Household goods for toddlers and babies

If you have a toddler at home, you will find there are too many things you need to pay attention to. When my daughter is 1~3 years old, my wife bought many household goods for her. As a father, I don’t think some are necessary.  But there are some essential goods you should add to your shopping list.

Diapers/nappies

Diapers are the first thing you should have for your toddler. Otherwise, you may be mad. Before 2 years old, my daughter has not yet potty trained well, she uses 3 to 5 diapers per day. And as my daughter gets older, the number per day decreases. After she is 36 months old, she doesn’t use diapers again.

But keep in mind, your daughter grows up fast. So you should not get too many diapers on hand. Your daughter may not fit into these for long.

We have used different diapers. Some are ok, but some caused skin problems around the area covered by diapers. I don’t know why. But I know I should not change the diapers frequently. So before you confirm which diaper is good for your child, don’t buy too many.

Stroller/buggy

When my daughter is only several months old, I like to hold her. And if I want to do something else, I can just put her on the bed. Then I thought maybe I don’t need to have a stroller.

But as time pass, my daughter grows up, and she is heavier day by day. If you know anything about children, you should know that they love to be carried. Both my wife and I find it is not an easy task to carry her for thirty minutes. I know parenting require a significant amount of effort and patience. But I still feel a burning sensation in my arms after carrying my daughter for about 30 minutes. Then we get a stroller.

I buckle my daughter in the stroller and take her to any place I want. When I visit crowded areas or events, I know she is right in front of me and not lagging behind, getting lost in the crowd.

So in my opinion, stroller is a must-have household goods if you have a little toddler or baby.

Outlet plug covers

Safety must be first! Electrical outlets are the most dangerous source at home. If you have a child, you will know electrical outlets are irresistible to them. They like to insert their fingers or anything else, such as keys, coins, into the slots. If there are some outlets that are low to ground and in the reaching distance of crawling, it is best to use outlet covers. There are some different safety outlets you can get.

Safety outlets are the must-have household goods in the shopping list.

Baby thermometer and fever cooling patches

One day, my wife told me maybe our daughter has a fever. I put my palm to my daughter’s forehead and try to figure out if she is running out. But I could not ensure if I were correct. Then I had to borrow a baby thermometer from my neighbor.

Every time I take my daughter to see doctor, the doctor will ask what the temperature is. And the doctor tells me if it is bellow 38 ℃, I can try to bring down a fever by physical cooling method, such as warm water, fever cooling patches, etc.

So a baby thermometer and some fever cooling patches are necessary household goods.

Toddler bathtub

After my daughter is 2 years old, she can walk and run steadily. And she like to play with sand. I find she can play in a sandpit for several hours. Playing with sand is a good way to contact with germs. Children’s body will learn how to fight off viruses and bacteria, so it is not all that horrible if a few germs left behind after a day’s play. And I encourage her to do that. Of course, she will become very dirty. So we get a toddler bathtub for her.

Another interesting thing appears; my daughter enjoys the bathtub after I put some water toys. She makes the bathtub a mini playground!  She can sit in the bathtub and play with water toys for thirty minutes to one hour!

First Aid Kit

There are prepackaged first aid kits on market now. They are economical and contain many of the essential items. You don’t know when your kid is going to get a cut or get sick. But having these items on hand can make a big difference when an illness or accident occurs.

Prepackaged kits are convenient, but it cannot contain everything you need in your personalized family kit. Not everyone has professional knowledge to build their own kits. So it is best to start with a prepackaged kit and add extra items you need.

Check the inventory of your kit every few months, throw out any item that has expired, and get some new items as needed.

Another important thing is to ensure that anyone in your family knows where to find the materials and how to use them.

Toddler toilet/Potty chair/Potty seat

I have heard that some children don’t know how to use a toddler toilet even they go to kindergarten. I realize that potty training is important. When my daughter is about 18 months, I got a potty chair and out it in the bathroom.  

Then I just let my daughter sit on the potty chair and tell her something about that. I don’t force her to use the toilet because I know I must be patient and she need time.

Then after about 2 to 3 months, my daughter seems understanding that. And when she is about 24 months old, I don’t need to worry about that even at night time.

Maybe you think children will know that when they are old enough. But I don’t think so. I have heard that kindergarten don’t accept some toddlers which have big issue in using toddler chair. So potty training should be necessary.

Baby cabinet locks & straps

After my daughter is 12 months old, she can walk alone steadily. She crawls, walks or runs everywhere in the house. Opening and closing door of cabinets becomes a very interesting thing to her. Nothing can stop her curiosity!

It is dangerous. Cabinets may hide dangerous objects such as poisonous substances and sharp knives. The cabinet doors may be shut on her fingers, resulting in serious injury. But I don’t think I can stop her.

To prevent my daughter from opening cabinet doors, I get some safety cabinet locks and straps. And these household goods are very helpful.

Baby nail scissors/Baby nail clippers

Newborns don’t yet have control of their movements, and they may claw or scratch at their face. And even though they are 2 or 3 years old, they may hurt others when playing games. A newborn or toddler’s fingernails and toenails are often soft and flexible, and their hand is small, so an adult-sized nail clipper is too big for them.

It is important to have a baby nail scissor or clipper to keep your child’s nails clean and trimmed.

Baby toothbrush

Baby or toddler’s teeth are placeholders for adult teeth. That means the teeth are only a temporary tool for chomping, and they will be replaced by permanent ones in the future. At first, I thought it is not important to clean the teeth.

But a doctor tells me if my daughter doesn’t clean her teeth well, she may have trouble chewing and speaking clearly. And the more important thing is to establish a good habit which will lead her toward a lifetime of dental health. Then we get some baby toothbrush for our daughter.

Baby toothpaste

When my daughter is younger than the age of two, I start to use baby toothpaste for her. But she cannot split it out. So adult toothpaste is not good for kids, and child-friendly toothpaste is better.