Olya's Favorite Things

Crafts

Silicone Activity Mat

Wipe-clean and reusable. Olya puts this under every messy craft — paint, slime, playdough, you name it.

Art

Quick-Dry Paint Sticks

No brushes, no water cups, no spills. Vibrant colors that dry fast — Olya's most-reached-for art supply.

Quiet Play

Sticker Activity Books

Perfect for quiet time, travel, or restaurants. Keeps little hands busy without screens.

Art

Dot Markers (Bingo Daubers)

Chunky, easy-grip, washable. Used in Olya's Nail Salon and many other activities on this site.

Travel

Air Travel Stroller Attachment

Secures the carseat to any airport stroller. Olya calls this the single best travel purchase she's made.

Travel · Tech

Kids' Bluetooth Headphones

Volume-limited, comfortable, and actually stay on small heads. Olya never flies without them.

Travel · Quiet Play

Travel Sticker Activity Books

Olya's go-to for keeping kids occupied on planes and in restaurants — zero screen time needed.

Travel · Feeding

Spill-Proof Snack Containers

Leak-resistant, easy to open, won't dump on the plane seat. A carry-on essential.

Kitchen

Instant Pot

Used almost daily. Olya batch-cooks, makes oatmeal on delay start, and gets dinner done in a fraction of the time.

Kitchen

Air Fryer

Quick, crispy kid-friendly food in minutes. One of the gadgets Olya treats as "extra hands" in the kitchen.

Kitchen · Routines

Visual Kitchen Timer

Kids can see time passing — great for transitions, cleanup races, and quiet time blocks.

Feeding

Suction Silicone Plates

Stays on the table, goes in the dishwasher. Olya has used these every single day since her oldest was 6 months.

Morning · Kitchen

Programmable Slow Cooker

Set oatmeal the night before, wake up to a hot breakfast. Olya's delayed-start breakfast hack.

Routines

Kids' Routine Chart

Visual morning and bedtime charts that help toddlers know what's coming next — fewer meltdowns, smoother transitions.

Routines

Responsibility & Chore Chart

Age-appropriate chores for toddlers and preschoolers. Teaching kids to contribute from an early age.

Organization

Weekly Mom Planner

Paper planning is underrated. Olya writes her top 3 daily priorities every single morning.

Audio · Play

Tonie Box

The screen-free audio player that changed quiet time. Kids control it themselves — stories and music without a tablet in sight.

STEM · Open Play

Magnetic Building Tiles

Hours of independent play. Kids build, knock down, rebuild. Works for ages 1 through 8+.

Literacy · Play

Letter & Number Tiles

Used in Olya's letter-hunt activities. Versatile for games, sorting, matching, and spelling play.

Math · Play

Counting & Math Cubes

Used in Olya's post-its and counting activity. Snap together for sorting, patterns, and early addition.

Home · Time-Saving

Robot Vacuum

Olya calls this the "extra hands" that keeps the floor clean between real cleanings. Runs while the kids nap.

Books

Take Back Your Time

By Christy Wright. One of the books that actually changed how Olya thinks about her schedule as a mom.

Books

Stretched Too Thin

By Jessica N. Turner. Written for working moms who want to thrive, not just survive. Olya quotes this one often.

Home · Organization

Mesh Laundry Sorter Bags

A small thing that saves real time. Sort as you go — no more pre-laundry sorting session.