Parenting isn’t easy. You’re tasked with caring for your little one, at every stage of their development, for years and years on end.
Don’t worry, though — you’re awesome and are totally doing a great job! But every little bit helps, which is why it’s always helpful to hear about tips, tricks, and hacks that make the job that much easier.
1. Chip clips + fabric = sun protection.
Yes, most strollers have built-in canopies, but you can’t easily modify the way that they fold out. You can create a light, airy canopy that stays put with a piece of fabric and some strategically placed chip clips.
2. Got a kid who loves playing with soap dispensers?
Stop them from running through it too quickly with this elastic band trick. The band will stop the pump from releasing too much soap.
3. Watching your little ones slip and fall is never fun. Keep them on their feet with this neat trick.
Using hot glue, draw whatever design your heart desires — whether it be zig zags or their name — on their shoes or slippers for extra grip.
4. Velcro is your friend.
If your rugs are always getting pushed around and messed up, try attaching Velcro strips to the floor and the underside of your rug. You can still get underneath when you need to, and it’ll prevent them from slipping.
5. Pool noodles can do everything.
Erin from A Bird and a Bean shares this clever hack which repurposes a pool noodle segment as a door stopper. It’s cheap, easy, and just what you need to end loud slamming doors or crushed fingers.
6. Once again, pool noodles.
If your little one is just learning to walk using a mobile walker like this one, you can truly baby-proof it with pool noodles, protecting your walls from dings and scratches, and others from pinched toes.
7. Make memories with a tape measure.
Spray paint the tape white, then use the tape to mark your kids’ changing height along with other stuff worth commemorating. You’ll be thankful for this later!
8. Repurpose their old crib.
If you’ve got a convertible crib that lets you change the height of the bed, it can be turned into a kid-sized desk and activity center, as demonstrated by blogger A Little Learning For Two.
9. Make a (nearly) endless canvas.
This clever hack sees a roll of plentiful, inexpensive butcher paper that feeds into a picture frame. This is a good one for creative kids, and lets them save their work after.
10. Fitted sheets were made for the beach.
Family bloggers Team Johnson show us just how simple it is to keep sand from getting everywhere. Just bring a fitted sheet and strategically anchor its corners with heavy stuff to make a sand-free area.
11. Never leave home without hair ties.
If you have kids with long hair, you’ll eventually run into a situation where they need a new hair tie. They’re easy to carry around, so get in the habit of stashing one somewhere.
12. Don’t lose your outlet covers.
Outlet covers are a necessity of life for anyone with toddlers, but when you actually need to use the outlets, those covers seem to disappear. Keep track of them using adhesive velcro.
13. Go off road with your baby in tow.
For those times that you need to take the road less traveled, add zip ties to the stroller wheels for added traction. This is a cheap and easy solution!
14. Get creative with baby proofing.
All sorts of everyday items, from hair ties to cookie cutters, can be used to secure cupboard doors together and keep them safe from prying hands. You just need to find the right size.
15. “Tattoo” your kids for easy identification.
If your kids have a habit of running off, or if you just want to spot them more easily in a crowd, write identifying marks on their arm and then seal it with a liquid bandage.
16. Make faucets easier for little hands.
When your kid is on a stepstool leaning over the sink, it’s painfully obvious that it’s too much of a reach. Just modify a plastic cup to give the faucet an extension.