Best pushchair accessories
From ride-on boards to buggy locks, clips and organisers, there's a host of added extras for your pushchair. But which ones are worth the money?
1. Buggy Clips by Baby Uma, £6.99
To get the most out of your wheels, a buggy clip is a must. They hold all manner of bags – whether it be changing bags, groceries or older siblings’ book bags on the school run (because they never want to carry their own), to coats and pretty much everything in between.
They’re also a game-changer if the basket on your buggy is a bit on the stingy side. Think of them like an extra pair of hands.
These clips from Baby Una nabbed the coveted top spot in this year’s MFM Awards, not least for their excellent price for two in a pack. Made from strong aluminium, each one holds up to 5kg (though do bear in mind the sturdiness of your pram and be careful not to overload).
Our testers were impressed with the budge-proof fastening of the Velcro and felt that while the clips didn’t move and kept belongings safe and secure, it was equally easy to remove items from the hook when needed – vital for busy parents jugging a million things at once!
MFM tester Steve says: ‘The clips make life so much easier when out and about with them attaching very easily to the pram and ensuring bags were hooked on – and stayed on.’
Available from: Amazon
2. Ruk-bug Baby Sleep Sack, £74.90
A sleeping bag for a pushchair might seem like a gimmick, but this innovative buy from Manchester-based company, Ruk-bug, really impressed our testers.
Specially designed to fit into a buggy, it has full body-length zip for ease of use, and clever pockets to keep tiny hands warm when winter bites, meaning no more losing those pesky mittens!
It has a drawstring at one end to create a hood for your little one just in case you get caught short; then when you’re done, it folds into a compression sack for storage – great for keeping it clean while in the boot of a car.
Its soft, fleece fabric proved a big hit with our awards panel, too.
MFM tester Laura says: ‘The quality of the product is immediately obvious. The interior fleece is very soft and comfortable for baby, it has been designed to fit into a buggy but we have also used it to line a travel cot for our new-born and she adores it, it normally lulls her to sleep straight away.’
Though some of our testers did comment on the higher price, they also noted the sleep sack is well-sized with room for your little one to grow, so if you invest early on, you should get more mileage from your money.
Available from: Ruk-bug
3. Nibbling Pram Garlands and Mobiles, £34
A teething toy that’s easy on tots’ gums and parents’ eyes might seem like a tall order, but mum of 3, fashion designer and founder of Nibbling, Emily Sunderland Sutter, has achieved it.
Side-stepping bright, garish colours and instead choosing a palette of monochrome and pastel shades, these pram garlands and mobiles (which can also be suspended across a Moses’ basket) come with removable teething rattles and are guaranteed to approval from even the most style-conscious mums and dads.
Made from BPA-free food-grade silicone beads (like that used for pacifiers and bottle teats) and 100% natural untreated maple hardwood, which are hand-polished for smoothness, they’re non-toxic and safe for babies and toddlers to suck, chew and dribble on to their hearts’ content!
MFM tester Lauren, says ‘A brilliant product for look and feel. My little girl loves to play and chew on the garland. The different textures and colours are great, and the clip makes it easy to move from one place to another.’
This is a premium quality piece of kit with a price-tag to match, but since suitable from birth, we think it would make a beautiful-but-practical gift for a new baby.
Available from: Nibbling, Audrey Mansell and Kidly
4. Rockit, £39.99
You know how parents always want to clone themselves? Rockit, certainly did, so in their quest to help keep snoozing babes asleep in their pram or pushchair, they created this ingenious device.
Simply clip onto the frame of a buggy and the Rockit, well, gently rocks it, giving off a level of vibration similar to an adult rocking it with their hand.
Suitable from birth, it has a quiet motor and different speed settings, so you can find the one that’s right for your baby, and the cycle lasts for a whole 30 minutes, leaving you free to get on with incredibly important tasks like sitting down with a cuppa and taking a breather.
We think it’s reasonably prized for such a clever gadget, and considering it’s helping to give parents a bit of respite for less than £40, who wouldn’t be sold!
Mum of 2 Kimberley says: ‘Initially, I thought it was a bit frivolous, but I was wrong! I have two babies with an age gap of 14 months, and this has been really helpful in soothing my new-born whilst I deal with my eldest. Great idea!’
Read our full MFM review here
Available from: JoJo Maman Bebe, Samuel Johnston, Uber Kids and Amazon
5. SnoozeShade Original, £20.00
They say the best ideas are born when you identify a problem you’ve encountered and come up with a solution to it, and that’s certainly true of the SnoozeShade.
A previous MFM award winner and a bestseller, this why-didn’t-I-think-of-that pushchair accessory is the invention of a British mum of 2 who, after becoming frustrated with draping blankets over her own babies prams while they slumbered.
Made from air-permeable, breathable fabric, the SnoozeShade creates the perfect cosy environment for naps on-the-go – think of it like a cocooned blackout blind.
The handy ‘sneak a peek’ zip also allows parents to check on the child without letting in lots of light and potentially disturbing them.
In addition, it blocks 99% of the sun’s UV rays, creating a protective shield for little ones – no more getting fed-up with having to constantly readjust the parasol on your baby’s buggy depending on the sun’s position.
There are no small parts, so no choking hazards to worry about, and it comes with a mesh bag for easy storage when not in use.
All in all, it’s a clever, practical buy for a very reasonable price. MFM Reviews Editor, Hazelann says: ‘A fabulous innovation in baby sleeping products.’
Available from: Amazon and Boots
6. Lascal BuggyBoard Maxi, £69.99
Baby in the buggy and a tired toddler at your side? Help is here and it’s shaped like a buggy-board. Specifically, the Lascal BuggyBoard Maxi - a ride-on platform that attaches to most prams and strollers (though do double-check before you invest).
Brilliant for providing a break to weary little walkers, it’s also a compact alternative to a double-buggy. Plus, side reflectors make it safety-suitable for night-time visibility, too.
And we know we said toddlers, but the extra-large anti-slip board can safely carry children up to 6 years-old, so when transport looks this fun, we’ll bet even the bigger kids will be hitching a ride.
Mum of 4 Jessica, says: ‘Easy to assemble, folds up when not in use and it’s easy to wipe any dirt off. My 3, 4, and 6-year-olds all love hopping on when we are out. It’s been a godsend for the school runs.’
Available from: Amazon, John Lewis and Uber Kids
7. Scoot Ultimate Buggy Hook, £7.99
We know, we know. It seemed like such a good idea at the time to let your older child scoot to school but now they’ve skipped off into the classroom and you’ve been left with your youngest in the pushchair and a scooter to contend with on the walk home. Marvellous.
Unless you’re an octopus, may we suggest the Scoot Ultimate Buggy Hook, which pretty much does exactly as the name suggests, attaching to the bars of a buggy and allowing you to easily transport those surplus-to-requirements wheels. Sanity saved – and for under a tenner.
Available from: Amazon, JoJo Maman Bebe and Scoot
8. Babymoov Stroller Bag, £29.99
Keep nappies, wipes, muslins and all your other essentials close at hand with this compact piece of kit, designed to easily attach and become a permanent fixture on your pushchair.
Featuring a full-length zip to ensure the bag’s contents stay safe and secure, there’s no chance of anything spilling out and getting lost when you fold the buggy and put it in the boot of your car.
The inner storage compartments and outer zip pocket help everything to stay organised and easy to locate – essential when you’re rummaging with one hand while holding your little one with the other – and there’s even an insulated bottle holder.
And if you want to remove the bag and wear it, it comes with a shoulder strap.
Made from 100% polyester and available in plain two colourways – black or grey – what it perhaps lacks in design kudos, it more than makes up for in functionality.
Available from: Amazon
9. Taf Toys Watermelon Sunshade, £20.99
Sun safety should always be a priority for parents – whether home or abroad - so any product that gives peace of mind when the mercury rises is bound to score points. This stroller sunshade (which when not in use can be stashed away in the watermelon pouch) has been rigorously tried and tested to shield babies from over 97% of UV rays and rated with UPF 50+.
Simple clip attachments make it easy to fit onto most strollers, prams or car seats, and it features two colourful hanging toys to grab your tot’s attention whether the shade is down or stored away.
Mum of 3 Laura says: ‘I really like this. I’ve used it on both my pram and now that baby’s bigger, my pushchair.’
If we’re nit-picking, a few of our testers did comment that, unlike the SnoozeShade Original, it doesn’t seem to fit properly on every pushchair, so we’d recommend trying before you buy, where possible.
Available from: Boots, Amazon and Halilit
10. Eono Essentials Stroller Organiser, £18.99
If you like to prepare for every parenting-related possibility when out and about, this extra-large stroller organiser from Eono is the one for you.
While perhaps not as smart-looking as the Babymoov Stroller Bag, this comprehensive storage unit has more compartments than you can shake a nappy at.
There are not only spaces for drinks, phones, wallets and other small items – it also has a larger drop-down net bag that’s perfect for stuffing toys or your nappy-changing kit into.
MFM Consumer & Reviews Editor and mum of 2 Christy says: “This feels like a really wellmade organiser. It fits easily onto my pushchair, and can hold so much I didn’t need to take out a separate bag. The central pouch, with a magnetic cover, was especially handy for keeping valuables close to hand.”
Available from: Amazon