Parent Hacks

Turn a large plastic storage container into a splashing pool

Fun in the sun, with prolific blogger Sherry: Based on the hack for the water play set, I got inspired and went one step further. I live in an apartment building and though we have a courtyard, we don't have a private yard. We also live on the top floor....

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Tricks for keeping toddlers hydrated

Beat the heat with some kid hydration hacks, from Sara: We're traveling in the very hot and dry country of Turkey this summer with a two year old, and have found the following to be helpful in keeping her hydrated: "Juicify" your water. Miss J doesn't get much juice, so...

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links for 2007-07-31

Solana Swaddle Wrap Super-thin, light cotton swaddling blankets. Look wonderful for hot summer nights... (tags: parenthacks baby) The MotherHood Wonderful new social networking space for moms. (tags: motherhood moms technology kids parenting) ParentWonder.com - Interview with Asha Dornfest of Parent Hacks I'm honored that Abel of Parent Wonder asked to...

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Toys to Iraq: Edmay's coming home

For the latest information about how to send toys to Iraq, please see the original post. Edmay -- the amazing grandmother stationed in Iraq who has spearheaded collecting toys for children in Iraq -- is ending her time there and coming home. From Edmay in the comments of this post:...

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Easy cooking project: Homemade tortillas

My kids both have an attraction to anything squishy. They love all of those stretchy, gel-like trinkets flooding the market, and all manner of playdough. When I can muster the patience, I pull out the flour, water, salt, baking soda, vinegar, and food coloring -- my son's favorite ingredients for...

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Head to mall and restaurant playspaces first thing in the morning

We do what we must some days to keep the kids busy. Here's how Gretchen makes the most of free indoor playspaces at malls and fast food restaurants: I rely on indoor playspaces to run off my daughter's energy when the weather outside is nasty or too hot. But a...

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Coffee stirrers make good juice box straws

Why do the juice box straws always end up at the bottom of the bag? Winnie's solution: I had a ton of coffee stirrers left over from a party and figured I'd just use them for craft projects. However, I've found that hollow coffee stirrers make a great straw for...

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Frozen yogurt tubes stand in for ice cream treats

From Sara: I wouldn't normally buy yogurt in tubes, but I picked some up the other day and noticed a suggestion to freeze them. Sold! I now keep "frozen yogurt" tubes in the freezer for a healthier treat than ice cream. Popping a frozen yogurt tube into a lunchbox keeps...

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Use carry-on bag as footrests for kids

Glennia's hack should make summer flights go a little smoother: If you are traveling on a plane with a toddler or preschooler who likes to kick the seat in front of him or her, it might be because their legs go numb from dangling from the carseat for a long...

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links for 2007-07-24

GoodyBlog: Postcard Scavenger Hunt Turn any travel stop into an adventure! Thanks for the pointer, Melissa! (tags: parenthacks travel kids) Recall notice: Playskool "NoSpill" Sippy Cups (tags: recalls kids)

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Socks stop cold water bottles from dripping

Try Ana's smart hack on your next summer outing: At the zoo, it was extremely hot and humid so I pulled out the water bottles we brought to keep hydrated. Within seconds, the cold bottles, of course, started dripping condensation and it was hard for our three-year-old to keep a...

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Special for Parenthackers: Swap stuff at Zwaggle

Ryan very thoughtfully included all us Parenthackers in an invitation to use Zwaggle! I haven't tried it myself, but it looks fascinating, especially during summer clear-out mode. Thank you, Ryan! There's a cool website, zwaggle.com, and using points instead of money, it allows you to post and get used kids...

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Freeze old teethers for cool boo boo relief

Good thing Sara didn't throw out all those old teethers: Remember those water filled plastic teething toys? My daughter is well passed teething, but I popped them into the freezer and now when she has a "hurt" I offer her a frozen frog or fish to put on it. Cold...

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links for 2007-07-22

How to Photograph a Child’s Birthday Party Darren Rowse of ProBlogger passed this along -- he's also a digital photgraphy maven, you know. (tags: parenthacks kids birthdays photography) 10 Tips for Photographing Babies

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You're reading this? I figured everyone's reading Harry Potter!

It's the day half the world's been waiting for: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is out, and kids and adults everywhere are holed up in beds, on couches, and in sunny corners reveling in their last few hours at Hogwarts with Harry and company. My son is still a...

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