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When you have small kids, having the right tools and services makes life so much easier. As a new parent, you are constantly scrambling to get things done as the kids are having a tantrum or crying because they are hungry. I’ve compiled a list of products and services that would make great Christmas gifts for new parents.
When my oldest son was born, I was home for three months with him, mostly confined to the house because I was breastfeeding him around the clock and the rest of the time I was trying to get him to go to sleep. He was definitely not happy to be out into the big bad world and sleeping was pretty low on his priority list.
Between the sleep deprivation and being home alone with a crying baby all day, I barely had any time to get anything done. This is where having some of the items on the list really comes in handy in solving the problems that parents with small kids battle regularly.
This is a list of some of my absolute favorites that I have used and loved over the last few years since having my kids. I truly think that these are great Christmas gift ideas that will make any new parent’s life much easier. If you are looking for some practical gifts for new parents, check out the list below.
1. Cordless Hand Vac
Kids make a huge mess. There are cracker crumbs and Cheerios® just about everywhere – between the couch cushions, in the car, under the kitchen table, etc. Having a hand-held vacuum that works well and actually sucks up all the tiny pieces is a must. I absolutely love my Black & Decker Cordless Hand Vac because it has a lithium battery, which means I can leave it charging for days at a time without worrying that it will hurt the battery. I had another hand-held vacuum before this one and the battery on it died because I kept it on the charger all the time. Lesson learned.
Click here to check out the Black & Decker Cordless Hand Vac that I LOVE!
2. Slow cooker
I don’t know how any parent can function without a slow cooker. I absolutely love having a programmable one that is large enough to cook a big meal. I can set it and walk away for a few hours, coming back to find a perfectly delicious meal just ready to be served. Having kids means that I don’t usually have an hour of time to just cook a meal so having a slow cooker is a life-saver. It also saves money because it doesn’t use a lot of energy and allows you to plan for making dinner when you are short on time.
Related posts:
- 7 Seriously Fun and Frugal Family Christmas Traditions
- 5 Quick Tips That Will Get Your Toddler to Stay Seated During Dinner
- The Ultimate Guide To Saving Money On Christmas Gifts
3. Electric kettle
Ever since becoming a parent, I constantly seem to need to use boiling hot water. From sanitizing bottle nipples and toys to warming up baby bottles, having access to boiling hot water is so handy. It’s great to be able to turn on the electric kettle and just walk away as I get pulled in a million directions by the kids. The kettle just dings to let me know when the water is ready. I’ve found so many other uses for it such as boiling water for pasta to avoid having to wait for it to heat up on the stove, hot water for oatmeal in the morning, and so much more.
4. Baby food steamer
Before having kids, I had never used a food steamer in my life. I really did not think we would need one so I never registered for it, however, someone gave it to us as a present. I completely forgot about it until a few months later when my oldest one started eating solids. This thing is so handy, I’m so glad I did not return it. I can quickly and easily steam any fruit or vegetable, all while I’m prepping other food. It comes with a handy guide that tells you what setting to use and for how long. It’s been so helpful with feeding my second baby as well.
Click here to check out the food steamer that we use and LOVE!
5. An immersion blender
If you already have a blender, you may think that an immersion blender is unnecessary but I beg to differ. I have both and I can tell you without a doubt that they are both necessary. One of the best things about an immersion blender is that you literally just stick it in the container and just blend. No need to transfer food or hot liquids to a blender. It’s also great for hiding vegetables from kids. I love blending soups or sauces that have vegetables that my kids won’t otherwise eat. When you blend everything together, they can’t tell what’s in the soup and usually just eat it, none the wiser for the zucchini or bell peppers hiding in there. It can also be a great tool for making your own baby food since it makes it a breeze to blend veggies you cook such as sweet potatoes, right in the pot.
Click here to check out the immersion blender that I use to puree soups and food.
6. An insulated cup
I deeply love my Yeti tumbler. It keeps my water cold and my coffee hot – just like I prefer them. With two small kids, I constantly forget to drink my coffee or my tea before they get cold. I will walk away to play with a child or clean up a mess just to come back to a lukewarm beverage that I have to reheat (and promptly forget again). My Yeti solved that problem, keeping my coffee hot for hours. I’ve also used it for water with great success as it kept my water ice-cold for those long nights when I was up all the time breastfeeding and needed to stay hydrated. There are many different brands of insulated cups that work just as well as the Yeti so don’t feel like you need to shell out $25+ for an insulated cup.
Click here to check out the Yeti tumbler that saved my life as a sleep-deprived new mom!
7. Amazon Prime membership
I first signed up for an Amazon Prime membership shortly after the birth of my oldest child and have not regretted it. It has and continues to be a great service that meets our family’s needs. The two-day shipping is great, especially when we need something quickly, and it’s not available at a local store. I love the Subscribe & Save as it lets me plan to restock on items before we run out and also saves me money in the process since it’s often cheaper.
We use the Amazon Prime Video service to stream on-demand commercial-free shows and movies for the kids (and for us). I love listening to the free music channels when I’m at work or doing chores. And if you are looking to give this as a gift, they now have the option to do a monthly subscription and you can gift someone a few months so they can try it out and see if it’s worth it for them.
Click here for a FREE TRIAL of Amazon Prime through my link!
8. Grocery delivery service
Having the ability to just get online and order groceries is so helpful when you have small kids. Grocery shopping can be a complete time suck, and taking kids to the store is definitely not fun in my experience. Grocery delivery services are a great option when since you get to order your groceries and have them delivered straight to your house.
They can also save you a lot of money since they force you to create a shopping list rather than randomly wandering down the isles of the grocery store, looking for things to buy. Since those services usually come with an annual fee, getting a one-year or several-month subscription to one of these services would be a great Christmas gift for parents with kids. Some of the popular ones are Amazon Fresh, Instacart, and Shipt.
Click here to check out Amazon Fresh grocery delivery service
9. Babysitting
I don’t know any parent that would turn down babysitting. However, hiring a babysitter can be pretty pricey, making a date night out too expensive when you add in dinner and a movie. Babysitting is a fabulous gift option for new parents who would love the opportunity to get out of the house and reconnect. You can either offer them a voucher for a free night (or day!) of babysitting of their choice or you can offer to pay for a babysitter to come to their house depending on your budget and preferences.
10. Food
New parents are often the recipients of large quantities of food from family and friends looking to help them out through those first few weeks. However, by the time your kids are a little older, it’s very rare that you get a free meal from anyone. You can give new parents a voucher for a free meal from you on a night of their choosing – this could be a meal that you cook or a meal that you order from a restaurant to be delivered to them. Either way, they would love the option to get a night off from cooking and just relax.
These are some of my favorite gifts for new parents that I think are both fun and practical. What are some of your favorite gifts ideas for new parents? Share below in the comments.
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Resources that I love:
If you’re looking to save money on your holiday shopping, then I highly recommend checking out these ideas!
Amazon Prime – With free unlimited two-day shipping and no minimum purchase required, Amazon Prime is the perfect solution for your holiday shopping. You get a FREE 30-day trial membership for signing up through my link. I absolutely love my Amazon Prime membership!
Click here for a FREE TRIAL of Amazon Prime through my link!
Ebates – Get cash back for any purchases that you are already making online. Just go through the Ebates cash back portal and you will get a percentage back of your total order price. You can also use coupons on top of going through Ebates for even more savings. Read my review of Ebates here. You get $10 FREE cash back after you make a $25 purchase for signing up through my link.
Click here to sign up for Ebates through my link and get $10 for FREE after spending $25!
Ibotta – Get cash back for purchases, including groceries, clothing and more! Download the app on your phone, check it before heading to the store so you can add any rebates that interest you, then shop as usual. When you get home, just scan your receipt and enjoy the cash back. It’s such an easy way to get some extra cash!
Click here to sign up for Ibotta through my link and get a $10 as a FREE welcome bonus!
