What toys, gadgets or similar made your life as a parent suddenly and miraculously better?

[Thurlow]

We've just bought a cheapo booster seat and a wipe clean table cloth for the dining table. 18mo will now sit happily for over half an hour playing with felt tip pens, with no worry about the state of the table afterwards or falling off the chair as she tries to climb down. It is, quite frankly, revolutionary for the princely sum of about £25 all in. I am in love

When she was little, the walker/jumperoo was an absolute lifesaver, but that one is reasonably obvious. We also had a £5 old-fashioned plastic play arch that seemed a million times better than the modern ones.

What small or odd things completely changed things for a while for you?

White noise giraffe (which followed white noise app but I wanted my phone back ).

Sleeping bags. And stair gates. DS1 didn't completely love the jumperoo and I hated looking at it so was pleased to be rid. May regret this when DS2 is big enough but there is always eBay.

Hands down the best investment over the past 9 years was my iPhone, with unlimited Internet package. Car journeys, waiting for anything, visiting family, meals out, every time DS used to get bored out cones the iPhone, with loads if games and Netflix to keep him quiet! My life is peaceful at last!

• Woven wrap

- Mini micro scooter - Trampoline for the garden - Buggy buddy thing for water/keys/phone etc on the handlebars of the buggy.

God, yes, the camera on my phone is about the only thing that cheers DD up some days - vain little thing likes watching herself on the video!

YYY to scooter. For some reason the 3yo gets bored of walking far more quickly than she does on the scooter, so we can actually go reasonable distances on it.

When she was small, the BabyBjorn bouncer seat which could be laid flat.

The cheapest was definitely a plastic funnel for 20p from Wilkos. Has made bathtime bearable for the last three years.

We bought a cheapie bouncer from Argos to take on holiday and throw away afterwards. It's replaced the Mamas and Papas expensive one we bought as George's preferred comfy seat.
It's light, durable, packs up small for visits to Grandparents and is easy to transport from room to room to keep an eye on the little darling who loves watching us cook, clean and tidy more than he enjoys his toys.
I'd recommend it to any FTM

My ring sling. DD was a klingon baby and it meant I could get on with life. If put in a pushchair or car seat she screamed and screamed....

So, I used to walk everywhere with her in the sling. I originally got it because When DS started nursery there was no where to park and her car seat weighed a ton to carry round from the alternative car park. The ring sling was meant to be a cheap keep in the car for nursery drop off and pick up but ti became my constant piece of kit!

a groclock
finally they can play quietly until we are ready yo get up
more sleep all round .

I know it's been said but - Rainforest Jumperoo! Along with white noise album from iTunes and a toy tv remote that looks real from ELC, I can finally watch tv without it being constantly turned up/off/over by DS chewing on the remote.

Yes to the groclock. No more getting up at 5.30! And it works for the naps too.