20 Top Toddler Essentials You’ll Want to Have

Check out these top toddler essentials list! These are the toddler mom must haves you will want to have both for you and your little one!

Toddlers, tantrums, terrible twos, oh my! The toddler age is so much fun, but also sometimes a huge struggle. 

Here are my favorite toddler must haves that not only your toddler will need but will enjoy too! 

These toddler essentials will help give you a break when you as the mom need it most. 

This is a huge list, covering both what your toddler needs and wants.

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Basic Toddler Essentials 

Here are more of what your toddlers will need. I found these toddler necessities to make life so much easier. You can’t really live without them either!

Car Seat 

It probably is time to upgrade the car seat for your toddler. While they will still be rear-facing for the first few years, they might need a bigger one. 

Older toddlers will need to get a booster seat as well. These further protect your child as they grow but still provides freedom for them in the car. 

I always like to get the one that does it all so I don’t have to constantly get a new car seat!

Whichever car seat you get, make sure to follow the guidelines to keep your child safe! 

It is one of the essentials for 3-year old or older you will want to get if your car seat doesn’t already transition into a booster seat.

Potty Training Essentials 

While there is no set time for potty training, toddlers will usually start to show some signs they are ready. 

It varies which potty training must haves you’ll want to grab, but usually I like a few things just in case: 

• Potty seat for toilet with built-in step stool 
• Portable toilet 
• Puppy training pads to protect furniture 
• Extra underwear 
• Step stool 

Toddler Bed 

Soon enough, your child will transition out of their crib into a toddler bed. 

There are so many different types of toddler beds, so go with one that your budget allows. 

I personally love the ones with railings on each side to help them not fall off or suffocate between their bed and the wall. 

Many cribs also make a great toddler bed as well. Floor beds are also super popular, just go with what you can and your toddler enjoys for these must haves for 1-2 year old.

Toddler Utensils 

I personally never use a sippy cup. They are a terrible habit and very hard to break. Some dentists and pediatricians believe it can also cause problems with their teeth. 

I found it so easy to use a 360 cup. They even have some with handles to help with the younger age. 

As toddlers learn how to eat, it’s also best to get some plates, bowls, forks, and spoons that are easy for them to use and won’t break easily. 

We love using silicone snack cups and bowls because they are easy to use, don’t break, and are safer for little ones anyway. Plus, they are incredibly durable too!

Bath Items

Make bath time fun! Don’t get rubby ducks though, those easily grow mold and are not safe for your kids. Instead, get some fun sensory bath toys! Innobaby’s bath products are the only ones we will ever buy. They never grow mold, are silicone, invite sensory play, and are cute!

Sleep Items

If you don’t already have a sound machine it is also great to have. As they get older, toddlers want to refuse sleep more often. 

A wake up light is also super helpful in teaching your child when to get up. It has been a lifesaver for my two toddlers so they don’t wake up at 5:00 AM every day.

We also have started using magnesium lotion to further help our two toddlers to sleep better. Sometimes we order some from Love Bug Organics, while others we make our own using this magnesium lotion recipe.

Books

Books are always a must for toddlers and an absolute necessity. PaperPie (used to be Usborne Books & More) has our favorite books because they are so interactive and keep both of my toddlers busy all the time.

The yoga books, paint books, 1001 things to spot, and reusable sticker ones are our favorites!

Check out our favorite PaperPie books for toddlers.  

Best Toddler Toys 

These are some of my favorite toys for toddlers. Not only are they great educational toys but also allow independent play so you can catch a little break. 

Play Sink 

What kid doesn’t love water play at this age? My toddler was spending hours standing on anything and everything just to touch the water in our sink. 

So we got this incredible sink. It came with 30+ fruits, veggies, and food they can cut open. It also has plates, spoons and forks to wash and clean. 

You fill the bottom of the sink and it circulates the water. The child can turn it on and off. My little one plays in this amazing sink for around an hour at a time. 

I found it one of the best 2-year old essentials when you need a new toy.

Cleaning Set 

My daughter loves to clean, and I was the same way as a child. 

I found this cute little cleaning set that is perfect for kids and my toddler loves it! 

I think this is a toddler essential for sure because it fosters a love for cleaning. What more could you ask for a child? 

This cleaning kit includes: 

• Mop
• Duster
• Broom
• Dust Pan
• Stand  

It literally has everything your child will need to clean the house along with you. I love that it is wood and not plastic so it will last a long time.

Slide

Playing at the park may not always be possible. So bring the park to you! Getting this super fun little slide helps your child with their burst of energy. 

Toddlers need physical activity so this cute slide works great if you can’t get outside much or even for a little playground in your yard. 

This is a great toy to also help with their gross motor skills and one of the toddler essentials for 3 year old I really loved getting for my kids.

Hopscotch Mat 

If you live in an apartment or a place where you can’t be outside very often, this is the perfect mat for your toddler. 

This hopscotch mat helps them to still get their energy out and have some physical activity while staying in a small house. 

It also helps them build those necessary gross motor skills that are crucial to a child’s development. 

Sensory Play 

This is the perfect age for sensory play activities! You can even start these when your little one is 6 months and up. 

I love that sensory play helps them to develop their senses while also building their fine motor skills. 

Get a sensory book for toddlers to help you learn all the fun ways to involve your kids in sensory play or check out my sensory bottles and sensory bin recipes:

Blocks

Blocks are amazing at the toddler stage and even a little before that too. Building things is so fun for your toddler. 

To some, watching them fall is also fun. But it can also bring a lot of frustration to other children. 

My daughter got so upset each time it fell down. It was a huge struggle for her. 

So, when she would play with blocks, I would join in and purposefully make my tower fall down. Then I would just laugh and try again. 

Kids learn best from watching and mimicking us. Now, she laughs and enjoys it when it falls down. 

You can get any type of blocks. The wooden rainbow blocks are also great for teaching colors and require different skills than traditional blocks.

Blocks are great for toddlers and preschoolers and give so many benefits including fine motor skills, creativity, and sensory play. 

Craft Supplies 

Toddlers are big on coloring and crafts. Sometimes it’s frustrating as parents because we cannot control the mess as well. 

I found the ultimate craft supplies box for toddlers. It is incredible and comes with a container to keep it all neat. It’s perfect for craft and art time with kids.

Kid Safe Scissors

Get some safety scissors that are safe for kids to use and start working on those fine motor skills!

Quiet Books

There are many quiet books you can find online. However, most of them didn’t work for my child. She quickly got bored of them and stopped using them altogether.

There is one brand that she continues to play with to this day: Educating Amy. These are such amazing quiet books for toddlers! They kept her entertained during our 6 hour plane ride.

They keep her entertained still after playing multiple times with them. She loves them, and so do I!

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Top Toddler Essentials Wrap-Up

These are some of the best toddler products I have found. Not only are they fun, they are also educational, and help me catch a little break. 

Many of these things for toddlers you may already have as they work for both babies and toddlers.