The ever-brilliant Matt Haughey recently published Recommended things in my home that are total game changers, and it reminded me that I’ve been meaning to post a list of “good gifts for parents” for years. I’ve got two boys, so I cannot promise that everything on this list will be applicable to all parents, but I’ve tried to keep it gender neutral.
- AirTags are awesome. Kids lose things all the time and these little trackers are the best. Toss one in every backpack (and suitcase), for sure. You can slip one into a Nintendo Switch case or lunch box, too. There are a million keychain attachments for them; I like the silicone ones. Any time we’re on vacation or visiting a theme park or arcade, I slip one into the little one’s pocket. And don’t spend more than $80 on the 4-pack. They’re frequently on sale for $79.99 (and that’s been the standard price for them at Sam’s Club for a while).
- Batteries! This might seem silly, but you cannot imagine the power consumption of kids. We go through batteries like mad here, and can always use more. The Amazon rechargeable 9V, AA, and AAA ones get the most use. Many toys and devices use CR2032 or CR2450, so those are always handy. If there’s an XBOX in the house, you can get special rechargeable battery packs for the controllers so all the AAs don’t “disappear”. Throw in a charging dock if you’re not sure they already have one.
- You can get a 3-pack of hardshell sunglasses cases for under $10. They’re great for organizing charging cables, USB sticks, Nintendo game cartridges, Band-Aids, or any of a hundred other things parents throw into backpacks. And, y’know, sunglasses.
- Velcro strips for wrapping USB cables are a game-changer, and you can use these write-on tags to track down which kid is always leaving one plugged into the wrong charger.
- And don’t dare give someone else’s kid a pack of Pokémon (or any other trading) cards unless you include some way to keep them in one place. I’m a big fan of these 3-ring binder inserts.
If you have any suggestions, drop a comment below and I’ll add any stellar ones to the list.