We might not be at the point yet where Rosie the Robot Maid can whip up an incredible dinner for your flying saucer-driving family out of the scraps left in the fridge after you haven’t made it to the store in a week, but people, we’re getting close. After spending a week earlier this month at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas, I have some good news: there are many, many brilliant people out there in the world figuring out how to harness advances and developments in technology in order to make the lives of parents and kids better and easier.
From plush toys that turn screen time into an interactive learning experience that actually looks appealing and an adorable little robot that teaches 5-year-olds the basics of coding (without needing any screen at all), to a lamp that help your toddlers sleep and — perhaps the most exciting of all — a product that’s essentially a super smart, wi-fi-enabled Keurig for your baby’s formula, here’s a look at the products at CES 2020 that are most exciting for parents. Some of them might even be Judy Jetson-approved.
BABY & TODDLER
The Lumi by Pampers
The Lumi by Pampers is a connected care system that helps frazzled parents during a period when most parents are so tired they don't even know which end is up. Unlike other child-monitoring systems, this one isn't there to alert you about your child's vital statistics. Instead, it's simply giving parents a hand by letting them know about their baby's diapers, and when they were last fed. (I could have used this app for myself postpartum, reminding me to eat something — perhaps I would have even showered more than once or twice per week.) -Cat Bowen
Membook by Nanit
Membook documents the moments that happen in your baby's crib that you might miss while sleeping — from the first time they roll over to the first time they sleep through the night, each of these milestones are curated and documented for posterity in digital form. Membook automatically saves and catalogs each event captured. -Cat Bowen
The Nanit Sleeping Bag
Just like the rest of Nanit's Breathing Wear line, the Nanit Sleeping Bag uses a distinctive pattern made of different shapes and ink that the Nanit Plus nursery camera (sold separately) can pick up on in order to monitor a baby's breathing motions in real time. Made from 100% cotton, this sleep sack is machine washable and free of any electronic devices, which sounds easy to care for — especially for sleep deprived parents who need to be able to throw a spit-up covered sleep sack straight into the wash. -Ashley Jones
Read more about the Nanit Sleeping Bag
The Car Seat CoPilot Alert System
To keep little ones safe and give parents peace of mind, Car Seat CoPilot Automatic Alert System is ... really very simple-looking. The car seat clip attaches to the straps of your child's car seat, and comes with two key fobs (yaaaas, spare key). When you hop out of the car at the grocery store, the seat belt clip communicates with the key fob and will set off the fob's alarm if it gets more than 10 feet away from your vehicle with your child's car seat clip still buckled. -Katie McPherson
Owlet Dream Lab
Developed by sleep experts Jill Spivack and Jen Waldburger, Owlet Dream Lab is a personalized video sleep training program that gives parents of babies between the ages of 4-12 months the necessary tools for teaching them to sleep through the night... in as few as seven nights, the company claims. -Ashley Jones
4Moms MamaRoo Sleep Bassinet
By mimicking the natural motions that babies often find soothing, the mamaRoo sleep bassinet from 4Moms offers a safe and (hopefully) effective sleep environment for little ones. The bassinet features five different patterns of motion (car ride, wave, kangaroo, tree swing, and rock-a-bye), vibration options, and even the option to adjust the speed. There's also a built-in white noise machine and a timer to help establish bedtime routines. -Lindsey Mack
Happy Tykes Pali Alarm Clock
This easy-to-use sleep training alarm clock features a character design with adorable ears and feet, and a cheerful, animated electronic facade that may just help your kids sleep later than 5 a.m. ... What sets this sleep training clock apart from others on the market is the unique reward drawer that stays locked as your child sleeps, and automatically opens after the wake up countdown is complete. -Ashley Jones
BIG KIDS
My Audio Pet Splash!
These Splash! bluetooth speakers from My Audio Pet are not only waterproof and loud enough to be heard over the running water, they are also adorable ... Made to look like sea animals, kids can rock out to their choice of narwhals, polar bears, sharks, or penguins. Bath time can be a chore, but music and audiobooks are the perfect distraction for little ones who don't love the necessary chore. -Cat Bowen
The BuddyPhones Cosmos
When a kid loves the way something looks, they're more likely to use it, and you definitely want your kids using these headphones thanks to the safety features built right into the set. Retailing for $100, each pair of Cosmos ... combines the benefit of noise-cancelling technology with volume controls that prevent your children from listening to sounds so loud that they may cause damage to their hearing. -Ashley Jones
Read more about Buddy Phones Cosmos
Botley 2.0
Like the original Botley, the 2.0 comes ready to rumble, right out of the box, and makes the same adorable, vaguely Wall-E-esque robot sounds. But this version has all new games and challenges. Kids can play a game of "Botley Says," or perhaps they want to code a light show with Botley's new light-up eyes? There are loads of activities and options, allowing kids to build coding sequences of up to 150 steps. -Alice Emory
Octobo
This incredible plush toy combines sensory experiences and technology to provide tangible learning opportunities that kids of all ages can really get their hands on, whether it’s playing the interactive games with Octobo, reading stories, learning fine and gross motor skills through soft touch, or all of the above. So instead of your kid passively learning by staring at your tablet screen, you simply insert a tablet into the Octobo and he comes to life through the app that the parent controls. -Abi Berwager Schreier
HOME
Kakoa’s Home Kit
Great news for fans of Kakao Friends and Korea’s biggest messenger app Kakao Talk — there’s now a Kakao Friends Home Kit available so you can have your favorite characters subtly represented in your home. These brand new smart appliances include a humidifier, a lamp, an alarm clock, an air cleaner, a sensor, a scale, and a thermometer. -Abi Berwager Schreier
Read more about the Kakoa Home Kit
Julia from CookingPal
“The robot takeover is fully upon us, and it's bringing bisque. ... Cooking robot Julia, can chop, weigh, measure, steam, knead, cook, emulsify, whisk, grate, and grind your food. Using the accompanying hub, you can look up recipes and follow step-by-step instructions to create a complete meal. Through Julia, you can also make grocery lists, order groceries, and apparently Julia can even decide what to cook based on what you have on hand.” -Cat Bowen
