I was at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this month with my Parenting Bytes co-host Andrea Smith, and we saw some great new products for kids and families. Some of the ones we loved are covered in the interviews that are already posted here on Tom’s Guide, like LEGO Boost, Circuit Cubes, and JetJat drones. Here are some other favorites.
Willow Wireless Rechargeable Breast Pump
For one reason or another—returning to work, latching issues, etc.—many women have to pump breastmilk after giving birth. In my opinion, it's one of the most annoying parts of having a tiny human. I can remember dragging a cooler-sized machine around with me and ducking into bathrooms to pump. Even when I was pumping at home, I was stuck in one place for the 20-40 minutes it took took get it done.
The Willow Wireless Rechargeable Breast Pump is going to change all that. It’s actually two separate pumps that fit into your nursing bra. The rechargeable battery and milk bag are both inside the unit. It's quiet, discreet, and gives you the freedom to move around while pumping!
The Willow app tracks how much you’ve pumped out -- each bag holds 4oz of milk. Many of the parts are dishwasher safe. This product is so amazing, I almost regret that I won’t be having any more kids. (Almost.)
The Willow is supposed to be available to consumers this spring. You can sign up on the Willow site and they’ll email you when it’s available to purchase. All that freedom and quiet won’t come cheap, however; the Willow will cost $429. But I would pay it, and I know a ton of other mothers who would too.
Philips Sonicare for Kids Bluetooth Toothbrush
One of the hardest things I've had to do as a parent is get my kids to brush their teeth long enough. Fifteen seconds seemed like two minutes to them. The whining was epic (and not just from them).
Philips has figured out how to gamify tooth brushing with their Sonicare for Kids Bluetooth Toothbrush. This app-connected toothbrush allows kids to adopt “Sparkly,” a cute purple monster who needs his teeth brushed. The app guides kids through the brushing routine, telling them when to move to the next part of their mouth. The better they do, the more they can teach Sparkly and earn achievements.
Parents can set up goals for their kids and monitor their progress. And it doesn’t even break the bank at about $40!
Smart Cube
This Bluetooth-enabled cube is like a child-proof lock on steroids. The cube part attaches to the inside of drawers, cabinets, or closets, and a screw-like piece attaches to the door. You can install them using the included 3M strips, which can withstand up to 100 pounds of force, or with screws for an even more secure hold.
Once connected to the Smart Armor app, you can set up a proximity sensor for the Smart Cube, so that it only opens if you’re within a certain distance. You can also give other people access to it (only during certain times, if you wish), or let people open it with a passcode. And if someone tries to tamper with it, you’ll get a notification from the app.
Not only is this perfect for parents looking to lock cabinets containing cleaning products, medicines, or liquor, it would also be super useful for roommates looking to lock valuables in a desk drawer, or people who rent out their homes to strangers and want to put things away safely in a closet.
Right now one Smart Cube costs $69, but buying them in multi-packs can lower the price per cube to $40.
You can hear about these products and more of our CES favorites on the latest episode of Parenting Bytes!
