Clever Parenting Hacks That Cost Next To Nothing

Siblings, no matter their age, always get into little spats with one another. It might start with someone stealing a toy or a piece of food, which can quickly escalate into a full-blown fight. We’ve all been there!

Does anybody really like taking medicine? If there is one thing that makes most kids squirm, it is having to take a tablet or a gross-tasting medicine. 

Young children are still growing and developing, which means they should not be exposed to loud noises like heavy metal music without proper ear protection. For the parents that enjoy going to concerts, and want their kids to share this joy, then grab this handy item.

If there is one thing that children love to do, it is to take their favorite markers or paint and create fantastical drawings on whatever surface they can find, and that includes the living room wall.

Beach days are the highlight of the summer for many families. The kids get to build sandcastles and wade in the water, and parents get to lounge around with friends.

After a year or two, most babies grow out of their cribs and require toddler beds. Instead of listing the crib on Facebook Marketplace, consider holding on to it for a craft project.

While some kids don’t like eating sweets, most have a real love of the sugary stuff. All parents know that kids and a lot of sugar do not mix very well, but that shouldn’t stop the older generation from enjoyed a treat here and there.

Some children don’t like falling asleep without the loving embrace of a parent. However, most parents don’t have hours to spend with their kids waiting for them to fall asleep. Believe it or not, there’s an easy trick for that too.

Babies take a while to learn exactly how their body parts work. Arms need to stop falls, and rolling around on the floor next to furniture can lead to painful headbanging.

Kids always need an outlet for their creativity, and cardboard boxes might just be the perfect place for this. Not only are they fun to hide in, but they also make great canvases for young artists.

Learning how to tell time on an analog clock takes some serious work. First kids need to understand what the big and little hands mean, and that can be tricky.

You would think that it would be intuitive, which shoe goes on the right foot and which shoe goes on the left. But nothing is intuitive when it comes to learning important life skills.

For children, life is all about having fun, and doing chores does not fall under the fun category, or does it? Well, you’re in for a surprise.

We have all heard of blanket forts, but have you ever heard of the blanket hammock? One truly innovative parent realized that a sheet can also make the perfect hammock.

Hot summer days call for cool popsicles, especially ones made from natural juices which aren’t full of refined sugars. To avoid any sticky fingers, the plastic lid of a coffee cup can be used to keep popsicle juice from dripping on hands. How’s that for a clever trick?

Children’s toys are expensive, especially Barbie dolls. After being played with for a while, the hair on Barbies tends to get a bit straggly looking and full of knots.

For many children, it can be hard to fight the urge to draw on a pristine white wall in their bedroom or living room. But what can you do to allow them to express their creativity?

Video games are for adults too, but sometimes little children don’t understand why their mom or dad may not want to hand over a controller. 

Crafty parents know that everyday household items can easily be repurposed into toys and storage containers for kids. Here’s a trick so simple, you won’t believe how you didn’t come up with it yourself.

New parents love to get professional photoshoots done with their newborns in adorable costumes, but keeping newborns still can be tough. A secret hack that baby photographers use is a parent as a hidden prop.

Sometimes things do go bump in the night, especially in older houses. The sounds of a house settling can be pretty scary for young children.

Some parents like to track their kids’ growth spurts by measuring their height in a door frame each year. Others, like to be more creative.

On hot days, it’s nice to put a baby or toddler’s packable crib outside in the yard. Parents can get some yard work done, and watch the baby at the same time. It also provides a nice escape from the house.

Kids are excellent at finding things, so when a pair of keys or glasses go missing, it is time to put them to work.

Some socks are designed with rubber lines or patterns on the bottom of them to keep kids and adults from slipping on hardwood or linoleum floors.

Everybody gets sick, that is just a fact of life. For kids that need to take different medications, it can be hard to remember when they last had a dose. Drawing a chart of the days of the week, and adding ‘morning’ and ‘evening’ with boxes for ‘x’s’ makes remembering easy.

Lollipops are designed to be licked until they are finished, but some kids find it difficult to finish an entire one all in one go. It is also a good idea to limit the sugar intake from an entire lollipop, which means it will last longer, and the child won’t experience a crazy sugar rush.

Building a blanket fort can take quite a bit of time. Chairs need to be carefully placed, pillows need to be added, and blankets need to be draped over all of it. 

Trampolines are a lot of fun, but all parents know that there are a few dangers associated with them. For this reason, it is important to have safety measures in place.

We all fall down, and for kids, that can lead to a few boo-boos that parents need to take care of.

DVDs have quickly become a thing of the past, but that doesn’t mean you should start recycling the plastic containers they came in.

Bathtubs don’t need to be quiet affairs with rubber duckies and toy boats floating around, instead, they can be bathtub raves.

Most kids aren’t tall enough to reach the sink to brush their teeth until they are about 7 years or older. A step stool can help with this, but so can something else.

If there is one thing kids love to do, it is lock bedroom and bathroom doors to keep siblings and parents out. 

Gone are the days of gender-specific toys. Boys can play with dolls, girls can play with cars, and anything else they feel like playing with.

When going to a big event with children, it can sometimes be hard to keep a close eye on them and accidents happen where they wander away.

Babies need to be bathed on a regular basis. This keeps them clean, and parents can also bathe with them for some skin-on-skin time.

Most parents don’t think about how annoying it can be for a child to have their favorite bath toy float away. 

A slamming door can be a serious hazard for any fingers that might be in the door frame. This is another thing that can be avoided with a pool noodle. 

Mundane tasks like brushing teeth can be turned into exciting events with the help of certain accessories. 

Some apartments and homes only come with a shower, which can make having bath time with little ones difficult.

When it comes time to learn times tables, it can be a bit tricky. Kids need tricks to be able to remember the sequences of numbers.

Most of us are familiar with sandboxes, but have you heard of sand tents? Instead of buying or building a box, think about repurposing an old camping tent.

All parents know how tricky it can be to keep kids entertained, especially when they are outside of the car and the parent is busy doing something.

Toy cars need roads to follow, and other cars to race. Buying an expensive racing car mat isn’t necessary if you have a roll of tape.

At first glance, a running washing machine may not sound like something interesting to watch, but for babies it is mesmerizing. 

Kids are very tactile, and learning about colors, shapes, and matching is an important part of childhood development. 

For families with a lot of children, it can sometimes be hard to know where each one is in a park or other public place. 

When a baby starts to learn to walk, they are sometimes placed in a walker, or a chair that has wheels on the bottom. 

Going to the doctor can be a bit of a scary experience. It usually means a vaccine might be involved, or something else a child doesn’t necessarily like.

Potty training can be super frustrating for parents and kids alike- but this simple and cheap hack can make things a little more bearable. Those accidents are going to happen occasionally, and when they do, you can be prepared. Keep some puppy pads handy and line your little one’s car seat with them. Now, when they have an accident, just clean them up and change out the pad. Too easy!