From a kid-friendly treatment for winter skin to blue light-blocking glasses that will help protect their eyes during all of that e-learning, parents will love these new baby and kid products coming to stores in 2021.
Our inboxes are flooded with the latest and greatest in new parenting products every day. From exciting new toys and clever innovations for baby to tools that help make raising kids just a little bit easier (and fun!), our editors have selected some of their favourite launches this month.
1. Try-It Kit from Esembly
Photo: Indigo
“I’ll be honest: I was too tired (and too overwhelmed) to attempt cloth diapering when my kids were babies, and I still feel a little guilty about that. But the trendy design and gorgeous bold colours of this starter pack probably would have hooked me. The Try-It Kit from Esembly is available in Canada through Indigo and comes with three absorbent organic cotton inserts, one waterproof diaper cover, a special detergent for washing the inserts, and a wet bag with waterproof compartments for storing soiled diapers when you’re out and about. If you want to learn more about what’s involved when you launder cloth diapers at home, Esembly has a handy how-to video.”—Ariel Brewster, senior editor
From $135, indigo.ca
2. The Kaya Birth Stool
Photo: Kaya Birth
“Like a lot of women, I’d never really considered a home birth until COVID hit. If this is your plan in 2021, you might want to consider investing in one of these moulded plastic stools developed by an industrial designer and a sculptor. Ergonomically designed to support your body during labour (whether you want to squat, kneel, rock or just stretch out), the stool was inspired by researching traditional birthing practices from around the world.”—Simone Olivero, senior editor
$230, kayabirth.com
3. Flexitol Happy Little Bodies
Photo: Flexitol
“I tried this line of products on my seven-year-old, who struggles with eczema and super dry skin (we’re talking sandpaper, when it’s at its worst). The Happy Little Bodies Eczema Moisturizing Lotion noticeably softened his rough skin (when we were religious about applying it), and the Eczema Relief Cream helped calm the flare-ups. A good complement to his prescription medicine.”—Kim Shiffman, editor-in-chief
From $16, well.ca
4. Lovevery Montessori Placemat & Utensils
Photo: Lovevery
“Lovevery’s subscription boxes have totally changed playtime in my home—less plastic and less toys overall. Now they’re tackling mealtime with the clever Montessori Placemat and Utensils set, which foster fine motor skills and independence. The set pairs child-sized stainless steel cutlery with an easy-to-fold organic cotton napkin (the dotted fold lines are brilliant!) and a silicone placemat that nurtures routines by showing kids exactly how to arrange their place setting. Bonus: you can toss the mat and cutlery in the dishwasher and the napkin in the washing machine. It might not get your toddler to sit at the table for the entire meal, but maybe a few extra minutes?”—Jessica Pollack, deputy editor
5. Clean Age deodorant
Photo: Clean Age
“My first exposure to deodorant as a teen was a baby powder-scented aerosol spray that left greasy stains on the arm pits of my t-shirts. This chic-looking stick from a mother/daughter duo not only smells great (choose from Unscented, Waves, Fresh or Citrus), but it’s also free of aluminum and baking soda and comes in recyclable packaging. The formula is also specifically designed for nine- to 18-year-old bodies when smell-inducing hormones are at their height.”—Simone Olivero, senior editor
$13 US, clean-age.com
6. The Clay Date Kit
Photo: Sproutworks
“Who doesn’t love playing with clay? This awesome kit comes with 24 different colours of clay and sculpting tools to make all kinds of fun projects only bound by your kid’s imagination. Bonus: the clay is also gluten-free and air dries. So next time you sit down to play with your kid, why not make it a clay date?—Kevin John Siazon, assistant editor
$35, sproutworksconnection.com
7. Purelan Lanolin Cream
Photo: Medela Canada
“The last thing a new, sleep-deprived mom needs on her plate when she’s nursing every few hours is to remember to remove her nipple cream before each feed. Enter Medela’s Purelan, a single-ingredient salve made from medical grade lanolin and nothing else—so it’s safe for mom and baby. Not only will your cracked nipples thank you, but this jack of all trades can also be used on dry lips, hands, cuticles, heels, elbows and to protect your kids’ skin in cold weather.”—Jessica Pollock, deputy editor
8. Hello Bello Training Pants
Photo: Hello Bello
“Recently, the diaper and kids’ cosmetics company from Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard launched their own version of disposable Pull-ups or Easy Ups here in Canada. The designs are cute and the sides are stretchy and super comfy—they almost feel like cloth undies, compared to some of the scratchier brands out there. The training pants even worked as overnight diapers for us, with no leaks. The sizing ranges from 12-24 months (the smallest size) to 4T-5T (the biggest size). Our only quibble: my three-year-old hated the tape tab on the bum of the diaper (it’s intended as a way to fasten a dirty diaper shut) and he insisted we tear it off each one.”—Ariel Brewster, senior editor
$12/package of 18 to 27 diapers, hellobello.ca
9. Pregnancy Tracking on Garmin Connect
Photo: Garmin
“If you have a Garmin smartwatch, you probably already use the Garmin Connect app, which helps you track and analyze your health and fitness activities from your device. They’ve now added another tool to the app: Pregnancy tracking! You can log symptoms, track baby movement and, when it’s time, track contractions. Man, things have come a long way since I was last pregnant in 2013!”—Kim Shiffman, editor-in-chief
More info on connect.garmin.com
10. SuperPaint with Air Purifying Technology by Sherwin-Williams
Photo: Sherwin-Williams
“If you’re planning to repaint your home or a kid’s room or nursery, this paint will help you breath easier—literally. Using air-purifying technology, this paint contributes to better indoor air quality and helps reduce VOCs while eliminating odours and inhibiting the growth of mold and mildew. Now that’s a Super Paint!”—Kevin John Siazon, assistant editor
From $58, sherwin-williams.ca
11. Screen Saver glasses
Photo: Babiators
“Since the beginning of 2021, it feels like my four-year-old has been on screens non-stop—hello, virtual school! To make me feel a little less guilty, I picked up a pair of these glasses from Babiators, which help you protect your kid’s eyes from overexposure to digital screens with blue light blocking lenses. Bonus: she looks totally adorable in them and they’re covered by the Babiators guarantee if the glasses get lost or broken.”—Simone Olivero, senior editor
$30, babiators.ca