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Archive: July 2007
31 Jul 07 | Comments: 12
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...
Tricks for keeping toddlers hydrated31 Jul 07 | Comments: 6
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:...
links for 2007-07-3131 Jul 07 | Comments: 3
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...
Toys to Iraq: Edmay's coming home30 Jul 07 | Comments: 5
Updated 8/07: The toy drive is back on! Two of Edmay's comrades have taken over her role, and are accepting toy donations. send your donations to: Michael Fellenz or Natalie Sudman USACE-GRS APO-AE 09331 Edmay -- the amazing grandmother stationed...
Easy cooking project: Homemade tortillas27 Jul 07 | Comments: 8
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,...
Head to mall and restaurant playspaces first thing in the morning26 Jul 07 | Comments: 9
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...
Coffee stirrers make good juice box straws25 Jul 07 | Comments: 2
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...
Frozen yogurt tubes stand in for ice cream treats24 Jul 07 | Comments: 15
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...
Use carry-on bag as footrests for kids24 Jul 07 | Comments: 1
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...
links for 2007-07-2424 Jul 07 | Comments: 0
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)
Socks stop cold water bottles from dripping23 Jul 07 | Comments: 6
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...
Special for Parenthackers: Swap stuff at Zwaggle23 Jul 07 | Comments: 10
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...
Freeze old teethers for cool boo boo relief22 Jul 07 | Comments: 4
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...
links for 2007-07-2222 Jul 07 | Comments: 5
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
You're reading this? I figured everyone's reading Harry Potter!21 Jul 07 | Comments: 19
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...
Fill baby's high chair tray with water for warm weather splashing21 Jul 07 | Comments: 3
Misty's found a way for her baby to enjoy some summertime water fun: We are trying to not use the air conditioning, so things are really starting to get warm. My daughter is too young to really go swimming or...
links for 2007-07-2020 Jul 07 | Comments: 4
Nested: Something to Make: Fold-up Crayon Pouch Lovely little sewing project from the new blog Nested: "good stuff for you and your little one." (tags: parenthacks crafts kids sewing) Autism Plays » Display Models as Toys Score! Carl got Best...
Geography lessons no one can resist20 Jul 07 | Comments: 3
Michelle (author of the wonderful blog Scribbit) came up with a brilliant way to teach her kids about geography. This would be a wonderful way to build excitement for summer travel. To help teach my kids about the world around...
Warm bath lotion in the bathwater19 Jul 07 | Comments: 1
Marykz's daughter's getting the luxury treatment! My daughter doesn't like to get out of the warm bath and have to have cold lotion spread on her dry skin. So, I put the (closed) bottle of lotion in the warm bath...
Snug-fitting foam plugs the gap between bed and wall19 Jul 07 | Comments: 7
Jonathan solved a the bed gap problem like this: After our 2 1/2 year old transitioned from a crib to a real bed, my wife and I started were woken up several times in the middle of the night with...
Egg coddler as baby food storage19 Jul 07 | Comments: 2
Erin's stylish and practical kitchen hack: We found our clear glass egg coddlers work well to store, heat and serve tiny portions of homemade baby food. Just pop them in a pan of hot water with mashed veggies instead of...
links for 2007-07-1818 Jul 07 | Comments: 2
The Hunger Strike Smoothie | GNMParents More interesting to me than the smoothie recipe is the author's problem-solving approach to the toddler-not-eating problem. (tags: parenthacks toddler) Wise Craft: mobile making (with found objects) Lovely craft idea, rain or shine. [Via...
"No tattling zone" helps parents relax during park playdates17 Jul 07 | Comments: 15
From Sara: Kara and her local playground moms sit at a picnic table while the kids play. Around this table they've drawn a circle in the dirt. Why? Well, the circle is the "no tattling zone". Brilliant, isn't it? It...
links for 2007-07-1717 Jul 07 | Comments: 1
2007 State Sales Tax Holidays for Back-to-School Shopping Two readers passed this along -- thank you, McWhorters and spy monkeys! Oregon is a sales tax-free state, so I'm off the hook, but this could save all you non-Oregonians good money....
Getting your toddler to drink water17 Jul 07 | Comments: 18
Abel's found a clever way to encourage his son to drink water: My wife and I always have problems getting our 1.5 year-old son to drink water, especially from a sipper. But I have a method that has never failed...
Give 'em Popsicles that match their shirts16 Jul 07 | Comments: 2
Nothing says summer like a kid with a purple Popsicle mustache and tongue...and, most likely, corresponding purple stains on her shirt. Here's Maura's suggestion: Most young children will drip their Popsicle on their clothes while eating it, especially on a...
GeekDad: Watch live bugs under a blister microscope16 Jul 07 | Comments: 0
I've got a new post up at GeekDad about the fantastic blister microscope -- our new gadget for spying on live bugs.
links for 2007-07-1515 Jul 07 | Comments: 0
The Babblepedia Contest - BabblePedia Babble has just launched a new parenting wiki, Babblepedia, and is ready to pay $1000 to the person who posts the most entries there by July 31. Have at it! (tags: parenthacks babble parenting) Lunch...
Kids learn, work, and have fun at "Camp Mom"14 Jul 07 | Comments: 6
Look what veteran Parenthacker Jill and her kids are up to this summer: We've implemented "Camp Mom" here and I'm putting them thru the paces every morning. After breakfast they both do a work paper at the table (if I...
links for 2007-07-1414 Jul 07 | Comments: 0
DIY Drinking Strawz Add a little whimsy to the summer lemonade! (tags: parenthacks kids) Z Recommends: Strollerwalking Showdown: Which Maps Mashups Work Best? ZRecs reviews the various mapping doohickeys. (tags: mapping) The Juggle - WSJ.com : Thank-You Notes: Buy Stamps...
So, how's your summer going?13 Jul 07 | Comments: 10
Hello, dear Parenthackers! I'm back from my Internet vacation, some of which was spent on an adventure in Alaska (a place everyone should try to visit), but most of which was spent turning my full attention to family life. Summer's...
Fish tank net makes short work of cleaning debris out of wading pools12 Jul 07 | Comments: 8
Here's how Pam keeps the baby pool clean! I just purchased a fish net at my local dollar store - works great for cleaning out leaves and dead bugs from the babe's wading pool. Not as cheap as what you'd...
Mow "pathways" in the lawn12 Jul 07 | Comments: 10
Katherine's (neighbor's mother's) practical hack simplifies a relentless summertime garden chore: My neighbor told me that her mother used to keep the kids occupied while she was cutting the grass by first cutting some fun pathways and rooms in the...
Cut grapes into mini-bunches08 Jul 07 | Comments: 17
Discovered while preparing for my daughter's 4th birthday party (which I'm doing RIGHT NOW): When serving a bunch of grapes to a group of kids, cut it into "mini-bunches" of 5-8 grapes each, then pile them in a bowl. The...
links for 2007-07-0808 Jul 07 | Comments: 1
ParentWonder.com - 70 Toddler Games and Activities You Can Play and Do With Your Child Because you can never have enough ideas, especially during the summer. Thanks, Abel! (tags: parenthacks parenting toddler kids)
How to put tights on your daughter06 Jul 07 | Comments: 21
Another example of information "everyone knows" (but really doesn't), from Sara: Watching my husband dress my daughter, I realized that my "standard" way of putting on tights, learned from my mother, might be obvious to me but not to everyone...
Parent Hacks admin: SXSW podcast is up!05 Jul 07 | Comments: 0
Here's the podcast of the panel discussion I was a part of at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival (SXSW). My co-conspirators in Austin were Danny (Dad Gone Mad), Amy (Amalah), Tracey (Sweetney), and Marrit (author of Inconsolable). The topic:...
Laminate summer camp packing lists04 Jul 07 | Comments: 8
Aliza's hack would also work well for back-to-school supply lists (not that anyone's thinking about school right now): My daughter has been going to camp for the last couple of years. Each year the camp sends me the same packing...
Homemade stairway gate? Talk amongst yourselves.04 Jul 07 | Comments: 24
Katherine needs some Parenthacker ingenuity! I need help with a bottom of the stairs gate....and not just any stairs; these have a (thin!) metal banister (there is a wall along the other side). Ideally, we'd keep the gate open when...
Takeout containers as small bits organizers03 Jul 07 | Comments: 7
Mary's found a good use for empty takeout containers: I don't know when Chinese restaurants became my "Tupperware" hookup, but takeout has been coming in much better containers lately. My favorites are these rectangular plastic containers with clear lids that...
Free entertainment: the pet store02 Jul 07 | Comments: 21
Sherry's easy toddler outing: Perhaps others might not think this idea rocks quite as much as I do, but I have 19 month-old twins and finding fun and reasonably-priced things to do with two curious toddlers is tough. Some places,...
Telephone books as scribble material02 Jul 07 | Comments: 9
Irene's found a great use for all those unused copies of the Yellow Pages: I'm always amazed at the number of phone books that get delivered to my door. I have a nice place in my kitchen to store them...
Advice for expectant parents: Bring your pediatrician's number to the hospital01 Jul 07 | Comments: 5
Wow. These hacks have really been taking me down memory lane. I, too, had some scares in the hospital, no doubt magnified because I was recovering and hormonal and (!) a new mom. Great advice, Sara. I find myself giving...
Fleece sleep sack works as a swaddler in a pinch01 Jul 07 | Comments: 4
Amy's middle-of-the-night swaddle hack: My almost 3-month-old daughter, like most infants, sleeps better and longer at night when she is swaddled. We rely on the Kiddopatomus Swaddle Me blankets--we've tried swaddling with receiving blankets, but she gets out of them...
