1. A lice prevention and detangling combo spray made with a blend of rosemary, citronella, tea tree, and geranium oils to help keep those dreaded bugs away. Plus, reviewers say it's gentle enough to use daily and will leave your little one's hair soft and smooth.
Promising review: "Love this so much, we use it daily! We have survived one lice outbreak in school by using this product as a detangler daily, and I've used it ever since. My children have extremely long hair ranging from straight to very curly. This works on all of them, both for detangling and lice prevention. The scent is wonderful, clean and subtle without the musk of some essential oils. We've reordered and reordered, it's a staple in our house. Try it! You won't be disappointed." —Hannah Jean
Get it from Amazon for $11.95.
2. And 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: "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 $8.39.
3. An inexpensive baby gate that's super easy to install — just pressure mount, you don't have to drill holes into your walls — and even easier for adults to open with one hand. But rest assured, it'll keep your toddler from taking a tumble down the stairs.
Pssst, this gate has 40,000+ 5-star (!!!) reviews and is capable of expanding to fit openings between 29-34 and 35-38.5 inches wide. This gate will not fit an opening between 34-35 inches. It also stands 30 inches tall. Make sure to measure your opening before you buy to ensure proper fit.
Promising review: "Best gate I have ever owned. I have two small kids, a dog, and two cats. Plus, lots of stairs. I have gone through so many gates in the last three years. Most broke over time or came loose. This gate is worth 20 stars. Amazing quality. It has stood the test of time! reliable, sturdy, easy to use, easy to install. The gate swings both ways! That's a HUGE plus. I feel so secure having it knowing that there is no way my kids or dog can knock it down or get over it. It is tall too. Buy this one. Coming from the girl who is the queen of gates. This one is one-and-done." —L. Randall
Get it from Amazon for $39.99.
4. An oh-so-cute Mickey-shaped stroller hook because it'll do all the heavy lifting for you and is big and sturdy enough to hold multiple bags and bottles to make an outing with baby ~infinitely easier.~
Promising review: "We got this for our Disney trip. It was perfect to hold our water bottles as we navigate the parks, it was also great for our little big kids to hold on to when we were walking through big crowds! It also worked well holding all of our bags! The hook is huge and of substantial weight. The bonus is that it’s also adorable — perfect for any Disney fan!" —LnASmom
Get it from Amazon for $15.
5. And a 3D-printed foam soap dispenser attachment to create a magical Mickey shape out of pumped soap that's guaranteed to have your kids begging to wash their hands all day long.
Mouse Delights 3D is a small biz based in Las Vegas that specializes in Disney-inspired 3D-printed accessories.
Promising review: "Super cute and very easy to use. My littles love Mickey and this makes hand washing that much more fun for them!" —Abby D
Get it from Mouse Delights 3D on Etsy for $9.99 (available in 13 colors).
6. A stroller fan with bendable foam legs that'll wrap around a stroller, car seat, or pretty much anything to keep your lil' munchkin cool as a cucumber, even when it's a gazillion degrees outside.
Promising review: "Absolutely love this thing! I didn’t expect much of it but after reading the awesome reviews I decided to give it a shot. It has flexible tripod legs that are able to wrap around things and stand upright as well as a moveable head. It is super efficient for its size and I love that it also has an LED light that I was unaware of. My little girl has a low heat tolerance so this is just what I needed to keep her cool in the heat. Thank you for an amazing product. Worth every penny!" —Olga
Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in three colors).
7. A pack of absorbent, waterproof changing pad liners so you don't have to fumble around with pulling off your entire changing pad cover while dealing with an accident mid–diaper change. Plus, these are cushy and quilted for babies who like to luxuriate during diaper changes.
Promising review: "Absolutely love these changing pad liners. We use them on our changing table, on our couch and on our bed in a pinch. They are incredibly absorbant and do not leak through. Just the other night we had a full on pee while changing our little man and it absorbed it all with no run off. This is a must have item and great purchase. Also, I should mention, the product is incredibly soft and much more comfy than a cold changing pad in the middle of the night. In addition, it has a convenient band and button for rolling up and storing. Don't hesitate, buy this product. You will not regret it." —AmazonLvr87
Get a pack of three from Amazon for $15.95.
8. A pack of Crayola Globbles that'll keep mini whirlwinds busy running around the house hurling these sticky globs at the wall or ceiling. Don't panic, parents, reviewers say they don't leave a sticky residue.
Promising review: "Amazing toys! My 1- and 2-year-old LOVE them! They scream 'sticky balls!' and run around throwing them on the fridge, windows, cabinets, walls, etc. Easy to wash and air-dry, and don't lose their stickiness! My new go-to gift! Love them!" —Rachel
Get a pack of six from Amazon for $8.40.
9. And a value pack of reusable 500+ puffy stickers for when you run out of ideas to entertain them. These are pretty much guaranteed to keep easily bored kids engaged for hours (which is nothing short of a miracle, TBH). Plus, they're easy for little ones to peel, stick...and restick all by themselves.
The stickers feature letters, numbers, vehicles, butterflies, deep-sea life, animals, fish, dinosaurs, and more.
Promising review: "I love that they are removable. They don’t leave marks on your window. You can even place them back on the plastic sheet and use them again. I have a busy box for my toddler and these stickers are in there. She peels them off and puts them on the lid of the box and then peels them off again and puts them back. She creates scenes with them. She puts them on windows at home. I peel them off and put them back. They really are fantastic stickers." —Elizabeth A. Zapf
Get a pack of 20 sheets from Amazon for $7.99.
10. A bug bite suction tool invented by a mom that's worth the Shark Tank hype. This ingenious device sucks out all kinds of bug bites, instantly relieving itching and swelling, so your kids aren't left scratching.
Promising review: "This is a miracle-worker for my toddler. I bought this after receiving a spider bite on my foot, that was already healed when it came in. Two days after delivery, my 2 1/2-year-old got stung by a bee or wasp and was screaming and in tears. I broke this out, and he immediately went from screaming to laughing as I used it. It was amazing. He got his second sting today, and the same thing happened — instant pain relief. I don’t know what I would do without this thing. Plus, he likes to play with it afterwards which further calms him down. A+++" —Briley Black
Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in two colors).
11. A Whiskware pancake batter mixer with a BlenderBall wire whisk that'll let you whip up a batch of pancakes at lightning speed on hectic mornings — no separate mixing bowl, messy spoons, or batter-coated countertops. Simply add your ingredients, shake, and pour from the spout. Breakfast's ready 😋!
You can even store leftover batter in the bottle and pop it in the fridge for a time-saving weekday breakfast!
Promising review: "This is the best breakfast invention after the waffle maker. LOVE IT! As someone who makes pancakes or waffles three to four times a week (my kids are pretty spoiled, but breakfast is key to getting through the first part of the school day), this is the easiest and fastest way to get that done. I just add everything to the bottle, shake, and pour into the waffle maker or griddle. When I am done, just add some water, shake again, empty, and then place everything in the dishwasher." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $13.98.
12. A clever sight word Bingo game; if you've ever asked yourself, "How do I take the frustration out of learning sight words and make it FUN?" then this game is for you.
The set comes with 36 playing cards, 264 playing chips, caller's mat and cards, and a storage box. This version is a fun twist on the classic, but instead of calling out numbers, the leader calls out words (there are 46 most-used words), players search their cards for a match and place a red chip on the match. Once a player has covered the spaces on their card needed to win, they call BINGO!
Promising review: "Getting my daughter to do sight words has been a nightmare lately, she pretends she has no idea what anything is and refuses to sit down and try. But, with this game, she wants to play for hours!!! I give her two cards and we all play together as a family, she thinks it is the best game and it really is helping her learn her sight words!! Finally something that gets her excited about learning!! —Rebecca
Get it from Amazon for $8.89.
13. And a pack of bright laminated flash cards so little Einsteins can soak up their alphabet and numbers. They're like knowledge sponges at this age, so why not start them early?
Promising review: "My 2-year-old mastered the her numbers, alphabet, colors, shapes, and identifies all animals and objects on the cards. When I first received the cards I thought they may be a little too advanced for her age (18mo old at the time), but I was dead wrong! After about a month and a half of using the flash cards she mastered them! We usually 'play' with the flash cards for only about 10 minutes before her bedtime. This is a great tool in the early developmental stages for any toddler. I’m excited to get her the next card set. Material = durable, same as a normal deck of cards. Size = a little bigger than your typical deck of cards. Fits nicely in pocket or purse, great for keeping toddlers busy while traveling. Overall = A+." —M. Abdallah
Get a pack of 58 cards from Amazon for $12.99 (also available for babies).
14. A bath toy organizer with 10,000 5-star reviews (!!!) to instantly declutter a tub filled to the brim with toys. 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: "For the price, this thing is unbeatable! The suction cups have held tight to the shower wall since I installed this stuff. It holds all my kid's toys and allows the water to run off of them to prevent mold. I think this is a must-have for bath-time organization!"—internalburn
Get it from Amazon for $10.49+ (available in two sizes and pre-stocked with toys or by itself).
15. The Ollie Swaddle to make bedtime less of a struggle. It wraps snugly to prevent your lil escape artist from breaking out and boasts an opening at the bottom to make diaper changes a breeze. The best part? Moisture-wicking fabric to prevent overheating.
The Ollie World is a small biz based in Rancho Cucamonga, California, founded by a foster mom, who set out to make her own swaddle that could meet all of her foster son's needs.
Promising review: "New mama and I had no idea how to get my baby girl to sleep. She fought and kicked her way out of the blanket swaddles and kept us (me) up all night. I saw the Ollie on Instagram and decided to try it out. The first day I put her in it I actually got some sleep — it was a miracle!! I read more into how it works for babies and found out that the inventor was also a fellow social worker (another reason I absolutely love it!) but that it makes my baby Z fall asleep in a minute is beyond amazing. I’m so glad I found it and I recommend it to all my mommy/to be mommy friends now. Thank you!!!" —Ashti M.
Get it from The Ollie World for $59 (available in five colors) or from Target for $59.99.
16. 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.
Promising review: "These are unbelievable. We have the dinosaur ones and they are absolutely adorable. The mold peels off beautifully, and the size is just right for my preschoolers. I'm making healthy smoothies (frozen spinach! Chia seeds! Ground flax!) and making ice pops with them, and my kids think they're eating a fun dessert. Brilliant. I'll be giving these as gifts for a good while." —LucieBlue
Get a pack of four from Amazon for $9.99.
17. A cult-favorite stain remover especially great for knocking out stubborn stains like grass, oil, or blood. You can count on on this concentrated spot treatment to make messes from your kids' clothes disappear.
Promising review: "This is the best stain remover I have ever used! I wish I would have found it years ago! My daughter is 6, and I can't think of how many stains this product hasn't gotten out for us, even old set-in stains that I thought were hopeless. A friend turned me on to this stuff, and now I will never go without it! A must-have for anyone with kids." —Lauren Ruffin
Get a pack of three from Amazon for $11.89.
18. 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.
Promising review: "A 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 bedtime/morning routine has been a godsend. Great bargain for the price." —TeaBea21
Get a two-pack from Amazon for $10.95.
19. A wooden puzzle if you can't get your kiddo to put down their iPad or video game controller. This is equivalent to playing Tetris but in tactile form that'll ~exercise their brain~ without any screentime.
Reviewer's say this is a great toy for all ages — from 3 to 12.
Promising review: "I ordered this for my K–1 after-school class and they line up to use it! It is also a favorite of the autistic children I have in the class — it keeps them calm and focused for a good while. It also helps test determination because it's an easy puzzle until you get to the end and you have to move stuff around to make everything fit! Endless possibilities! I highly recommend it! The pieces are small and wooden — would not recommend for ages of children who like to put toys in their mouths." —C. Delgado
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
20. A pack of durable and moisture-proof toddler shoe sticker helpers because your little one gets a little confused about which shoe goes on which foot. These genius stickers will help you get out the door faster every morning.
Erin Roberts Creative Co. is a small biz based in Pasadena, Maryland that specializes in stickers and stationary.
Promising review: "So far the stickers have stayed in my daughter’s shoes. We no longer have to leave the house with shoes on the wrong feet!" —sirena cheung
Get two sheets of stickers for eight pairs of shoes from Erin Roberts Creative Co. on Etsy for $8.50 (also available in larger quantities).
21. A sleek touchless forehead thermometer with a built-in sensor that'll let you measure in seconds. Added bonus: You can take your baby's temperature without disturbing them while they're sleeping.
Promising review: "This is a great thermometer — accurate, looks great, a must have! If you have kids, forget about sticking a thermometer in their ears. I have four kids now and a thermometer is a must have. Hold this thing close to the forehead, push the button in and you get a reading in about one second. This thing looks good, feels good, and is accurate. We’ve used multiple thermometers in the past. The head scanner that you run across the forehead...no good. In-ear thermometers...accurate, but expect a battle. Rectal thermometers...very accurate, but expect a war. This is the easiest one out of all of them. We find it especially useful when we need the quick 'I don’t feel that great' check...i.e., man cold. Overall, highly recommend!."—BearDownChi1
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
22. Bob Books, Set 1: Beginning Readers so you can pat yourself on the back for helping your kiddos become confident readers. The stories start with simple three-letter words and gradually build in difficulty so readers can take that leap from sounding out words to be able to say, “I read the whole book!”
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 $10.19.
23. A Melissa & Doug magnetic calendar to help you set up a daily routine for your preschooler so you don't have to ask them stop playing and take a bath for the millionth time. Added bonus: It'll also teach them the days of the week, months, and the weather in a hands-on, interactive way.
Promising review: "My 4-year-old loves loves loves this! He gets excited to change the magnets every morning. I had some magnet strips and made additional magnets for activities (preschool, zoo, library, Grandma's house). I am really happy I bought this, and it has helped teach him months, and days of the week. Determining the weather is fun too. One day we came home after school and he couldn't wait to change the weather from sunny to raining. I highly recommend this for preschoolers, it's a lot of fun." —Hammyg3
Get it from Amazon for $16.65.
24. A pack of inconspicuous corner guards for giving you peace of mind as your wobbly new walker zooms around the living room (and comes precariously close to a sharp coffee table).
Promising review: "Must-have. I love these. We just moved in with family, and they had a coffee table with super-sharp corners and I have a little one who pulls up on everything and is trying to walk. To say I was on edge is an understatement. My sister-in-law didn’t want an obnoxious babyproof item around her house, but these were so discreet she didn’t even notice that I had installed them. They are so soft that my little one started gumming on them to soothe his gums, LOL. They were super easy to install, stuck on very well and with not much effort, and came with plenty so if I need them I’ll have them handy. Super satisfied! If you’re thinking about getting, them please do!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $7.98.
25. A child-safe wooden knife so you can involve eager little helpers in the kitchen. This tool will keep their little fingers protected, while they proudly chop fruits and veggies.
Justenbois is a Canadian small biz specializing in eco-friendly and zero-waste tableware made from maple wood for babies, children, and adults.
Promising review: "A really beautiful object and very well made. My 2-year-old loves chopping her own apples and fruit and helping me in the kitchen. I love this wooden knife. I'm so glad I bought it." —Juliana Pivato
Get it from Justenbois on Etsy for $16.58.
26. A pack of toilet seat covers to have on hand if your potty-trained toddler loves to get their hands ALL OVER gross public restroom seats.
Promising review: "If you're a germaphobe like me, this is a must-have in your diaper bag. The thought of placing my son or daughter on a public toilet with only a seat liner is disturbing especially since they're both little and still hold onto the toilet seat for support when peeing/pooping. These cover the toilet completely and even cover the lower part of the toilet where dangling legs and pants/skirts touch. My only complaint about these is that they are not flushable. It's difficult trying to gather the liner up (they are rather large) without touching the toilet or the possibly wet liner (because it partially fell in the water) and then scrunching it up to fit into a sanitary napkin bin. Other than that, these are great. Also, I don't use the adhesive strips at all since I have two little ones that usually need to go right away so we don't have the time to remove the adhesive backing. I usually just place the liner on the toilet and then carefully plop my kid on top and all's well." —Ting
Get a pack of 24 covers from Amazon for $9.99.
27. A mushroom pacifier and teether with inexplicable ~magical~ powers that'll soothe your little one, when they refuse every other paci out there. It has 19,000 5-star (!!!) reviews for a reason.
Note: Please supervise your baby when using this, and make sure it's never flipped inside out.
Promising review: "MUST-HAVE FOR TEETHING BABY. We have tried so many teethers, and none of them gave my little guy relief, and he had trouble holding, etc. He loves to chew on his hand, so this is perfect as it has grips in the middle under the mushroom. He chews on it for teething and uses it as a pacifier. LOVE THESE!! I already ordered two more. 🤣" —Mark
Get it from Amazon for $6.99 (available in five colors).
28. A canvas growth chart to help keep track of your munchkin's height (who is growing up waayyy too fast 😢) without marking up the walls. Reviewers love that it can be rolled up and stored away as a cute keepsake.
Promising review: "This is a very cute addition to our playroom! Looks nice and she loves measuring herself (daily)." —Truth
Promising review: "The designs on this are adorable and look great in my toddler's room. It's soooo tall, too. You'll be able to measure even your giant kids before they go off to college. It rolls up nice and small so it will be easy to store and take out when they are too big for the cutesy designs but you still want to torture them with your parental nostalgia." —Truth
Get it from Amazon for $10.99 (available in two colors).
29. A pack of spill-proof Munchkin snack catchers that'll allow easy access for little hands but prevent Cheerios from flying everywhere. No more handing your toddler snacks *one piece at a time* or constantly clean their trail of snacks.
Promising review: "What a lifesaver! I mean really! My daughter loves her snacks, she also loves to make a mess, give them to the dog, or fill her car seat up with them. Then cry when she has nothing to eat. My wife picked one up at Target and man... we used it so much, we couldn't clean it fast enough. SOOOO we bought a few more. and for less than $5 for two.... this is a no-brainer!" —jeffgrantMEDIA
Get a pack of two from Amazon for $5.95 (available in two color combos).
30. A set of washable dab and dot markers for encouraging little Picassos to ~dabble~ in painting without making a huge mess. (Say goodbye to paint splatters and drippy brushes).
The set comes with eight paint markers and a downloadable 101 Easy Dot Marker Activities PDF.
Promising review: "A must-have for toddlers. My son started using this when he was 2 and now he is 3. We've used this everyday and he never gets tired of it. He just loves doing dab and dot with letters and numbers. I also love the free printables included and I love how easy it is for my son to hold it with his tiny hands. I definitely recommend it." —Heriberto Mendoza
Get a set from Amazon for $17.99.
31. An ingenious sandwich cutter and sealer so you can make a big batch of your own Smuckers Uncrustables copycats at home. It's a huge-time saver for packing kiddie lunches without spending nearly $10 for a box.
Promising review: "These have been a GAME CHANGER in this house!! My son has always begged me for Uncrustables but my wallet didn’t agree with them. I LOVE being able to make them at home and customize them to exactly what they would like them filled with! I make two weeks' worth of sandwiches at a time and store them in sandwich bags in the freezer so in the morning during the school year we can just grab and go! Love them!" —Katherine Smaczniak
Get it from Amazon for $17.96.
32. A clever faucet splash catcher designed to fit around your faucets like a glove to absorb the ~torrential floods~ your kids like to leave behind after using the sink. (Not to be dramatic, but raise your hand if you're fed up of wiping up after your fam).
Hustle Sew Shop is a small biz based in Saint Helens, Oregon that specializes in quality handmade goods with personalized options.
Promising review: "This product is awesome! I have four kids who take care of the dishes after dinner each night and to say they are messy would be an understatement! This little water catcher has solved the puddle that used to surround my faucet at the end of each night. Thank you!!" —cadencewilliams2
Get it from Hustle Sew Shop on Etsy for $13.50+ (available in six colors and four sizes).
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.