We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. An easy-to-clean booster seat because your tot is ready to move on from their highchair but isn't quite ready for an adult seat at the table. This comfy seat with three-point harness will help them to feel like a grown-up!
Promising review: "We got this when our 19-month-old was ready to leave his highchair. He loves sitting at the table like a big boy! It’s so easy to clean and use, and is much better than a bulky high chair!" —Brielle Dallas
Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in four colors).
2. A child-size bookshelf so your tot doesn't have to ask you to grab their favorite bedtime story. They can easily get it themselves! Plus, it'll help teach them to keep their things organized.
3. A set of plastic knives — now your mini chef can chop tomatoes for their world famous spaghetti sauce. These knives will help them learn to cut with precision for when they're old enough to handle real knives.
Note: Children will still need supervision while using them!
Tovla Jr. is a small business run by a mom of five who wanted to make sure kids were being entertained and having fun in a meaningful way.
Promising review: "Great for cooking with my toddler! My toddler enjoys using these SO much. They are about as sharp as disposable plastic knives. They definitely cut well and make her feel included. She has used them to cut tomatoes, bread, cucumbers, peppers, etc. She will get excited when she sees me prepping food and run over to her stool crying out "Mommy, I want my knives!" For reference, she is 2-1/2-years-old. If you have a toddler or younger kiddo who is enthusiastic about cooking and you want to encourage it, get these! So worth it!" —C. Almond
Get a set of three from Tovla Jr. on Amazon for $9.95+ (available in two colors).
4. Or a mini wooden knife that can cut into fruits and veggies but not skin. Let your little one help you food prep in the kitchen without worrying about them getting hurt.
Based in Venice, California, Piccalio is a small business making safe and fun wooden toys and tools for children to learn and play with.
Promising review: "My 2-year-old loves cooking with me and this actually cuts things but isn’t too sharp to get hurt with! It’s great! She cut up a whole apple today for her daddy and took it to him! So sweet!" —Erika Badida
5. An adjustable wooden learning tower to get your little one to kitchen counter height so they can help you prepare tonight's dinner.
Promising review: "If you have a kid who wants to be involved in what you're doing every moment that you're in the kitchen, then you are like me and the learning tower will seriously change the way your family interacts in a very positive way. I love that our daughter is so curious and wants to be close to us, but I was really having a hard time with her wanting to be held constantly in the kitchen. We found the learning tower online and we've had it for about six weeks and she's now climbing in and out on her own. I'm not kidding, if you have enough room in your kitchen, this thing is the answer." —Jennifer
Get it from Amazon for $199.99 (available in four colors).
6. A silicone self-feeding spoon easy for baby to grip so they can learn to feed themself. This comes with two spoons: one for beginners/teethers and another for toddlers who can do the food-to-mouth motion.
Promising review: "Absolutely love this product. Made it easy to give all sorts of puréed foods to the baby while also teaching him to feed himself. Best purchase. Would be a great gift for new parents." —David A. Wood
Get a two-pack from Amazon for $13.99 (available in three colors and in larger packs).
7. A portable step stool with anti-slip grips on the top and bottom — reaching the toilet for potty-training or reaching the sink for the post-potty training handwashing just got so much easier for your little one.
Promising reviews: "My son loves it! Just what he needed to brush his teeth in the mornings with no need of a lift from mommy!!" —suzy
"Great potty-training stool for young kids. A must-have for your children who are at the 'I do it myself' age. It allows kids to use the toilet safely on their own who wouldn't be able to get up by themselves otherwise. It's lightweight so kids can easily move it on their own." —Loke0301
Get it from Amazon for $14.15.
8. A flexible faucet extender so you don't have to lift your little munchkin every time they need to wash their hands. And, it'll make them feel like a lil' grown up!
Promising review: “Before I knew a thing like this existed, I spent the time it took to wash my squirming kiddo's hands one at a time wondering how long it was going to take for his arms to grow enough to reach the faucet. I'm so glad I have this thing now! The setup is just taking it out of the box and stretching the rubber part around the faucet; it took two seconds plus some time to adjust to the best angle. Now I can wash my 15-month-old's hands at the same time and the whole process is much faster and easier. He liked it right away too!” —Michelle G
Get two from Amazon for $10.95.
9. And a pack of super smart light switch extenders with a moon-shaped pull your little one can use to turn lights off and on by themselves. It even glows in the dark!
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 $12.99.
10. A grape cutter that'll quickly slice grapes into quarters so their less of a hazard for your snacking tot. It's also safe enough for your tot to use (with your supervision, of course).
Promising reviews: " LOVE it. It took three minutes to cut grapes that would have taken me at least 10. As a mom of a toddler, those minutes are precious. It was also fun and easy to use." —Jacqueline
"I wish I would’ve had this a LONG time ago. This little gadget has come in so handy. If you have a toddler or small child, you NEED this. It quarters grapes, cherry tomatoes, olives, etc. so they aren’t choking hazards for little ones. So much faster than slicing every tiny grape up yourself. 10/10 would recommend." —Sara Waits
Get it from Amazon for $11.95.
11. A pack of spill-proof Munchkin snack catchers whose soft flaps allow for easy access to some good old-fashioned Goldfish but will make sure none go flying out so your little one won't need a chaperone during snack time.
Promising reviews: "This cup is great for toddlers' snacks. The snacks are easily accessible but don’t fall out." —Amazon Customer
"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 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).
12. And a Contigo spill- and leakproof tumbler so you don't have to worry about your floors becoming a sea of apple juice when your kiddo flings this cup across the room. Buh-bye bottle, hello big kid cup!
13. A pack of motion-activated toilet night-lights that'll illuminate any rogue sprinkles left by newly potty-trained toddlers. And now they won't have to turn the lights on to tinkle!
Promising review: "I absolutely love this product. Especially because with a husband and a son, they tend to sprinkle on the toilet seat in the middle of the night. With the color set to any bright color (like white, yellow, green, or blue) it illuminates every single sprinkle on the seat! You will no longer have a bottom wet with pee in the middle of the night! When I purchased this I bought a case of AAA batteries thinking I would have to change them often (with six people in the house they get used often). However I have not had to change the batteries once in a few months! Also the sensor is super sensitive so it turns on as you come through the door, or even a little before. Just a great product all around. Definitely recommend for households with children, you won't have to leave your bathroom light in all night anymore either! #MomWin." —Angela
Get a pack of two from Amazon for $13.89.
14. A pair of lil' sandwich cutters and sealers if your little one wants to make their own crust-less lunch. For a little bonus independence, you can even let them choose their own fillings!
15. A kid's gardening tools set because they've been wanting to help you grow your vegetable patch but never had age-appropriate tools to use. Now they can plant their own seeds and watch them grow!
This set includes an apron, gloves, a rake, a shovel, a fork, a sun hat, a magnifying glass, and a spray bottle.
Promising review: "Our toddler loves helping us in the garden and these are amazing. We actually use them to plant too." —Minnesnowta
Get it from Amazon for $27.99.
16. A pair of child-safe scissors and activity book with 20 pages worth of fun shapes for your kid to cut. These plastic scissors were designed to encourage correct form so you know your little one will be okay when they eventually graduate to adult scissors.
17. A Summer Infant potty training toilet because not only does it look like a grown-up toilet but it lights up and plays music to help make the ~going~ go a little smoother. It even has a realistic flush sound so your little one feels like they really did use a real toilet!
Fun fact: This potty also has a built-in compartment for wipes, a removable easy-to-clean bowl, and a clip on splash guard.
Promising review: "Pretty much everything on this cute little potty is likable. Its small size makes it ideal for toddlers, and it’s flushing noise mechanism makes it fun for the kiddos. I’s relatively easy to wipe down and clean, just take the removable potty to the bathroom, flush the contents, and give it a quick rinse in the shower. My 2-year-old loves this potty over a few others we purchased and I’m glad I paid the few extra bucks because it’s helped him potty train quicker and more effectively because it’s more realistic and he actually enjoys sitting on it. Plus it’s the got pee trapper adapter to make sure there are no extra messes for parents and caregivers!" —MssyNorX
Get it from Amazon for $35.26+ (available in two colors and also available without lights and music).
18. A waterproof and rechargeable potty-training watch whose looping timer lets your toddler know when they should go to the bathroom. It vibrates and has 16 programmable sounds to choose from, so they won't get distracted from doing their ~business~.
Promising review: "Obsessed!! My 4-year-old has been potty-trained for well over a year. Around the time the pandemic started, she started having accidents. It got to the point of needing new underwear two to four times almost every day. Since getting this watch almost a week ago, the accidents have completely stopped! She’s worried we’ll return it if it doesn’t work so she both goes when the timer goes off (every two hours for us) as well as when she feels the urge. We keep it on vibrate so there’s no issue in school. And we purposely set it for a time frame that it never goes off during circle time or story time so she never has a reason to ignore it. Best $20 I’ve ever spent. Worth every penny! Hope the results last." —NJ Mom
Get it from Amazon for $26.95.
19. A pack of toddler shoe stickers that'll help them put their shoes on the right feet all by themselves. Each sticker depicts one half of an animal or creature so they know which shoe goes on which foot.
Erin Roberts Creative Co. is a small biz based in Pasadena, Maryland specializing in stickers and stationery.
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 four stickers (for eight pairs of shoes) from Erin Roberts Creative Co. on Etsy for $8.50 (also available in larger quantities).
20. A magnetic daily calendar so your little one can plan their days accordingly. With space to chronicle their daily activities and even their emotions, this board will help them start to feel like a big kid in no time. They can even check the temperature and weather sections when they're picking out their outfits.
Promising reviews: "I ordered this for my son and he loves it! It's great because he is very independent and wants to dress himself so he knows when he is supposed to wear pants, rain boots, shorts, sandals, etc. based on the scale." —Megan
"My toddler loves this. He is always choosing his mood for the day and changing the days of the week even correcting me at times." —Kay Charm
Get it from Amazon for $16.50.
21. A double closet rod — now your little ones can reach for their own clothes when getting dressed in the morning! And when laundry day comes around, they'll be able to hang them back up, too.
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 was the perfect solution. I like that it was all metal and there were no straps or ropes he could get tangled in. Seems durable and holds 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 $19.99.
22. Kid-sized binoculars if your little one is a burgeoning bird watcher. Support their self-propelled learning and curiosity with these!
23. A mini digital camera perfect for exploring all kinds of portraits since it can also take selfies. You might just have a young Annie Leibovitz on your hands!
24. A car seat buckle release tool with a soft grip to help your toddler get themselves out of their seat faster and easier. It can also be used on strollers, high chairs, and more!
Promising review: “I recently had to move my 4-year-old's carseat into the third row of our car. There was no way I was going to climb back there to un-buckle them every time. We got this thing and only had to show them once before they got the hang of it! Seriously a lifesaver. Very easy to use and gives my little one a chance to be independent, too!" —Bri S
Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in five colors).
25. A pack of 24 potty seat covers so now your little one can do their ~business~ in public restrooms without the fear of germs. These covers are also long enough that your kid's legs won't touch the toilet either.
Promising review: “We recently went on a day trip to Sea World, and these toilet seat covers were a lifesaver. We used these with the Gimars foldable potty seat, and the combo made potty time much easier. These covers have two small strips of adhesive that ensure the cover doesn't slide off the toilet seat, and they are actually pretty strong strips. The cover didn't move once adhered to the toilet seat. The cover has a plastic film on the bottom side, which ensures that 'liquids' on the toilet seat don't soak through. I love how my foldable potty seat never had to touch the nasty toilet seat. It also was long enough to drape over the front and sides of the toilet. My toddler has a habit of grabbing the sides of the toilet for stability, and the extra protection from these covers was nice. Plus, since the cover drapes over the front of the toilet, my daughter's pull-up and shorts don't touch the front of the toilet. Overall, great product! These are much thicker than those cheap tissue paper toilet seat covers. Will repurchase.” —Taryn
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.