We’ve had three kids, and we joined Amazon Prime exactly when the first one was born! We’ve gone through a variety of children’s products and gear in the last six years. Below is a list of items we have really used for all three children and are well worth their cost.
This the list of baby gear we really, I mean really, used. We went through all three children with them (and they held up). Many of them are Fisher Price brand just because I believe that brand holds up well – their reputation is deserved.
Fisher Price Rock N Play ($44)
If you buy or gift anything to new parents, please do the Rock N Play. It’s genius, and we used it for our two youngest to sleep each for a few months. I swear by it for newborn sleep. Plus, it’s really lightweight and easy to move around the house. It can easily double as a pack n play (while they’re small) or swing (since it vibrates). This is my number one pick for all parents.
A pack n play is a great piece of equipment for parents to have; they can travel, be used around the house, or even as a crib. Ours is 6 years old and still going strong. Definitely a baby item I recommend for new parents to get.
Newborn to Toddler Tub ($11.99)
We used this tub from Amazon for 2 or 3 of our littles. It works well with the mesh insert for newborns and then, as they get bigger, a toddler tub. An inexpensive but useful product.
Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo ($72)
This jumperoo holds many memories for us. We bought it because our first child hate all swings/bouncers, and he happened to LOVE this jumperoo. He jumped so hard so many hours. In fact, he even fell asleep in it. We even traveled with it. Admittedly, it’s bulky, but, man, our kids loved this jumperoo. For a parent’s sanity, for a place to safely put your infant/toddler, I highly encourage parents to try it.
Summer Infant Classic Wooden High Chair
This is a splurge item, and we actually received a wooden high chair as a hand me down. Let me explain why we love a heavy, wooden high chair. It runs pretty big, and the children can sit in it for up to a decent age. It pulls up to many dining tables. It doesn’t rock back and forth and is very secure. Our kids danced around, slapped their food, and would get loud in their chairs; I always felt like I had the safest chair for them to do this. Not the easiest to clean, but I like it for security.
We got this crib from Amazon over 6 years ago, and it’s still going very strong. We’ve used it for all babies; lowered it fora ll them when they started standing up. We also used the toddler version for our boys. It’s not fancy, but it’s simple and very functional.
We got these for our son his first Christmas, and while battered, they are still holding up. Our kids have jumped, slammed, thrown, and colored all over this set. This is a great gift for any family with younger children.
Chicco Lightweight Stroller ($79)
I have much love for the Chicco umbrella stroller. It IS on the pricey side for lightweight strollers, but it is worth it! We used this one to travel in airports, long road trips, every day errands and more. It’s easy to open and close. The stroller has enough room for a larger infant/toddler and the shade is great. There’s even enough room at the bottom for a small bag. Highly, highly recommend.
This system is expensive (much more that $150). But, it’s on the list because every new couple will need a bucket/car seat, at minimum to leave the hospital. I do like the entire system because for the price, you get the base, bucket, and stroller, which are all compatible. We got the Chicco system with our first son, and we used it all the way through to our last child. It held up so well; we were surprised. It was definitely used, but all the gear worked well. I recommend going with this, especially if you’ll have more than one child.
Nice to Have
I would consider the following products not quite necessary but nice to have. If you’re able to have a shower with gifts or find a great consignment sale, I would recommend these purchases for your little ones.
Fisher Price Snugabunny Cradle – n – Swing
Even though our first child hated all swings, our last two littles really LOVED this swing. I found it invaluable to give them cat naps during the day. They could see what was going on in the room and feel a part of the family. It sings, plays music, and has a moving mobile with mirror. It was an expensive purchase, but one I would purchase again.
Fisher Price Sit Me Up Floor Seat
This one was nice to have for our daughter when she was not quite sitting up, but she wanted to see everything. I liked it because it was sturdy and her two older brothers couldn’t accidentally knock her over. This was nice to have for traveling, since many of our other baby gear equipment were too big. This folded up nicely. I would say a useful little chair.
Bottle warmers aren’t require, but, boy, they are handy. If you’re going to be getting up in the middle of the night for multiple months (years!?), I’d think about it. We used one for a long time because it was just easy/nice to have the bottle steamed in the middle of the night.
Some parents would put a good carrier on the “Essential” list, but it’s all about your lifestyle. We certainly used the baby carrier, especially in the first few months of our children. All of them enjoyed being carried and would often fall asleep in it. By the time they started crawling, though, they generally weren’t into being carried. So, we used our, but not as much as other families may. The Ergo and Lillebaby are the best options for carrying!
We had this lounger for our first child, and he really loved it. It was a nice, comfortable place for him to relax, especially when he was tired. It makes for a nice gift for parents, especially if they want to have something in different rooms around the house. Easy for travel.
Baby Trend Expedition Double Stroller
This could almost be on my required list for parents of more than one child. We just recently got this stroller (on sale – around $175), and it is awesome! We tried another inexpensive double stroller and ended up selling it. It was hard to turn and push. We didn’t want to spend the cash for a Bob, but we saw this. It’s pretty big, but fits through most doorways. Our 1 and 3 year old fit comfortably, and it really pushes like a dream. I’m telling everyone I know about this; it’s a great, great stroller!
Fisher Price Kick and Play Piano Gym
We had this for our daughter when she was little, and she enjoyed it. She liked have the piano to kick, and the piano folds up for sitting babies too. It was nice to occupy her when she was learning to roll over.
Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Car
OUr toddler age children have really enjoyed getting in and out of the FP car. While it’s on the pricey side, I will say that we’ve had it for almost 3 years and our children still love it. If you’re looking for a nice gift, this would work well!
We got this sandbox for a great price (under $40), and our kids love it. It’s pretty small, but the size may work for some family’s outdoor spaces. The children love the digger and dump truck. Plus, the lid doubles as a slide for the toys. Fun purchase for multiple children.
If you travel or are low on space or just simple prefer boosters, this is a great one. Our kids always enjoyed being at the table with everyone, and this one is a breeze to clean. Highly recommend this one.
I hope this list is useful! Tell us in the comments any “must have” baby products or gear you recommend.
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