Our pick for most familiesFrom ~6 months
b.box Sippy Cup (weighted straw)
An Australian-designed straw cup whose weighted straw lets little ones drink at any angle — great for outings.
Toddler (cups, potties, beds, shoes)
Toddler gear is mostly about independence. Offer an open cup at meals from around 6 months and a lidded straw cup for outings. Toilet training usually starts somewhere between 18 months and 3 years, when your child shows interest; a stable potty and a non-slip step stool help more than gadgets. Move from cot to bed when your child climbs out or outgrows the cot, not on a schedule. First shoes: barefoot is best indoors while your toddler learns to walk. Once they walk outside, have their feet measured for length and width each time, leave about 1 cm past the longest toe, and check the fit every 1–3 months.
Also good~18 months to ~4 years
BabyBjörn Potty Chair
A stable potty with a high back and lift-out bowl that is easy to empty and clean.
Also good~18 months to school age
BabyBjörn Step Stool
A light, non-slip step for the toilet and basin — it gets used every day for years.
Things we don’t recommend, and why
- Portable bed rails that do not fit your bed and mattress without gaps, and improvised rails or barriers — they can trap a child. Source: Red Nose — Moving your child from a cot to a bed
- Pillows before age two, weighted blankets and weighted sleep products. Source: Red Nose — Moving your child from a cot to a bed
- Using a lidded sippy cup as the only cup — feeding specialists suggest open-cup practice, with a straw cup as a complement. Source: My Little Eater — Open cups for babies
Price bands for this category: $ < $20 · $$ $20–50 · $$$ $50–100 · $$$$ > $100. Prices change — check the retailer.