Highly recommend these for safety, sturdiness, quality, & life skill reasons. These have been amazing for practicing cutting for my daughter. She’s been using them almost two years now since she was 2 years oldA must purchase if you’re looking to introduce a practical life skill especially to a young child!!" Ciandra

    Get a set of three from Amazon for $10.95.

    11. A pack of ingenious light switch extenders boasting an easy to grab moon-shaped handle so kiddos can turn the lights on and off ~all by themselves.~ The best part? These glow in the dark.

    A child reaching for the light switch extender
    Reviewer's photo of a child reaching for the light switch extender

    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

    Get a pack of two from Amazon for $9.98.

    12. Melissa & Doug activity book with a pair of safe scissors that'll channel your destructive, er, busy toddler's energy into a creative activity that'll put their fine motor skills to the test.

    A pair of yellow scissors and an activity pad
    Reviewer's child practicing cutting a watermelon graphic from the activity pad using the yellow scissors

    Promising review: "Must-have for toddlers. My 3-year-old loves doing these cutouts, and I enjoy them as well. The pictures are vibrant and pleasing. The puzzles are fun. The scissors are wonderful for small hands." —Holly

    Promising review: "Must-have for your toddler needing to learn scissor skills! And they actually cut, so long as you are holding the scissors straight (which teaches your child proper form). Will have to eventually move on to a bladed scissor, but these are perfect for learning." —L. Anderson

    Get it from Amazon for $7.99.

    13. And a Melissa & Doug magnetic calendar to help teach your preschooler the days of the week, months and the weather in a hands-on, interactive way. They'll jump out of bed eagerly to update it every morning.

    The magnetic daily calendar
    Reviewer's child using the magnetic calendar

    Promising review: "Almost 3-year-old loves it. After getting this he’s now asking me “today’s Tuesday mom?” And “it’s winter now?” He likes the holiday magnets and trying to figure out where to put the arrow for the temperature each day. It is sort of heavy, so I would recommend using a nail to hang it or command strips around the rope so you don’t damage your wall. I used a velcro heavy weight command strip and it has held up for a few months now. We tried attaching command strips to the back of the wood and it wasn’t holding to that material. This is a must have for toddlers." —Steph

    Get it from Amazon for $15.97.

    14. And for slightly older toddlers, a wooden puzzle equivalent to playing Tetris but in tactile form that'll ~exercise brains~ without any screentime.

    The wooden puzzle
    Reviewer's photo showing their child working on the puzzle following a leaflet that shows different diagrams

    Reviewer's say this is a great toy for all ages — from 3 to 12.

    Promising review: "Excellent for learning! Must-have! Such a wonderful toy/puzzle! Similar in some way to tangrams. Great for stimulating thinking and problem solving. My 3-year-old's teacher was blown away by her working the puzzle so easily." —tigerhax

    Get it from Amazon for $9.99.

    15. A pack of spill-proof Munchkin snack catchers featuring flexible flaps that'll allow easy access for little hands BUT prevent Cheerios from *flying everywhere*. Not having to constantly clean your toddler's trail of snacks? These deserve a gold medal, if you ask me.

    Two snack containers in blue and green
    A child model's hand pulling a cracker out of the blue snack cup
    Reviewer's video demonstrating how the container prevent snacks from falling out

    Promising review: "These are a must-have for a small toddler and their snacks. The top is soft and flexible so I don’t have to worry about my little guy scratching his little hands when he’s digging around in the cup. Very easy to clean and they’re priced well. Buy them now!" —Wooty

    Get a pack of two from Amazon for $6.

    16. detangling brush because it'll glide through knots to turn your kiddo's daily hair-brushing ordeal into a painless experience minus the *ouchies or tears* (for both of you). Just trust the 45,000+ people who gave it a 5-star review.

    reviewer's photo of the ergonomic shaped brush in pink
    Reviewer's before photo of their child with knotted hair
    Reviewer's after photo of smooth hair from using the brush

    Reviewers swear this brush works on all hair types: straight, wavy, or curly (from 3a–4c hair).

    Promising review: "Brushing hair was a nightmare for my toddler. She is so happy with this item, She brushes her hair by herself now. This is a must-have brush, especially for mixed kids or Afro hair." —pelin ercan

    Promising review: "Best detangling brush I've ever used! My daughter has really curly hair and puts up a fight every time I have to brush it! This brush has made bath time a much more enjoyable experience for both of us! 😅 If you have thick, curly hair this brush is a must-have!" —Tiffany Marie

    Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (available in nine colors).

    17. A pair of GeoSafari Jr. binoculars specifically designed for toddlers who would love nothing more but to look at birds, planes (and other fascinating things) up close!

    A child model looking through the binoculars
    reviewer's child holding the binoculars and looking out of the window

    Promising review: "MUST HAVE. Baby K is only a year & a half and she was so excited to look out the windows and see the birds, up close! I wasn't sure they would work for her little face, but once she focused in, it was all over, hahaha!" —Brenda Richmond

    Promising review: "My 3 1/2 year old loves these! Perfect for toddlers wanting to explore. He uses them for bird watching, plane watching, checking out bugs, just about anything! Great for learning!" —JillS

    Get it from Amazon for $14.99.

    18. An Oogiebear nose and ear cleaner, one of those parenting products that'll make you say, "Is this my life now?" Seriously though, it's designed with a rubber scoop and loop at the ends to gently clean out little noses and ears without going too far.

    reviewer's photo showing the booger cleaning tool in a packaging
    A closeup of the bear booger cleaner tool
    www.amazon.com, Chandni Reddy / Buzzfeed

    Promising review: "Must have for toddler mamas! This is the best $12 piece of plastic/silicone I have ever bought! Great for my 2-year-old and he doesn’t even mind when I use it! Great for those nasty boogers!" —Megan G.

    Get it from Amazon for $12.95

    19. A bath toy organizer with 11,000 5-star reviews (!!!) that reviewers swear will actually stick to your wall, tidy your bathtub, and keep toys dry and within arm's reach. What more could you ask for?

    Promising review: "This has been a game-changer for the whole bath toy tub time mess problem. The toys hang on the bath wall and dry in the mesh bag. It's great and holds a lot of toys! And it doesn't take up any space in the bathroom. Definitely a must-have for any toddler!" —Katie V.

    Get it from Amazon for $9.98+.

    20. A pack of corner guards to protect your toddler's fragile head from big bumps when they walk precariously close to a sharp coffee table. The best part? They're incredibly discreet so your home can be kid-friendly *and* adult-looking.

    reviewer's photo of a clear guard placed on a glass table corner
    The same guard being pulled off, stretching until it releases

    Promising review: "Must-have for small children. When my toddler was running one day and smoked the corner of the island I knew I had to do something. These were perfect. They stuck on the corners great and most importantly will prevent the need for stitches if your child doesn't make a wide enough turn." —Tev

    Get a pack of 18 from Amazon for $9.98+ (also available in a 24-pack).

    21. A machine-washable Tiny Twinkle full-sleeved bib because your messy eater tends to get covered head to toe in applesauce. This will provide more coverage than a regular ol' bib to save their clothes from food stains.

    The long sleeve bib with rainbows on it
    A child wearing the bib in a high chair
    Amazon

    Tiny Twinkle is a small biz based in Phoenix, Arizona that creates high quality, safe products for babies, children and parents. 

    Promising review: "Must have for toddlers! This is my second time buying this type of bib. My child keeps taking off the other bibs but this she doesn’t take out. Also, it's good for play time and activities. Whenever it's time to eat my child is ready for the bib and knows that it's time to sit in the highchair and doesn’t resist or anything." —Aparna

    Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in two sizes and 27 colors).

    22. A pack of toilet seat covers you'll be SO glad you decided to carry with you when you're out and about with your potty-trained toddler, who insists on getting their hands ALL OVER gross public restroom seats.

    P.S. These are large enough to cover the *sides* of the toilet (unlike the the paper ones provided in the stalls).

    Promising review: "Must-have! If you have a toddler these are a MUST! We travel and it gives us peace of mind knowing that no matter where we are, as long as we have these covers we can safely take her to the bathroom and everything is ok. Before we found these, I used to be super stressed when she would ask to use the bathroom and we were out and about but not anymore. They have cute colors and are big enough." —Dayanna Pita

    Get a pack of 24 covers from Amazon for $9.99.

    23. A pack of silicone dino ice pop molds so you can take homemade popsicles to a ~dino-mite~ level, y'all. Just fill them with juice, yogurt, or smoothies to make healthier versions of store-bought ones.

    Four dinosaur ice pops
    reviewer's photo of a dinosaur popsicle they made

    Promising review: "Toddler snack must-have. I absolutely love these molds. The silicone is good quality because it peels off the pops easily and I use them quite often — they are pretty durable. Both my toddler and preschooler love them although the pop portion size is generous for my younger. The bone holders are hilarious and the yogurt we use looks exactly like a dino as expected after frozen. These work great and are really fun shapes so I highly recommend." —TXFan

    Get a pack of four from Amazon for $12.79+ (available in four styles).

    24. scavenger hunt that'll keep them busy by sending them on a mission to discover *treasure* AKA toys, books, clothing, furniture and other objects around the house.

    A household scavenger hunt card set for toddlers
    A household scavenger hunt card set for toddlers
    Mollybee Kids / Via www.amazon.com

    Promising review: "A must-have. My 2-year-old son is obsessed. Always asks to play the 'find you' game LOL. Then we play it and every option on the game he actually thinks really hard then says 'come on mommy' and runs me through the house to find the object. Highly recommended from a mom of four." —Britney bansley

    Get it from Amazon for $12.99.

    25. A set of nonslip educational placemats for helping little Einsteins practice their ABCs, 123s, shapes, and colors during meals — WAYYY better than watching toy unboxing videos on YouTube, right?

    Four placemats
    reviewer's photo of their child using the shapes placemat during a meal

    Promising review: "My grandson uses these to learn his colors, shapes, alphabet, and numbers! He was so excited when they arrived and picks out which one he wants to use! Thank you so much! This is a must-have for toddlers! They can learn and make a mess all at the same time!!!" —Rita Russell

    Get a set of four from Amazon for $12.99.

    26. An ingenious sandwich cutter and sealer so you can make your own Smuckers Uncrustables copycats at home without spending nearly $10 for a box. Prepare for your life to be *utterly butterly* changed.

    The sandwich cutter and sealer
    Reviewer's photo showing homemade uncrustables

    Promising review: "A must-have. As a mom of two, ages 2 and 5, who HATE crust this is a lifesaver! It saves so much money to buy these instead of Uncrustables."  —Baleigh W

    Get it from Amazon for $15.96.

    The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.