My Toddler Must-Haves as a Working Mom
As a working mom, I’ve had to find ways to keep my very busy (and smart) toddler occupied so that I can work. While I’m blessed to have childcare from a part-time nanny two mornings a week, I also have to get things done around the house outside of those hours.
We’ve set up our home to be kid-friendly and have intentionally chosen toys and accessories that inspire, teach, and grow with our son. These are some of my must-haves for any parent.
Organization
One of the best things we’ve learned is to rotate through our toys instead of having them all out at once. This helps me to be less stressed about cleaning and it means that old things seem new again when I put them out.
Shelf – I don’t have a lot of storage space in my house, so we purchased a large storage shelf for my office to hold toys that are not being used.
Storage Containers – I’ve purchased most of my storage containers from Target, but you can get them anywhere. I prefer clear containers that are stackable for easy storage. I keep toys in these containers even when they aren’t hidden away so that it’s easy to clean up – everything has a place to go.
Labels – Labeling has helped us so much! I label each storage container with what’s inside, which makes cleaning up easy and means I can quickly pull out new toys as I put away old ones.
Sleep
Sleep has been a tough one for us from the beginning, but we’re finally in a place where my son only wakes up once at night. Whether your kids are a great sleepers or not, these are great products.
White Noise Machine - I love the Dohm from Marpac. We purchased one before my son was born and got so used to it that we bought another when he moved into his own room. It’s great for helping him sleep without having to worry about being too loud.
Hatch Toddler Clock- Our son doesn’t like to nap, so I’ve slowly start implemented Quiet Time as an alternative. This clock lets me change the color based on when he’s supposed to stay in his room. I love that I can do everything from my phone instead of being stuck with a pre-programed setting.
Toys
I’ve divided our favorites toys up into a few sections based on how they’re used. Each has a separate zone in our home, which makes it easy to stay organized and means that I (usually) don’t end up with marker on my couch.
I got the names of these zones from The Parenting Junkie, but I’ve been using them for a long time.
Focus
Focus toys are anything that takes concentration. This will change as our son gets older (science kits, workbooks, etc.), but for now it’s mostly crafts and puzzles.
Markers & Crayons – Anything will work as long as they are washable and non-toxic.
Reusable Sticker Books – These reusable sticker books from Melissa & Doug are great for kids! They have all sorts of themes and you never have to worry about sticky residue on your furniture or clothes. We use them with included scenes and on the fridge and windows.
Flashcards – I’ll pick up flashcards anytime I see them in the Dollar Spot at Target. Some I save for the future, but we use the animals, letters, and dinosaur ones frequently.
Wooden Puzzles – I love these puzzles now that we’ve graduated from single piece peg puzzles. They’re well-made, small, and hit the right balance between challenging and doable.
Imagination
This is by far our biggest section of toys and it’s the one our son plays with the most. I usually have 3-4 types out at once – something to build, some animals, and then a few other things. He sometimes plays with them all together and sometimes does one at a time.
Train Set - We started with this one from Melissa & Doug, but have gotten other compatible sets from IKEA and Amazon as well.
Barn & Animals – Melissa & Doug again (can you tell I like their stuff?), but really any barn will do. I’ve purchased most of our animals from the model section at craft stores like Hobby Lobby.
Felt Play Mat – This is a new addition, but it’s been a big hit. I saw felt play mats online, but decided to make my own, along with accessories. We love dinosaurs here, so this felt play mat is similar to the one we have, but you can find all sorts of designs or create your own. I love that I can add more pieces and it’s flexible enough to fit all sorts of play.
Blocks – Building is a lot of fun and takes lots of concentration. We have a few different block sets including wood blocks and Mega Bloks. In the future, we’ll also pull down our Lincoln Logs and MagnaTiles.
Cleaning Set – my toddler loves to help (and usually tries to take whatever I’m using to clean), so this set has been really helpful. When I’m sweeping in the kitchen, my son will run to grab his own broom. This is one toy that always stays accessible.
Messy
Getting messy is great for kids! I’m the parent who doesn’t mind the mess, so this is my territory. In addition to messy toys, we also love the sandbox at the playground, mud puddles, and our mini-swimming pool.
Bathtub Paint – I love the Crayola bathtub paint because it doesn’t stain, it’s easy to clean up, and it works well. I’ve purchased ours from the Target Dollar Spot, but you can also get them online.
Kinetic Sand – a huge win in our house! Messy play without a huge mess to clean up. We have a small set with some sand, tools, and shapes, but you can get as much as you’ll use.
Water Table – we found our water table a garage sale, but you can get them anywhere. It sits on our deck all the time and is used for water, toys, water beads, chalk and more. My favorite tip from a friend is to add some dish soap to the water so the kids can clean and play at the same time.
Movement
Our son has been on the move since he was born (he started scooting across the floor at 4 months old), so having movement toys is really important. Ideally, I’d love a space where they were always accessible, but we don’t have a big space, so I pull these out only at specific times and then put them away once we’re done.
Pikler Triangle – my dad built our Pikler triangle, but you can also buy them. They’re great for pulling up, climbing, and playing.
Couch Cushions – the number one toy here at our house! Our throw pillows, blankets, and couch cushions are always being used for some kind of game.
Trampoline – we got our son a trampoline for his 2nd birthday and it’s a new favorite. He jumps on it all the time. Our trampoline also doubles as a ball pit. Hint: get one that folds for easy storage.
Sports Set - our set includes two goals, hockey sticks, a hockey ball, and a soccer ball
Musical Instruments – we love music here (I’ve included it in the movement section because it involved a lot of dancing). This set has held up well, but there are lots of options. I prefer the ones they play themselves instead of ones with batteries, but we have both.
Balloons – need a fun activity for very little investment? Buy a pack of balloons from the dollar store, blow up a few, and show the kids how to hit them.
Books
For a kid who is always on the move, our son also loves to read. We have a whole shelf of books that are always available in his room. Sometimes he’ll sit and “read” to himself and other times he’ll ask us to read. These are some of his favorites.
Moo, Baa, La La La by Sandra Boynton
Never Touch A… from Make Believe Ideas Ltd.
Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
God’s Dream by Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Sweetest Kulu by Celine Kalluk
Other
Library Card – we’re at the local library every week picking out new books. It’s one of my son’s favorite outings and it means I don’t have to purchase new books all the time. Plus – FREE!
hope&plum Ring Sling – I have 3 ring slings from hope&plum and they have all been lifesavers. I carry one with me everywhere I go for an easy way to carry my son if he’s tired, not listening, or it’s busy. We’re using a hemp blend now as it offers more support, but all the slings are rated for up to 35 pounds.
To-Go Diaper Packs – I started using these when we traveled to Taiwan in 2019 and now always have one on me. All you need is a gallon Ziploc bag, a few diapers, and a small pack of wipes. Having these means that I don’t have to carry my whole diaper bag into the restroom for changes.
Elk and Friends Stainless Steel Cups – our toddler loves to dump his water, so we generally like cups with straws more than regular sippy cups. These are great because the straw has a stop so it can’t be pulled all the way out, they’re easy to clean, and they double as snack cups.
