8 Apps and Gadgets for Savvy Parents

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Image: Flickr, henriksent

By Emily Albrent2014-06-03 15:59:32 UTC

You will be hard-pressed to find a child without access to a tablet, or a parent who doesn't have a smartphone in their pocket.

Raising a family can be a challenge, but who says you can't have a little help from that phone sitting right next to you, or a cool gadget that's not only eye-catching, but effective?

See also: 22 DIY Tricks to Make Parenting a Little Easier

Parents could always use a little assistance. These eight apps and gadgets will help you on your way to a more organized, in-sync and reassuring parenthood.

If you are looking for a free app that does it all, look no further than Baby Bundle. It allows you to do exactly what the name states — bundle information about multiple facets of raising an infant in one convenient phone app.

The app offers a free parenting guide, reminders about doctor appointments and vaccines and monitors your baby's (and your own) daily activities, including sleeping, feeding, diaper changing and pumping. You can even link two different devices to the app for a fully functioning baby monitor. The app was developed by a pediatric expert, so it has all your bases covered.

The Womb Sounds Bear ($25.99) will help your baby sleep better and relax with recorded sounds of the womb. These sounds help babies transition to a new environment — like their own nursery — without needing mom nearby.

You have full control over the volume, and the bear can be attached right to the crib. The bear is set up to turn off after 40 minutes so you don't have to tip-toe into the room and risk waking the baby up.

Packing a lunch even for yourself can be a challenge, and when it comes to packing one for someone else, especially your child, you want to get a little creative.

With LaLa Lunchbox, you can take a deep breath and know that help is an app away. Kids select the foods they would like included in their meal by choosing monsters, colors and sounds with a customized food library that turns into handy lists parents can use on a trip to the grocery store.

The brand wants to empower kids with options and having a choice with what they eat day-to-day. Kids can be picky with what they eat and LaLa Lunchbox takes the guesswork out of it for you. You can have confidence in knowing your child will enjoy their packed lunch. This app will run you about $0.99, but can you really put a price on an easier morning?

This free app is all about making your life a piece of cake. Cakewalk is designed for those times when your kids are ready to play, but you are running out of fun activities and don't want boredom to set in.

It allows you to filter activities based on the age of your child, whether you are inside or outside and if you wish to be active or to do arts and crafts. The activities can either take a couple of minutes or however long you want. Ideas for activities vary from hula-hooping to exploring nature through leaf collecting.

The app will also give you ideas on what to do after you finish the main activity, such as creating a leaf book by tracing the leaves and coloring the outlines to help resemble the real-life leaf and to label it, if you know the species of the tree.

Driving while constantly looking in your rearview mirror or turning around to check on a baby can be a dangerous distraction.

Infanttech's Always In View ($199.99) provides you with the security you need to ensure your child is safe. It comes in a two-item package — a monitor you secure to the front of your windshield and a high-definition camera-equipped stuffed animal that faces the baby in the rear seat. The camera also has night vision, so you can keep an eye on your kid even on late drives.

Fresh from Kickstarter comes BleepBleeps, colorful and well-designed devices that help couples with everything from conception to taking care of a sick child.

BleepBleeps creator Tom Evan, sought to make a product that took a more kid-friendly and pleasant approach to devices such as thermometers, baby monitors and ovulation testers.

Each of the eight BleepBleeps has its own name and backstory. For example, the thermometer, Tony Tampa, is named after British rapper Tinie Tempah. Each of the eight BleepBleeps syncs up with your smartphone to track of the data in your cloud-based profile.

None of the BleepBleeps is available in stores just yet, but you can pre-order Sammy Screamer, a motion alarm, online for £50.00, or around $30.

If you have more than one child, this free app is for you. Cohabi takes the guesswork out of who is doing what chore. It randomizes and assigns chores to make it fair, so there's no more fighting over who gets to wash and dry the dishes after dinner.

When the chore is completed, your child can snap a pic and send it to you for verification that they actually finished what they were assigned.

Almost every child goes through a phase when they're afraid of the dark and/or monsters under the bed. Nightlights are always a great option, but they can keep a child awake if they don't shut off automatically.

Glo, a color-changing nightlight with portable glowing balls ($84.99), is an interactive way for children to feel safer at night. The glow fades to dark after 30 minutes, ensuring that your child has enough time to fall asleep.

Parents, what tools and gadgets do you swear by? Tell us in the comments.

Topics: iPhone, Apps and Software, Family & Parenting, Gadgets, Lifestyle, Living Well