Hi mama! This is my list of recommendations for toddler must haves. These items are mostly for children ages 2 and up but can be used earlier if you feel they are ready.
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Food Items
I love using these The First Years sippy cups. They are well made and affordable. Plus it’s BPA free, dishwasher safe, comes with a removable lid and under $5 for a pack of 3.
I also recommend the: Pillowfort Milk bottle ($3.00). The perfect 14oz bottles for smoothies.
Toddlers and older kids are able to use without any issues. To clean the straw, use a small bottle tube cleaner .
Next are the Divided kid plates ($.50 each) which are great because parents can include more than one food choice. Toddlers can have veggies, fruits and meat without it all being mixed together. In addition, it also encourages the introduction to various foods. Perfect item for picky eaters.
These plates are break-resistant, affordable, dishwasher and microwaveable safe. Check out their plastic kids bowls ($.50 each)
and short 8oz kids cups ($.50 each).
I love that they are short and small for their petite hands. The perfect way to begin the transition to regular cups. It includes different colors and they all match too.
Potty Training
If your little one is learning to potty train I recommend having one of these Traveling Potty Seats ($17.99) in your car.
Sometimes kids just need to go and it’s good to be prepared. In addition, their disposable re-fill liners are leak-proof and super absorbing.
Get them, trust me. I am always restocking and the best part is you can use them without the potty seats! They are the best.
Puzzles
We are big with puzzles in our household. I love when my children play and solve puzzles on their own. It makes them feel accomplished and that makes me happy.
The Learning Journey Puzzle (reg.$11.99 on sale for $9.99) is by far my favorite!
An awesome toy to add in our list of toddler must haves. They have 4 different puzzle sets inside their box. This is great because once they have mastered one set they can go onto the next that includes more pieces.
My 3 year old has mastered this 8 piece farm set and every time he solves it, he gets excited. It’s know wonder they are an award-winning puzzle set. Check it out.
But you definitely want to begin with a 2-piece puzzle set. Check these out: The learning Journey- My First Match it ($11.99)
They are made by the same company The learning journey and are great for introducing puzzles to toddlers. He was 2 years old when he did all of these.
Melissa and Doug puzzles ($10.79) are also really good if you are just starting.
Their puzzle sets are chunky so its easier for toddlers to grab. Check them out. Parents can also teach them the animal names while using these.
Next, is the 4 In A Box Puzzle Set (Animals of the world) $24.99. We picked this set while at the Bronx zoo gift shop and he is obsessed with it.
Within days my 3 year old toddler managed to solve all of them and I was impressed because one set (Rhino) included 12 pieces! Super proud of him.
They are made from safe materials 90% recycled paper. I also like how it comes in a small box making it easy to grab and put away. We started with the easy sets firsts (penguins and tiger) and gradually introduced the harder ones (bear and rhino) afterwards.
This helped my son focus much better. Each puzzle set also has its own color in the back. Children can therefore pile them and solve each set quicker too. I will be ordering more from this company. Moreover, they have this 25 Jumbo puzzle set $14.99 that I plan to buy soon for him.
Bedding
Around this time some parents like to switch them into a toddler bed. If your crib converts to one I suggest ordering the bed rail from the company itself. I remember doing this with my oldest and loving how it matched perfectly to his crib.
However, when I tried doing the same with my youngest I did not like how short in length it was. I felt like it wasn’t going to protect him so I ended up ordering one from a different company: Hiccapop toddler bed rail on sale $40.
As you can see it covers almost the whole mattress. Kids move a lot so its best to be safe.
Currently, my 3 year old toddler is sleeping in a twin size bed not there. He also now shares a bedroom with his older brother. I was able to use the same bed rail in the picture with no issues.
My son has more room now and loves it. I can easily turn his crib into a full size bed but we will wait until we move out.
Footwear
You might be wondering why I added sneakers and not clothes on this list of “Toddlers Must Haves” and to be frankly honest with you its because toddlers run and jump a lot. As parents we want them to be comfortable and safe.
My toddler is constantly telling me to put his Adidas X LEGO sport sneakers ($52) on him.
These are his favorite footwear.
He runs with them comfortably and fast. To top it off they have velcro straps! Making the process of putting it on and removing them a breeze. It’s why I suggest getting sneakers that include velcro straps as a toddler must have item.
But if you are looking for other colors check out these: Pink Adidas X LEGO sport sneakers on sale $32.
or these Green and black Adidas X LEGO SPORT ($52).
My husband just recently purchased another pair: Adidas RACER TR X LEGO sneakers ($52) in red since that’s our son’s favorite color. As you can see it is different than the 1st style.
Toys
A backpack is a must! How else are they going to take their million toys when they leave the house? lol! They are too cute. I always need to check it and make sure its not too heavy or overpacked for him.
My son’s favorite at the moment is Paw Patrol back pack by Melissa & Doug (reg. $37.79 on sale $22.99). It is super lightweight, made of soft material (includes foam for their back support) and just the perfect size for toddlers. It also comes with paw patrol accessories.
Next, are these: Dot Markers for Toddlers (reg. 49.99 on sale $36.97) for ages: 3 years and older. It is non-toxic, leak proof and has an easy grip.
A new and fun activity to do with your little one at home. They also sell coloring books for the Dots markers Click Here. My sister got him these for Christmas one year and they were a hit!
Picture Matching Game $9.99. These are so much fun. Whenever we play with my toddler we limit the amount of cards to not overwhelm him. It is suggested for 3 years and up but we started playing this with him since he was 2 years old.
Whenever he finds a match he gets really happy. I love this memorization game for toddlers. They have many different characters to chose from as well. In addition, grandparents will look forward to playing this with their grandkids.
Montessori wooden sorting & stacking toy reg $19.99 on sale $16.99. I love Montessori toys because they are educational yet very entertaining.
This toy allows them to recognize the different colors and shapes. It also motivates them to work independently if they wish. It is non-toxic as well.
And last but not least on my list of toddler must haves is the PicassoTiles ($47). A STEM educational building toy.
They are magnetic tiles making it easier for young kids to build. I love how siblings and family members can all join in on the fun. You get 100 pieces allowing them to get really creative and build masterpieces.
Both of my boys love playing with these magnetic tiles together.
Thank you so much for reading my blog post of “Toddler Must Haves.” Let me know your thought on my picks. Talk soon,