A lot of people will have different opinions about jobs, though everyone will agree that it doesn’t get more difficult than being a parent. Without a doubt, it is challenging to raise, take care of, and provide for a tiny human being. The least we can do is help each other make the endeavor a little bit easier. We asked parents some tips and hacks for raising children. You might think some of these are weird, though you will also find some brilliant suggestions in here. Read on to find out why gluing pennies to your children’s shoes can make the life of a parent less complicated!
Make-shift Sweeper
Babies have a tendency to crawl all over the place. They do it willingly, so why not use their energy to clean the house? Place some dusters to their onesie and you will have a painless method of cleaning the house! It’s a win-win for everyone involved.
Make-Shift Sweeper
Drink Up
Making your child take their medicine doesn’t have to be complicated. The solution? Hand them a pacifier to deliver the proper dose. Just snip off the tip and place a medicine dropper in the resulting hole! How brilliant is this?
Drink Up
No More Tears
As a parent, it can be tough seeing your kid’s eyes fill with tears when you are bathing them. Why don’t you use an umbrella band to fix the problem? The bath water will stay out of your baby’s eyes to ensure a peaceful bathing session.
No More Tears
DIY Play Pen
Going to the beach with your toddler is definitely possible. Stop worrying about your kid heading off into the water by creating a makeshift playpen. All you need to do is bring a fitted sheet and prop it up by securing the corners with your belongings. Ta-da!
DIY Play Pen
Bye-Bye Boogeyman
Little children sure have the wildest imaginations. As we all know, they sometimes scare themselves when they are convinced that a monster is hiding in the bed or closet. Why not make your very own “monster spray” that will keep the creatures at bay and your kid at ease?
Bye Bye Boogeyman
No Better Time
The best time to instill habits into your little one is when they are, well, little. If they like to play with racecars and the like, create a bin where they can store each toy individually. Once they get into the habit, they should carry it into adulthood!
No Better Time
Divide and Conquer
If you have many small kids, long road trips will be a pain. Introduce some personal space by adding dividers between their spots! This way, they won’t be able to bother each other. Just keep your fingers crossed that they fall asleep right away.
Divide and Conquer
Trojan Juice
It is not a good idea to lie to your kids, though we’ll make an exception for this one. Hand your kid their favorite drink but secretly plug the straw into their medicine! Don’t forget to give them the juice or soda afterward to contain tantrums.
Trojan Juice
Time to Clean
Whoever said clean up time and fun had to be mutually exclusive? Place some tape and then ask your little one to sweep the mess into the resulting square. They’ll have fun and actually clean up!
Time to Clean
Hands-On
Children find it comforting when their parents hold them as they doze off. Sometimes, you simply do not have the time to lay with your kid and wait for them to fall asleep. You can convince them otherwise by using a glove and filling it with dried beans or rice. Simply place it on the back of your baby and they’ll be asleep in no time!
Hands-On
Colored Clocks
Setting a schedule for your kids can be a chore. Aside from dealing with disobedient children, you also have your own routine to stick to! Make your life easier by assigning colors to tasks and putting it on the clock. This way, your kids will know what they should be doing every time they consult it.
Colored Clocks
Not Just for the Shower
A shower caddy can help you store your meals when you are on the go. This is a good idea if you are going on a long road trip. It will minimize the likelihood of your toddler getting messy with their food.
Not Just for the Shower
Toothspins
Toothbrushes can be hard to keep since they are prone to collecting bacteria when left in a cup or drawer. Get handy with your clothespin and use it as a makeshift stand. Use a different color for each child to avoid any mishaps.
Toothspins
Left and Right
One way to teach your child to distinguish between the left and the right is by labeling their shoes. Simply split the sticker into two and place each half on the correcting shoe. It’s going to be like a puzzle for them but, more importantly, it will ensure they’re wearing their shoes properly.
Left and Right
Goodbye Glitter
Glitter might be pretty, but it is definitely annoying to clean up. Luckily, a lint roller can save the day! Gather the glitter by rolling it around and watch the shimmery pieces stick to it.
Goodbye Glitter
Cover It Up
If your children’s loud toys get on your nerves, a piece of tape should do the trick. Use it to cover the speaker of the toy to tone it down. It should still work, but it won’t be as noisy.
Cover It Up
Sticker Fun
It is common for children to get nervous during plane rides. Bring stickers for you to distract them! Just make sure to get the fun shapes that are easy to remove. This should keep your kid occupied for hours.
Sticker Fun
Drip and Catch
Popsicles are great at any age, but kids tend to eat the treats in the messiest manner imaginable. Avoid drips by using a coffee lid to catch all the melted bits!
Drip and Catch
Treating Minor Burns
Burns can be extremely painful. If disaster strikes, simply soak a paper towel or face cloth in vinegar and apply it to the skin. It will make the burn feel cool, ease any pain, and prevent blisters.
Treating Minor Burns
Stuck No More
It can be difficult when your child locks themselves inside the bathroom. Avoid sticky situations like this with the use of a rubber band. Set it up like this to ensure that your child can exit without a hitch.
Stuck No More
Spritz It Off
Hot days are rarely pleasant if you have to spend it in the car. Cool down seat belt buckles by using a spray bottle!
Spritz It Off
Pool Noodles
Add pool noodles to avoid accidents. The equipment keeps their little hands and feet safe as they bounce up and down the trampoline.
Pool Noodles
Clip-Clop
When clipping your toenails, keep some tape with you. Place pieces strategically so that the clippings will stick to them before making a mess.
Clip-Clop
Scavenger Hunt
Are you having a hard time convincing your teen to clean their room? A little motivation is all they need sometimes… The room should be sparkling clean in no time.
Scavenger Hunt
To Each His Own
Do your kids like to reach for new cups and leave their old ones everywhere? Hand them their own cups with magnets. This way, they can simply pin them to the fridge! They’ll love it and the cups will be easier to find.
To Each His Own
Painless Painting
It’s always good to encourage creativity, but did you know you can do it without making a mess? Simply add three drops of colored paint into a Ziploc bag and your baby can now unleash their creativity mess-free.
Painless Painting
Not Too Much
Rubber bands sure are versatile. You can limit soap usage by securing them around the nozzle of the pump.
Not Too Much
Sticker Saves the Day
Is your kid having a hard time putting their shoes on properly? If so, a sticker should do the job. Place half in the respective shoe and they should figure it out. Bonus points if the sticker is for something they like!
Sticker Saves the Day
Fresh Apples
Are your apple slices browning far too quickly? Chop them up, put them in a lunch bag, add a little salt, and then slosh it with some water. The salty taste will disappear, but the exposure will help keep the fruit fresh the entire day!
Fresh Apples
Easy Does It
Splinter removals do not have to be so painful. Some baking soda and water will make it more bearable for them. Leave the mixture for several minutes so that the baking soda can push it out. This way, there will less pain and trauma for your kid.
Easy Does It
Recycling Pizza Boxes
Don’t know what to do with your pizza boxes? Turn them into giant canvases for your kids!
Recycling Pizza Boxes
Spray It On
Did your kids express their creativity on your walls again? It’s a good thing WD-40 will remove crayon stains in no time.
Spray It On
Wedge It In
Did you know that a wad of Kleenex can go a long way? You can even teach your kid how to write with it! Simply place it behind the last two fingers and it should ensure proper writing form.
Wedge It In
Grippy Socks
You can use puffy fabric paint to add a grip to the socks of your little ones and keep them from sliding across the floor.
Grippy Socks
Sneaky Shoes
Don’t worry too much about scratches on shoes. Simply get a crayon of the same shade and color away!
Sneaky Shoes
Not Permanent After All
It is a good idea to keep your permanent markers away from your kids, but sometimes it is impossible to do so. When this happens, get some toothpaste to rub it off.
Not Permanent After All
Cleanup Time Quick
Expedite cleanup time by playing another game. All you need is an egg timer and watch them clean up!
Cleanup Time Quick
Bye Back Pain
Clip your baby’s toys to their stroller or highchair using the toy links that came with the baby’s gym! Save yourself the hassle of bending down to pick them up every other minute.
Bye Back Pain
Closet Coordination
Dress the entire family in matching clothes when you head out to the mall. It will much easier to identify your kids in the middle of a crowd!
Closet Coordination
Nipple No More
There comes a time when you need to separate your baby from the pacifier. When this happens, start cutting away a piece of the nipple when your kid uses it. Soon enough, they will dislike the feeling and there will be nothing left to suck. Maybe they will even throw it away themselves!
Nipple No More
Versatile Baby Furniture
You can also use a play table as an outdoor picnic table! Just remember to cover it in oilcloth first to make it water-resistant.
Versatile Baby Furniture
Proper Storage
Never forget to wash and clean pacifiers! When you are on the go, keep them in sauce containers for hygienic purposes.
Proper Storage
Kiddie Bulletin Boards
Bulletin boards are great for organization. Why not set up an individual bulletin board for your kids? Post chores, reminders, and schedules there to help them out. We recommend putting it up near the shoe area or their bedroom.
Kiddie Bulletin Boards
Parking Problems
It can be a nightmare when your kids get lost in the parking lot. Get some Parking Pal sticker to ensure that they won’t wander off while you load your groceries in the car!
Parking Problems
Pool Play Pen
If you don’t have the money for a play area, an inflatable pool will do the job. Set it up in the living room and your baby will have fun for hours!
Pool Play Pen
Tent Transformation
It is perfectly understandable if you can’t leave your baby alone. If you are doing some yard work, bring out the crib and turn it into a tent!
Tent Transformation
Baby Food Prep
Whip up a large batch of baby food that will last the entire week! Freeze them in an ice tray for convenience.
Baby Food Prep
Not Just for Dishes
Did you know that you can clean toys and shoes using the dishwasher?
Not Just for Dishes
Lawn Art
Who said the outdoors and creativity are mutually exclusive? Lay out a big sheet and let the kids go wild!
Lawn Art
Makeshift Water Slide
A plastic sheet and a hose are all you need to create a DIY water slide. Don’t throw out the plastic sheet that comes with new furniture pieces and appliances!
Makeshift Water Slide
Fort Fun
Forts might still be our favorite thing in the world. Set one up for your kids by hanging some bed sheets onto hula-hoops!
Fort Fun
Organize ‘Em
You can use a shoe organizer for more than just your footwear! You can also use it to store toys. Hang it behind the door or even bring it to the car with you.
Organize ‘Em
Daily Masterpiece
This little trick will keep your kids busy four hours! Instead of having them rummage through your office trying to find paper, they will have a designated place to draw whenever they’d like. Not only that, but the kids will be able to change the drawing any time they want.
Daily Masterpiece
Snow Blocks
There’s nothing more fun than building an igloo in the winter snow! To make it perfect, you can use a Tupperware container with any shape you’d like to make bricks. The kids will be able to do the same and let their creativity flow.
Snow Blocks
No Mess
Instead of putting ketchup on top of a hot dog and risking a giant mess, put the ketchup directly in the bun before the hot dog. This way your kid will be able to eat the bun without staining their clothes!
No Mess
Hide The Candy
To keep the kids from eating all the candy you have, you can hide it in a clever way. Just keep an empty bag from something healthy that they don’t like and use it a cover for stashing the candy! This little trick works like a charm.
Hide The Candy
Yogurt Pops
You can make your kids a delicious summer treat with just yogurt and a popsicle stick. All you need to do is poke a hole in the lid with the stick and freeze it! This will make eating the yogurt easier and have a cooling effect in the summer heat.
Yogurt Pops
Bib Hanger
To keep from losing all the bibs all over the house, use a command hook on the back of the high chair. It’ll keep all the bibs in one place where the baby eats and will help you not lose them.
Bib Hanger
Baby Socks
If you have a hard time keeping track of baby socks when you do the washing, then this hack is for you. Get a mesh laundry bag and toss all the socks in there before putting it in the wash. This way you’ll keep all the socks in one place.
Baby Socks
All That Sparkles
After making crafts, there tends to be a big mess of glitter, sparkles, and sequins and it can be a serious pain to clean up. All you need to do to tackle the mess is wrap a wide piece of tape around your hand with the sticky side facing outward and use it to collect all the materials. The glitter and sparkles will stick to it easily.
All That Sparkles
Medicine Chart
Keeping track of when you gave your baby medicine can be difficult with a busy schedule. To keep from making a mistake or missing a dose, you can draw a schedule on the side of the bottle with a sharpie to see when you gave them medicine last.
Medicine Chart
Snack Bins
Kids can get hungry a lot during the day and running back and forth to the kitchen for snacks can become a hassle after a while. To resolve this issue, you can organize snacks into portions ready to eat. This will allow the kids to fetch the snacks for themselves.
Snack Bins
Childproof Cabinets
If you have toddlers running around the house and you don’t want them to open all the cabinets and empty them all out, then you might want to try this hack. Take hair ties and wrap them around the handles of the cabinets.
Childproof Cabinets
Race Track
Keeping your kids entertained constantly is a difficult task as they get bored very easily. In order to keep their playtime interesting, you can use masking tape on a carpet to mark a racing track for their toy cars! They’ll be able to make it in any way they want and change it too.
Race Track
Babyproof Coffee Table
Having a baby around the house is a stressful ordeal at times. Making sure they don’t get hurt by objects around them is always a challenge. If you have a coffee table with sharp corners, you can use an old pool noodle to soften the edges and keep the baby from getting hurt.
Babyproof Coffee Table
Jar Burrito
Burritos are a delicious and fun meal to have for everyone, not just kids. What’s less fun is the mess they leave behind. To avoid that, use mason jars to serve the burritos and spare yourself the cleanup!
Jar Burrito
Bath Toys
After a while, bath toys can get all molded and gross. Whenever you buy a new bath toy, make sure to seal the hole before using it with some hot glue. This will stop water from going into the toy and getting molded.
Bath Toys
Band-Aids
On a tight schedule, it can be difficult to find the time to run to the hardware store to find plug protectors. As a temporary replacement, use band-aids to seal the plugs when there are babies or toddlers around.
Band-Aids
Shoe Shopping
If your kid doesn’t like to go shopping and try on shoes, to spare you the struggle, you can use this clever hack instead. Just trace the shape of your kids’ feet and write down all the measurments to take with you to the store.
Shoe Shopping
Babysitting Template
It’s always better to be safe than sorry, right? Whenever you have a new babysitter coming over – or any babysitter at all- it’s a great idea to print out this template and put it in a picture frame. You can fill in the information with an erasable marker.
Babysitting Template
Safety First
Getting fingers slammed in doors is a serious concern when you’re a parent to little kids. To help spare you the stress, use a piece of a pool noodle on the side of the door to keep it from being slammed. Problem solved!
Safety First
Fence Painting
If you find yourself on a warm summer day outside with your kids and looking for something fun to do, you can always “paint” the fence. Just grab some paint brushed and water and paint away!
Fence Painting
Keep Them Entertained
Are you having problems keeping your child’s attention on getting ready for school? Tape some pennies to the sole of their shoes. The sound will amuse them so much that they will feel motivated and keep moving.
Keep Them Entertained
Take A Picture
This summer, when you go out for a fun day with the entire family, be sure to take a picture of the kids before the day begins. This way, if some gets lost, you’ll have an accurate photo of what they look like and what they’re wearing.
Take A Picture
Upside Down
If you constantly find yourself cleaning up car seats from spilled drinks, this hack is just for you! Instead of using normal straws that can fall out of the cup and cause a mess, use a crazy straw upside down. This way, your kid won’t be able to take it out.
Upside Down
Bath Basket
Instead of struggling to bathe your baby while keeping their toys within reach to keep them from crying, use your laundry basket. Place the basket in the bath and put all the toys inside. Now, your baby will have all their toys right near them, leaving you free to bathe them with no problem.
Bath Basket
Clean Carpets
A mom in England had a problem with her stroller when she wasn’t using it. She would store it in her carpeted hallway, only to scrub the dirt and grime left on the carpet afterward. Suddenly, she got an idea for the perfect solution. She began using shower caps to keep the stroller tires from making a mess on the carpet.
Clean Carpets
OM
While shooting a Facebook Live video, Daniel Eisenman became a viral sensation. The new dad was able to calm his little baby within seconds without even getting up! While Daniel was discussing surfing, baby Divina began crying. Without any hesitation, Daniel began oming to her. Meaning he was using the yoga chant as a soothing sound. Just like that, Divina lulled right back to sleep!
OM
Hula-Hoop
One parenting struggle is not such a dramatic one, but it’s a struggle all the same: hunching over to help your baby learn to walk. Well, your days of hunching are over! One dad who was struggling with the same issue posted a video to YouTube with a brilliant solution. Use a hula-hoop! It’ll act as a handle for both you and the baby to hold while walking.
Hula Hoop
Baby Bath
All you need to do for this amazing hack is slide an old pillowcase over a dollar-store pool noodle and there you go! You have a great bathtub hack! Bathing a newborn is a serious challenge as it is, so this little trick makes the task a little easier. Not only for the parent but for the baby as well – the pillowcase naturally supports the baby’s body, meaning they’re more comfortable.
Baby Bath
Teether To-Go
We all know parents of teething babies need as much help as they can get. This hack will be a lifesaver on outings. A father from Queens, New York, figured out this handy trick. On days out, he would put his baby’s teethers in the ice-water-filled Klean Kanteen. This way they would stay cool throughout the day.
Teether To Go
Boo Boo Packs
It’s pretty normal that kids get injured rather often. They run around and fall, leaving them with all kinds of gashes and bruises. A mom noticed that ice packs can be too cold and uncomfortable on the skin, and as a result, don’t offer much relief when a child is hurt. She found a better way: instead of ice packs, she places marshmallows in zip-lock bags and freezes them. The marshmallows get cold enough without freezing, and they stay soft enough that they can be wrapped around elbows and knees. The best part is that the kids get to have on as a treat after they’ve been good!
Boo Boo Packs
Toothbrush Labels
It’s a known fact that toothbrushes need to be thrown out every three months. Well, this mom from Cambridge, Ontario, gave her 6-year-old daughter a gift box with six Dory-themed toothbrushes, thinking she was set for the year. However, her daughter kept throwing them out too early, and a few months later was left with nothing. To solve this, the mom now labels the toothbrushes with expiration dates. She used symbols to mark the months, and it worked flawlessly!
Toothbrush Labels
Earn TV Time
Teaching kids responsibility at a young age is definitely a positive thing! One method that can help parents teach their kids to do their chores is this clever little hack. Encourage the kids to earn their TV by creating a “currency”. Each chore completed will earn them a certain amount of time they can watch TV.
Earn TV Time
Spelling Blocks
We all know how important education is. To make learning more fun and accessible, use your kids’ building blocks to help them learn to spell! Simply write letters and words on different blocks. This way, your child will be able to get the hang of all kinds of words and enjoy it!
Spelling Blocks
Floor Drawing
Don’t worry, we don’t mean you should let your kids draw on the actual floor. What we mean is, lay a vinyl shower curtain on the floor and secure it in place with some masking tape. This can keep the kids entertained for a while! Simply buy some white-board markers and watch their creativity flow! Just be sure they understand the difference between the curtain and the floor to prevent any future messes.
Floor Drawing
Magnetic Board
Another way to incorporate learning into your child’s playtime is by adding a magnetic board to one of their walls. This will enable them to play with magnetic letters and improve their spelling skills!
Magnetic Board
Tooth Fairy Money
To make losing teeth a bit more enjoyable for your little ones, use glitter hairspray to give the money a little sparkle! Don’t go overboard, but this can add a special touch that will make the tooth fairy seem more real to them.
Tooth Fairy Money