The Top 10 Gadgets For Dad

Being a modern day dad means nothing if you are not taking advantage of some of the best gadgets for dad that help us become superdads. It is the age of innovation and with the pressure on dads to achieve and deliver more on every front, it is refreshing to know that there is help out there for parents in the form of technology & gadgetry. Here’s our top 10 to help you on the journey, dad.

10. Baby movement monitor with wireless sensor pad

Fathers of the universe, lend me your ears…Or maybe you can’t hear me because after a long day, you have just got your baby to sleep and have your headphones in bingeing through a Netflix series.

Fear not, the movement monitoring & display will instantly let you know if there is anything going on with the baby through a wireless sensor pad. Things we liked:

• It features activity tracking which reports on the baby’s movement levels. 
• We also liked the setting which means for their more adventurous moments, you can be alerted if no movement is detected after 20 seconds.

9. Portable Shower Arm

Bath-time for toddlers right up to pre-teens is a learning experience of it’s own. Through this period, they will also seek their independence as they learn to bathe and wash themselves. As the traditional ‘bath’ experience becomes less and less frequent as you get older, the portable shower arm will be a great tool for kids and dads alike.

This tiny little gadget, which you would not even give a second thought to usually will make your life so much easier during bathtimes. Things we liked:

• You can position it anywhere you like to suit the height of your child and leave them to it without worrying about a flood in the bathroom.
• It teaches them how to use the shower to save water or if they are still very young
• This is a great tool to help you when washing them down. If you have ever tried to do a juggling act between holding the shower head and entertaining your child because they don’t want shampoo in their eyes, we feel your pain.

8. Rearview Baby mirror with remote control & LED lights

When you are being a super dad, life doesn’t stop I’m afraid. You still have to run errands, do the shopping and drive around perhaps sharing childcare (or not if you are a full-time single father).

The first year of your baby’s life can very daunting and you will have enough to worry about. The one thing that you can now relax about is when they are in the back and you can not see their face your mirror.

The rear-view baby mirrors have existed for some time now but the things we liked about this one:

• You can interact via a remote control and they are completely enhanced with LED lights and entertainment to keep your little one happy.
• Rumour has it that with the introduction of more wifi areas on the horizon including built in cars, these will be going to the next level very soon.

7. Snugglebundl

Your little angels may have just drifted off after that lovely ride in the car but now the terror really strikes in your heart. You may not want to disturb that nap they were having or might be looking forward to getting some things done in the house while they snooze.

This handy little invention will save you having to sit in the car for an hour or wake the child up at all. The things we liked about the Snugglebundl:

• It’s a very cosy blanket that is a secure patented design that allows you to simply life you child out of the car seat without effort.
• It has great built in head support and controlled temperature design for cooling & warmth.
• It’s also handy around the house for both dads and mums who may have just had a tough pregnancy and finding mobility with the baby difficult. Snugglebundl eases that struggle.

6. The Mobile Smartphone or Tablet

Most parents reading this will probably think it is a no-brainer but we felt that this category should belong in this list as many dads out there are still reluctant to utilise whats available literally at their finger tips.

Aside from entertainment for the kids, an investment in-to a decent tablet or a smartphone will very probably be vital at some point of your fatherhood journey! Here’s why:

• Your cloud will hold all of your precious memories snapped right from your tablet/phone and synced automatically for you.
• You may be having some bonding time with your children in the kitchen so you can have the tablet playing some cookery videos to help you along.
• You are on a road-trip and need your Google Maps app (Nobody invests in Sat Navs anymore).
• Bath-time can become more interactive (waterproof cases are recommended).

The possibilities are literally endless with more and more apps coming out all the time to help us on our mission, it is imperative that we take advantage of the support that is available. From a more ‘dad’ perspective, you may fancy catching up with DaddiLife during those late night feeds or while your child insists you cuddle them to sleep…Just saying.

5. Squirt Spoon

Feeding time with babies can be extremely messy and not to mention stressful as you juggle a jar or a plate, singing and pulling funny faces all the while trying to not to make a mess on all over yourself, the baby and the carpet.

Brace yourselves dads, here is the ‘squirt spoon’. Why we love it:

• Simply load up the baby food and polish off your entertainment routine as the mission has now been halved.
• A great tool for focusing more on the actual feeding of the child rather than having to focus on the cleaning you will have to do after it.

4. Dummy Thermometer

As parents, we appreciate the value of the soother. Although advised that it’s not a necessity or should not be used excessively, we all know in reality, kids need a source of comfort and the ‘dummy’ is often that thing they turn to and it works, especially during teething.

The built in thermometer on this pacifier is a handy tool for when your child is not feeling 100%, or when you need to keep an eye on their temperature during the night. Things we liked:

• For any dad who has had to take their kids temperature in the night to check for fever, you will know this can be disruptful to the child, and can cause excessive irritation / crying. The little gadget makes that process easier
• As much as it has to be done, this innovative product will save those vital seconds of disruption.

3. Lumipotti

Potty training is a big learning curve for both dads and children as you are letting them get their first real taste of independence of which they will no longer rely on you for. It can be emotional for fathers as up until now, you have had to be on alert to change a nappy/diaper, perhaps you had to learn from scratch or enjoyed it as a special bond between you and your child. Either way, it’s time to let go.

The things we liked about The Lumipotti:

• It’s designed for those nights when your child may need to visit the bathroom at a silly hour needing you to take them to the toilet to switch on the light.
• That can now be a thing of the past as they can easily go without fear of the dark and need not disturb your sleep unnecessarily.

2. Mamaroo digital bouncer

The Mamaroo bouncer is the ultimate baby bouncer that compared to your usuall bouncers, it should have been called the bouncer 2.0. Despite all the heavy marketing towards mothers, it is simply a bouncer that will change your life and help your baby experience new horizons.

The interactive and impressive features extend beyond comfort. The things we liked:

• It responds to the movements of the parents natural motions when holding the child. For example, they way you hold and interact your baby can be picked up by the Mamaroo and sway them exactly in the same rhythm you soothe them in, giving the baby same effect.
• On top it all, it has the most flexible and comfortable reclining positions taking it a lot further than your average bouncer.
• It has built in sounds and also an MP3 player, so this bouncer will sit proudly next your ‘man chair’ as you both relax and unwind.

1. Baby monitors to your Smartphones

Baby monitors have come a long way since the days of simply being able to produce audio output. You can now take this so much further than visual by having it connected directly to your smartphone. Things we liked:

• It allows fathers who have to work while mothers stay with the baby, a chance to connect and interact and pay attention to the child even when they are away.
• Alternatively, it is great to just keep with you while you are downstairs or in the other room.

These simple gadgets are a perfect example of utilising technology to help us become better fathers or if you like, super dads.