Top 5 Essentials for Parents with 1-2 Year Olds

This little highchair has served us well over the last few years. We initially asked for it on our registry so we could use it for camping. We did use it for that a time or two, and it worked awesome! It has a sunshade which makes it great for the outdoors, and it is a very easy to clean material. It also has an easy to carry bag that comes with it (essentially like a camping chair). Although taking it camping is great, it is by far not the most useful way to utilize this highchair.

You can conveniently take this little, lightweight highchair to any event, friend’s house, or backyard BBQ. We just leave this bad boy in the car so that anywhere we go we will have a highchair with us. So convenient! In addition to that, when we have friends with kids come over, we only have one full highchair. We can just go out to our car and grab this one for either our kids or one of their friends to sit in. Now no one has to hold their littles while they are trying to eat! I can easily put this on my essentials for parents list!

The link above is for the specific hiking carrier pack we have, and I can’t recommend it enough! It is comfortable for both parent and child (I think…clearly my husband does all the carrying), it has tons of storage pockets, and the pack itself is really lightweight. We absolutely love the option of the sunshade as well. There are also little foot loops that kiddos can decide if they want to use them or not. In addition to all the features, it is also good for lots of different uses!

The most obvious use for this hiking pack is, well, hiking!! We have also brought this pack to events that a stroller would be inconvenient, such as a pumpkin patch. We do many other outdoor activities besides hiking, such as walking the creeks and fishing. This is a great way for our boys to safely be a part of the action!

These kitchen helper towers have exploded in popularity in the last couple years, and for good reason! Since Leo has been able to stand, he has loved crawling up into it and seeing what we have going on. Now that he is older he gets up there and has his own little knife set that he helps us cut and prepare the food with. The tower shown in the photo is one my amazing husband built, but I linked to a very similar one in the heading above.

This pop up is absolutely great. We have gotten so much use out of it. It is easy to put together and break down, it breaks down relatively small, and if you want to use the canopy, it clips in very easily. We have found it to be useful both outside and inside.

When I am outside getting some yard work done, I can put the boys in there and know they are safe and not running out into the road. The canopy provides some nice shade from the summer sun. As you can see, I just load it up with toys and snacks and let them go crazy.

I have also found some uses for it inside. Obviously I wouldn’t leave them alone for more than a minute. That being said, when they first started moving around, I didn’t trust them alone for even a minute. If I needed to use the restroom without having a little one crawling up my leg or run upstairs quick to change the sheets on our bed, I would put them in here. This was a great way to be able to do a couple things but know that they are safe.

Some people find changing tables unnecessary. It is just as easy to throw a blanket or changing pad down. I really value having a changing table, and specifically this one. Here is why I have it on my essentials for parents list.

There are a few reasons I enjoy having a changing table. First, it elevates them, making them easier to change. This was especially essential when I was pregnant! Second, I love having the drawers. In them we have diaper changing supplies, PJ’s (so we don’t have to go upstairs to his room after bath time), and kids blankets. There used to be a laundry hamper, but it got gross so I threw it away. Now it is the perfect place to keep his diaper bag! The link above has a few extra drawers rather than the laundry hamper.