6 Items to Simplify Your Life

This snug, flexible wrap makes breakable cereal or soup bowls kid-friendly. And a suction-cup base keeps dinner on the table, not the floor. Also available in blue.

To buy: $11, booninc.com.

Featured August 2011

Take the tunes anywhere with this lollipop-like device, which plugs into an MP3 player headphone jack. It’s surprisingly powerful—like your Lady Gaga impression. Available in five colors.

To buy: $20, mollaspace.com.

No need to pack a bib for the all-you-can-eat (or all-your-kid-can-dribble) buffet. This clip transforms any napkin into a shield—one you don’t have to wash. Available in four patterns.

To buy: $12, instabib.com.

No snow? No problem. Attach ice packs (included) to the bottom of this sled and it glides on grass. When winter returns, take off the packs and head for the hills again.

To buy: $90, hammacher.com.

For kids old enough to have their own smartphones, life360.com shows Big Mother (she’s Big Brother with less time to spare) their location on a real-time map. And a family-alert feature can deliver messages during an emergency, even if cell networks are overloaded.

Need a professional assistant? Cozi.com gives you a calendar color-coded by family member, e-mails appointment reminders, remembers your grocery list, suggests recipes, has checklists, and offers a family journal for sharing news and photos.

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