How to Create a Toddler-Friendly Home

Promoting Skills for Independence in Early Childhood

In a recent blog post, I wrote about the importance of building skills for independence and providing meaningful work for toddlers. I talked about three areas in our home we are focusing on building our 18-month-old’s independence: the kitchen, the bathroom, and the entryway. This blog post will explain more about exactly how we created spaces for our daughter to safely explore and learn while developing skills and a sense of autonomy. 

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to products I personally use and/or recommend for creating toddler-friendly spaces. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. However, it is totally possible to create areas in your home to promote toddler independence without spending a ton of money. I’ve called these tips out with a “No/Low Spend” designation.

Coming and Going: Organize Your Entryway and Stress Less

Getting out the door for an appointment on time or coming home after a full day with arms full of groceries and tired kiddos can be key moments of stress for parents and their littles. This is why the entryway is a perfect place to focus first as you are setting up spaces for toddlers to practice routines and gain responsibility for their personal belongings. Here are some suggestions for how to do this:

1. Create a Personalized Storage Area

Set up a hook or cubby at their height for jackets, shoes, and bags. Let them be responsible for hanging up their coat when they come home and placing their shoes in the designated spot. This gives them ownership over their personal items and teaches organizational skills.

These wooden peg hooks did the trick for our entryway (bonus: they come in a 6-pack so we also used them in the bathroom).

2. Make Dressing Easier

Incorporate a shoe rack or a bench where they can sit to put on their shoes. You can also place baskets with seasonal accessories—like hats and gloves—in an easy-to-access spot, making it simpler for them to dress themselves before heading out the door.

We went with this step stool so it can do double-duty to reach the bathroom sink.

3. Provide Routine Prompts

Help reinforce routines by placing a visual checklist or picture chart at eye level. This can remind them to gather their things before leaving, creating a sense of accomplishment when they complete their tasks independently.

I created printable visual routine cards, which you can download for free here.

No/Low Spend Options:

Use a spare towel or rug to designate an area near the door for shoes and repurpose delivery boxes as storage for accessories. Hang inexpensive Command hooks for jackets and hats without leaving permanent marks on the wall. Use my free routine cards to create visual reminders of the steps for getting ready.

Hygiene Habits: Encourage Self-Care Skills in the Bathroom

The morning can be one of the most chaotic times of the day in our household as two adults are trying to get themselves ready while also getting a toddler ready to leave on time for daycare/work. Right now, my child wants to be wherever I am and that means that bathroom privacy is non-existent. Fortunately, giving her a little space of her own in the bathroom helps (mostly!) keep her out of my hair and skin care products while also helping her develop her own self-care and personal hygiene skills. Here are some ideas for your home:

1. Add a Step Stool

A sturdy step stool is useful for helping toddlers reach the sink to wash their hands or brush their teeth (or the toilet when it’s potty training time). Make sure the stool is non-slip and stable so they can practice these skills safely and with confidence.

We don’t have a lot of extra room in our bathroom, so we re-purpose the stool we use as a bench in our entryway area. Full transparency: It is a bit of a pain to drag it around, so I’m considering adding this foldable one that can stay in the bathroom. 

2. Essentials at Their Level

Place basic supplies in easy-to-reach locations. You can use small bins or containers to keep everything tidy and accessible. This allows your toddler to take charge of their hygiene routine without needing assistance every time.

As mentioned above, we don’t have a whole lot of extra space, so our set-up includes a wall mirror, some peg hooks (the same ones from our entryway set-up) for her hairbrush and a hand towel, and one no-drill bin for her toothbrush and training toothpaste (we keep the fluoride one out of reach and reserve it for when we brush her teeth).

3. Use Visual Cues

As mentioned above and in this post, toddlers really benefit from visual cues. For little ones who are still learning bathroom routines, hang up simple visual cues, such as handwashing steps or teeth-brushing instructions. These can serve as helpful reminders and guide them through the process until it becomes second nature.

No/Low Spend Options:

Clean out a lower drawer or area beneath the cabinet/vanity and designate it for your child’s self-care purposes. Re-purpose clean, empty jars or small boxes to store basic hygiene supplies. If space allows, hang inexpensive Command hooks for a hand towel or washcloth without leaving permanent marks on the wall. My free routine cards include teeth brushing and other self-care and hygiene related tasks as well.

Kitchen Basics: Encouraging Exploration and Participation Around Meals

In our family, the kitchen is the center of our home–it is where we spend the vast majority of our time together. So it made sense for us to go a little bigger when creating a functional space in the kitchen for our toddler to use. With a little planning and creativity, you can transform your kitchen into a space that encourages your little one’s independence and curiosity, while keeping things safe and organized. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you design a toddler-friendly kitchen.

1. Designate a Toddler-Friendly Zone

Set up a specific area in your kitchen where your toddler can engage in safe, hands-on activities under supervision. If you want to go the full montessori-style functional kitchen route like we did, you can follow one of the many tutorials out there for converting a play kitchen into a functional one. One word of advice if you go this route: take the extra step to install a bar sink drain with proper plumbing connectors instead of just drilling holes in the plastic and attaching a funnel with tape on the underside like many of the tutorials out there suggest. 

Ensure dangerous items—like knives, cleaning supplies, or heavy appliances—are locked away or placed out of reach. Consider securing the oven and stove with childproof locks. Safety is the foundation of a functional toddler kitchen, and proper precautions allow your little one to explore safely.

Our toddler’s functional kitchen has a functional sink using a rechargeable water dispenser that allows her to wash her hands before and after meals. The kitchen storage is used for everything she needs for meals: her plates, bowls, cups, etc.; easy-to-clean placemats that help her learn to set the table; and long-sleeve bibs she can put on herself. She also has some basic kitchen supplies that she uses to practice preparing food, such as a mini-colander for washing fruit and a crinkle cutter to practice cutting vegetables.

2. Use Child-Sized Tools and Age-Appropriate Activities

Stock your kitchen with child-friendly tools that match their size and abilities. Consider getting smaller utensils, child-sized measuring cups, and a sturdy step stool or learning tower so your toddler can safely reach the counter to help mix, pour, or wash. Involving them in kitchen activities fosters independence and fine motor skill development.

Incorporate simple, age-appropriate cooking activities that your toddler can join. Let them wash vegetables, stir ingredients, or pour pre-measured ingredients. These activities not only improve coordination and problem-solving skills but also make them feel involved and valued in the kitchen process.

My father-in-law built us a learning tower out of spare materials and I am very grateful–our daughter loves being at the counter to watch or help us prepare food. However, the homemade version is very heavy and bulky, and I’ll be upgrading to a lightweight/foldable one like the one linked above to accommodate our cousins and friends when they come over. So far, the only tools we’ve introduced are the mini-colander and crinkle cutter mentioned above, as well as a slicer we use for eggs and strawberries.

3. Promote Independence and Responsibility

Create a snack station within reach, where your toddler can grab healthy snacks or drinks on their own. Use low drawers, shelves, or even a small basket for items like pre-cut fruit, wrapped cheese like babybel, and reusable water bottles. This setup teaches your toddler autonomy while keeping their choices nutritious and manageable.

To teach responsibility, provide simple solutions your toddler can use to help clean up after themselves. A small broom and access to towels for wiping surfaces make it easy and fun for toddlers to participate in tidying up. As your toddler grows, introduce new tasks they can take responsibility for, like setting the table, helping to unload the dishwasher, or even mixing ingredients for simple recipes. Regularly rotating tasks keeps them engaged and supports continuous skill development.

Our daughter’s kitchen includes one hook with a small broom and dustpan for crumbs and another one with a towel for spills and bigger messes (I bought this 24-pack and they double as our bathroom hand-towels). We also have a self-serve snack station with a mini-fridge and cereal dispensers. The mini-fridge was actually purchased to store breastmilk when I was pumping in the middle of the night and didn’t want to trek downstairs to put it in the fridge, but now it’s perfect for storing her water or milk and a few healthy snacks so she can help herself throughout the day.

Low/No Spend Options: 

Like I said, we went big in the kitchen area, but this is not at all necessary. Creating a toddler-friendly kitchen could be as simple as designating a lower cabinet, drawer, or shelf that’s easy for them to reach and filling it with items they can explore and use, like their meal supplies or toddler-friendly kitchen gadgets. Let this be their personal space for "cooking" or helping you with small kitchen tasks. Same goes for lower shelves or drawers of healthy snack options that toddlers can access on their own.

By setting up key areas in the home with children’s needs in mind, we can foster autonomy and help them build confidence in daily tasks. Small changes can make a home more functional and empowering for toddlers, turning everyday routines into a chance to explore, play, and build skills along the way.

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