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Mom Hacks!
Here are some ideas for mom/parent hacks and at home DIYs that you can easily recreate!
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Toothpaste Hack
I have a great hack to help make brushing easier & fun for kids!
What you’ll need:
- 2-3 Tubes Toothpaste
- Kids Safe Mouthwash
- Empty Soap Dispenser (ours is from IKEA)
*Pour in your toothpaste, add about 1/4 cup of mouthwash, and you’re done!
This takes away a lot of frustration with tubes/mess for your little ones!
Colouring To-Go! (Travel Friendly)
When we travelled with our then 18 month old, I needed to bring something compact to keep him busy on the plane ride to Florida. I used this medium size scrapbook container from Michaels (Canada) and filled it with cut up pieces of construction paper, stickers, crayons, and even a small colouring book! It’s absolutely perfect for bringing to appointments and in the car. It will keep your kids calm, focused, and busy!
Jellyfish Suncatcher Craft
When Covid hit and my toddler was home from school, it was a big change for him. He showed a huge interest in sea creatures that week and that’s how I came up with this craft to keep his mind off of everything that was changing around him.
What You’ll Need: Construction paper/Cardstock, scissors, glue, tissue paper, wax paper
- If your child is old enough, have them cut out two of the same jellyfish shapes. Leave an open space where the head is.
- Glue a piece of wax paper in between these two layers.
- Cut up some tissue and have kids glue them on to create a stained-glass effect.
- Hang it up using tape or stickers like my husband did.
Organization Hack
Life with young children means toys, books, and more toys are usually living on your floor, your bathroom, your bedroom, and other nooks and crannies. This is normal!
A more organized space means your children are less likely to become overwhelmed by their toys, and will be more interested to engage in play. Here are some great products that I’ve found at the Dollar Store with the exception of the wicker baskets!
The benefits of organization:
- Toy organized means that your children will be less overwhelmed by the amount of toys around them. They will be more likely to play for longer periods of time (also teaches them independence).
- Rotate your toys once a month. Your kids will show more interest in these “new” toys and will discover new things/colours/shapes etc about them.
- Siblings or friends will be less likely to fight.
- YOU as the caregiver will be less overstimulated as well. Clean up is also a lot faster this way!
Superhero Furniture
My little one loves all things Superheroes. So when I was designing his “big boy” room, I knew exactly what I wanted to do in order to transform his dresser! Try switching up the theme to match your child’s favourite show/characters!
What You’ll Need
- Printed out pages of vintage comics (I find thicker/premium paper is so much better for this as the colours don’t bleed or get air bubbles)
- Mod Podge (I used a Matte finish)
- Poly foam brushes in small, medium, and large sizes
1) Put a thin layer of Mod Podge on your desk/surface with your brush. Do this in small sections to avoid drying glue.
2) Lay down your comic pages and smooth out any bubbles.
3) When they are all covering the surface of your furniture, let it dry overnight or for most of the day before moving on to the next step.
4) Pour small amounts of Mod Podge over the top of the comics and use a gentle gliding movement across the pictures with your foam brush. Once dried, you’ll have a protective layer on top of the surface.
Felt Books
When I tell you that these books are wonderful, I mean wonderful. They promote fine motor skills, communication, and cognitive development.
This book challenges my son to organize vehicles by land, sea, air, and space. Our conversations include why, where, what, and how questions. He creates scenarios in his mind about aliens travelling to the moon and submarines swimming with whales underwater.
I purchased mine at Michaels. They had a few different styles in as well!
DIY Soaps (Gifts, Favours, for the Home)
I owe this amazing DIY to my sister. When I needed different gifts for my Bridal Shower, she suggested that we make our own beautifully crafted soaps!
You can find the ingredients at your local Michaels. You can choose any recipe that suits your own liking, for example:
- Soap Base: You can use the double boiler method or simply microwave it using the instructions on the soap base in a glass pitcher.
- Add your favourite soap fragrance & colour! (I chose coconut for my Bridal Shower gifts and left them white).
- Pour into a silicone base and get krafty! Use silicone shapes, or choose a silicone bread pan and cut the soap into pieces once cooled.
- Wrap them up, add labels, and choose a pretty ribbon (in this case, burlap lace ribbon) to jazz it up!
Car Wash
I came up with this idea one day after my preschooler tried “washing” his battery operated car in the sink.
This gave me a great idea for something that only needs a few items already lying around the house!
Find a bucket, a toothbrush, and some cars! Add warm soap and water to the bucket and let their imaginations soar
Baby Oil Calming Bag
Due to the pandemic, we are home a lot.
My preschooler has been having a tough time staying indoors if the weather doesn’t let us out of the house, so I like to make these calming sensory bags for him to play with.
Baby Theo loves to join in on the activity!
Here is what you need:
- Ziploc Bag
- Baby Oil
- Dish Soap
- Food Colouring
- Water
- Masking Tape
Try not to fill the bag with too much water and add at least 1/3 cup of baby oil. Add a few drops of food colouring and just a few drops of soap!
Your little ones will discover new words, colours, and textures
Quick Dollar Store Crafts
Check your local Dollar Stores for these kits! For a $1.50, this craft kept my son super interested and busy while practicing awesome fine and gross motor skills.
