Hellobee

As Jack goes through different phases of life, I feel like we’re constantly shifting and changing the products that we use in our home. The things I reach for every day are often entirely different than what I was reaching for 6 months ago, and I know it will only continue to evolve as he gets older!

Sometimes it can be so hard to keep up with all of the little products out there that help long days with a toddler go a little bit smoother, so I thought we could trade secrets today – I’ll tell you my faves if you’ll spill yours!

Here are a few of the products that have been making life easier for us with an almost three-year-old.

1) Bath Color Tablets – Sometimes, toddlers don’t want to take baths. It’s just a fact of life. When Jackson gets particularly whiny or complain-y about not wanting to take a bath, I just ask him what color he wants his bath to be that night and every single time he perks right up and chooses a color. It’s hilarious, and it makes reluctant baths so much easier.

2) Our learning tower (we built ours but you can purchase one too!) – We have used this multiple times every single day since Jackson was about a year and a half. I already wrote a post about how much we love it, so I won’t expand on this too much, but suffice it to say it’s one of the most well-loved products in our home.

3) Take & Toss Toddler Bowls – I’m a huge fan of all Take & Toss products because they’re so convenient, but these little bowls are by far the thing that gets used the most in our house. We use them to pack snacks for daycare or when we’re out and about, to contain leftover breakfast that he wants to finish later, and to hold cereal and soup for meals. They literally get used multiple times a day in our house, and I would be lost without them!

4) A step stool – It took a while for us to really fully utilize a step stool for Jackson, but it’s been so helpful since we potty trained him! We keep ours in the bathroom downstairs, and it makes it so much easier for Jack to be independent when using the restroom. He can turn the light on and off by himself, and can use it to reach the sink – he hasn’t quite gotten the hang of using our faucet down there yet, but once he does he’ll be independent in the restroom in there!

5) Board Games – Jackson loves a good board game, and it’s a surefire way to keep him (and us) entertained when a day feels like it’s stretching. He almost never turns a good board game down, and lately he’s even taken to getting them off the shelf and playing independently with them. We have to keep a close eye to make sure we don’t lose any pieces, but he has a blast with them and it’s a great way to keep him happy while I’m trying to cook dinner.

6) YouTube Kids – We’re a little late to the game because we just recently discovered this app, but we love it! Jackson enjoys watching videos on my phone or iPad every once in a while, and while I love to engage with him while he has screen time I can only handle so many variations of “Daddy Finger, Where are You?” before I want stab forks into my ears. I usually try to get some work done while he’s watching, but that means every few minutes I have to check in to make sure he hasn’t stumbled on anything inappropriate. With the kids’ version of the app, though, he can navigate it all by himself, I don’t have to worry about super inappropriate videos (there are still some kid ones we don’t like to let him watch, but he doesn’t seem to find them nearly as often on here), and I can even set a timer that will shut the app down when I want his screen time to be over. It’s amazing!

7) A dust buster – Oohhhhh the mini vacuum. What did I ever do without you? This little thing is my BFF when it comes to cleaning up crumbs in the couch, spilled Goldfish crackers, and dirt tracked in after our outdoor adventures. It can get old to lug out the big vacuum every time I need to do a quick cleanup, so I find myself reaching for this guy all the time. I don’t know how I would live without it!

8) Baskets – All of the baskets! I love using baskets to corral Jackson’s stuff, and it has made it so much easier for him to help clean up. We have baskets in his room to hold his clothes, baskets downstairs to hold toys, and baskets in the kitchen to hold snacks. It’s a simple but revolutionary system that lets Jackson clean things up independently and keeps my house still looking relatively clean. I could never get him to put things away neatly on a shelf or anything like that, so allowing him to just toss all of his toys or pajamas into a basket and stashing it in a corner means that my house stays nice and clean and I don’t have to be the one doing all the cleaning. It’s perfect!

9) Dress-up Clothes – We bought Jackson a few extra Halloween costumes when they were on sale this year and oh my goodness was it the best idea ever! Jackson loves to play with his costumes, and as soon as he figured out how to put them on and take them off himself it turned into a fabulous independent play activity that will keep him occupied for a good long while. It’s also really helped him bond more with Mr. Garland because he loves to dress up like a superhero and fight with his dad. It’s so sweet to watch, and I’m so glad we have this little collection of dress-up clothes now!

Okay – your turn. What are your favorite products to have on hand with a toddler in the house?