27 Budget-Friendly Products That Make Parenting Easier

Buzz Feed

13 hours ago

An LCD doodle tablet that will inspire some serious creativity — all while saving paper. We keep ours in the car, and it has saved our sanity at plenty of restaurants!
Promising review: "My son is 4-years-old, and once he got it, he played with it for two hours. We played Pictionary, tic-tac-toe, and practiced his writing. Great for being stuck inside. Just wish I bought more for gifts." —Mindy CiglarGet it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in four colors and two sizes).
A bottle of Miss Mouth's Messy Eater Stain Treater spray, which will take those spaghetti sauce stains right out of their clothes. Don't forget to take a picture of their sweet self covered in sauce...because that will last longer than those stains.
Promising review: "I recently tried Miss Mouth's stain remover spray, and I am impressed! This spray effortlessly removed tough stains on my clothes, leaving them spotless. This spray has removed oil stains from cooking, baby formula, breastmilk stains from newborn spit-ups, and many other stains — the list is long. We have yet to find a stain that this spray doesn't tackle. Its pleasant scent and quick action make it a must-have for anyone dealing with messy eaters or accidental spills." —Tiffany B.Get it from Amazon for $7.40+ (available in multipacks)
A touchless forehead thermometer, perfect for those dreaded sick days and nights, so you don't have to wake your sweetly sleeping dragon to check their temperature after they have FINALLY gone to sleep.
A behind-the-seat car organizer because your kids love to ask you for things while you're driving. This organizer has enough pockets to hold everything your little one needs for a car trip — whether that's a quick ride to the grocery store or a long haul to visit the grandparents.
Promising review: "Exactly what I didn't know I needed! After being fed up with the constant chaos of toys, water bottles, and miscellaneous items all over the car, I installed this in my car, and BOY WHAT A DIFFERENCE. Everything has a place, and there's a place for everything. It's not bulky or cumbersome. Spacious enough to fit a bunch of things. Worth it. I recommend it." —Ashley Get it from Walmart for $11.96+ (also available in a two-pack).
A pack of Crayola Globbles fidget toys to get the wiggles out and keep little hands busy. Just think about those times when you have to bring your kiddo with you to something "boooooring" (like the DMV, or really any sort of appointment). No judging if you happen to snag one or two of these for yourself — they're great!
Promising review: "These are great! Kids love them! I love them! They do NOT leave that stain on your wall, and when they get dirty, you wash them off, and they are sticky again! 10/10" —Elizabeth M.Get it from Amazon for $11.99.
A fruit and veggie divider that is going to chop time off prepping lunch and snacks for the kiddos. With this in your tool belt, you'll be ready to make some fancy after-school crudités!
Promising review: "Ever since we got this, it has been used quite frequently!! We have two young kids at home (5- and 3-years-old) and by using this fruit/veggie cutter, we have increased their fruit and veggie intake! We would give them fruits/veggies to cut, and they would cut and eat them! It is very easy to cut, as our kids can do it by themselves (with adult supervision). It cuts small cucumbers with ease. It is also very easy to clean!" —A&PGet it from Amazon for $9.60.
A Welly first-aid kit, which fits perfectly in your bag because all parents know the importance of a bandage when it comes to boo-boos. And these colorful ones especially apply to boo-boos that don't technically even need a bandage.
Promising review: "I love these bandages. This tin is a perfect addition to a diaper bag, purse, car, etc. These bandages stay on in water, dirt, mud, and any other thing you can throw at them. They stay on when you need them and come off easily." —LbruGet it from Target for $6.99.
A super durable and leak-proof kids' Bentgo box that will actually help you organize your brain and figure out what you need to put in there. (Pssst — if you want to include a sweet treat, M&Ms look pretty cute in the circle compartment.)
Promising review: "I purchased two of these, one for each of my elementary children, and they work wonderfully. I can easily pack a sandwich, veggies with dip, fruit, and a snack in the box. If they would like chips or crackers, I simply place those in the lunch box, along with an ice pack, to keep things cool. The Bentgo Box, a slim ice pack, and a small bag of chips or crackers easily fit in a child's lunchbox. The gaskets work well, and dressings/liquids do not leak to other compartments. So far, so good!" —ErinGet it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in eight colors).
A 30-foot roll of road play tape because life (aka your entire house) is a highway, and your kids are gonna be cruising to a good time. Did you just set yourself up for 30 minutes of uninterrupted time?
Promising review: "Sticky level is about equal with painter's tape, so there's no worry about restricting where to use it. It's great for cars, pretend play, etc. A perfect rainy day distraction!" —Jennifer HorneGet it from Amazon for $9.97+ (available in four patterns and quantities).
A TikTok-famous grape cutter that will seriously ~cut~ down on your prep time — and your anxiety — when you're feeding your littles. It can also be used on tomatoes!
A car seat buckle release tool, which was actually featured on Shark Tank, to make unbuckling so much easier on your hands. So go ahead and get that self-care manicure without the fear that you're just going to chip it immediately.
A cute large storage basket that will make picking up oh-so much easier... even if it's you doing the picking up and not your kids, like you had planned AND asked. Sigh.
Get it from H&M for $24.99 (also available in a smaller size).
A snack bag with a built-in ice pack so you can ensure their food stays nice and cool without adding extra bulk to the backpack. We have these and use them all the time, even on the weekend for day trips!
Promising review: "10/10 recommend! I put yogurt, fruit, apple sauce, and whatever else I want. I did a five-hour test at home before I sent it with the kids to school, and it passed my five-hour test. At the five-hour mark, everything was still refrigerator-cold! Give it a try, you won't regret it." —Kim StewartGet it from Amazon for $16.99 (available in eight patterns).
A pack of sink extenders, which will save your back each time you need to lift your kiddo to wash their hands. And let's be real, that's a lot...especially during cold season!
A truly brilliant cup catcher that attaches right to a high chair, car seat, or stroller, because playing a game of throw-it-down-and-pick-it-up with a baby isn't quite as charming when you also have to chase around a toddler.
A space-saving bottle drying rack to help you maintain some order in your kitchen — and in your life. It will grow with your family as you go from bottles to sippy cups (and then more bottles and more sippy cups!) and then water bottles. Psst... it's also helpful for drying glassware.
Promising review: "I bought this product a month ago, and it does not disappoint me. This stuff is great. It works for small spaces. It looks more organized, and it doesn't get in my way when I'm working in the kitchen. I could fit five Dr. Brown's bottles with all their pieces. And it's durable. It looks like it's going to last a long time for me. I recommend it. It's a little more expensive than other bottle drying racks, but I would get this one." —JariGet it from Amazon for $15.93.
A portable white-noise sound machine and night-light for those moments when you're out and about — like, for example, when you're getting coffee with a friend and you DESPERATELY need to talk to another grown-up. Just throwing that out there.
S&H Co. is a small business founded by a nurse-turned-entrepreneur who sells unique, useful, and aesthetic child and parenting products from her farm in Montana. Promising reviews: "Using it myself. Very happy with it. Lots of different sounds to choose from." —Peggy J."Great quality, matched description, very happy with the merch. Highly recommend!!!" —MariaGet it from S&H Co. on Etsy for $28.99.
A pack of spill-proof Munchkin snack catchers that are the MVP of snacking with young kiddos. Trust us, the backseat of your car will thank you.
A kid-friendly Sonicare electric toothbrush with a timer (and a very motivating app!) so that when you ask if they've brushed their teeth, you can know for sure that those pearly whites got a proper scrubbing.
Promising review: "Not only do my 7-year-old's teeth look so much cleaner than they did when he was brushing them without an electric toothbrush, but he really looks forward to brushing and is motivated to brush twice a day!!! As a mom, this is very exciting. No more excuses from him since he uses the toothbrush app, gets to brush along with his fuzzy, cute friend, and earns virtual prizes. Wow! I do need to give him an extra minute before school and bed to brush along with his app, but it is more than worth it!!! Thank you!" —kristenGet it from Amazon for $29.96+ (available in four designs).
A universal stroller caddy because your stroller is basically an extension of your home, and it's going to have to hold a LOT of stuff. Bonus: This caddy has two insulated beverage holders — one for your caffeine (or grown-up juice) and the other for your baby's bottle. And then, when it's time, a baby's bottle and a toddler's sippy cup.
Promising review: "Versatile and durable stroller organizer that doesn't add too much weight to the back end of your stroller. It is made of quality materials and doesn't budge when strapped on. It doesn't get in the way of folding my stroller, either. The insulated drink pockets are a nice touch, and I appreciate that the center console is large enough for my phone." —Kierra|Practically PurchasedGet it from Amazon for $26.99+ (available in eight colors).
A colorful timer that will give everyone a visual reminder of how much (or how little!) time they have to get those teeth brushed and shoes on. Start using this, and hopefully, everything will be sunshine and rainbows!
Promising review: "My toddler struggled with transitions from one activity to another, so we got this little timer. She loves it because it's cute, and now we transition easily. When she hears the beep, she says, 'That's the timer,' and moves on from what she's doing. I'm honestly amazed at how well it works. It's small but mighty and easy to carry around the house with us!" —Kimberly SGet it from Amazon for $17.99 (available in five colors).
A bottle of this fantastic conditioning detangler from the Honest Company, so doing hair isn't the thing that puts a tangle in your morning routine. I love the way it smells, and it makes brushing my daughter's long hair nice and easy!
Promising review: "This stuff is great. I wish it came in a much bigger bottle because it works so well on my daughter's super-fine hair. It has a nice, light scent, doesn't leave residue on her hair, and makes getting her hair ready for school much less of a battle." —Jessica M.C.Get it from Amazon for $5.92 (available in three scents).
A four-pack of Re-Play divided plates to make feeding your littles even easier. This is the brand my family has used for more than five years, so I can personally speak to their durability, and let me tell you...they're the real deal.
Promising review: "Just bought another set! I love these plates. I already owned probably about 10 of these and just bought the earthy colored set. These are the best! The ones I've had for YEARS still look new/great! They are not just toddler plates. Even my 6-year-old uses them, and they're still big enough for him. Kids of any age can use these. I can't brag about these plates enough. They are hands down the best." —amberlar96Get a four-pack from Target for $9.99.
A mini waffle maker that is not only sweet but — more importantly — will get breakfast on the table very, very quickly. Make a few extras and put them in your kiddo's snack bag for later!
Promising review: "The mini size of this waffle maker is what makes it easy to use, store, clean, and create many recipes effortlessly. It's a no-mess waffle maker because all you need to do is pour the batter. Once the maker is ready, you wait until it's done. A crispy/crunchy/munchy treat that's ready to devour. No fuss of too many settings, buttons, or learning whatsoever! This is as easy as it can be. Such a good quality, durable, versatile product at a reasonable price. Worth every penny!" —An average human. Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in 17 colors and styles).
A wooden Melissa & Doug magnetic daily calendar to help you all keep track of what day it is. This will help keep routines going, even during school vacations!
Promising review: "This is a great idea to get kids involved and learn about days of the week, months, the weather, events, etc. We start each day with it before leaving for school, and the kids love it!" —Cindy SGet it from Amazon for $14.79.
An over-the-door weekly clothes organizer so you can avoid the "I have nothing to wear" meltdown 15 minutes before you need to leave to be somewhere. Come to think of it, ordering one for yourself might not be the worst idea...
Promising review: "My son started kindergarten, and this is a big help for my husband and me. It's so nice having one less thing to stress about in the morning. It also helps my son to recognize the days of the week and how many days we have left. The sleeves are a good size for smaller clothing, pockets seem pretty durable. I had some issues with the door, which was hanging on closing, but I then moved it. Easy to use and a good value." —DeannaGet it from Amazon for $14.99 (available in two colors).
A universal weather shield for your stroller for those moments when you HAVE to get outside for a reset ASAP — wind, rain, or shine. Not only will this keep the wind and rain out of your little pumpkin's sweet face, but it also keeps them from touching every single thing in sight.
Promising review: "So this product is great for afternoon showers at the theme parks, but recently, with COVID, I have been able to put it to great use when having to be out with my toddler in public. She is protected and not touching everything. I clip a battery-operated fan on her stroller under the plastic for circulation and give her videos for entertainment. Makes grocery shopping for parents much safer and easier!" —traceyGet it from Walmart for $17.18