Welcome to Parent Hacks
- Submit a hack!
Email your parenting tips to hacks@parenthacks.com. Or pitch your exceptionally useful product for review to reviews@parenthacks.com.
more contact info » - Support Parent Hacks
Are you an Amazon.com shopper? Every time you shop at Amazon, get there by clicking this link -- anything you buy will throw some change into our tip jar, with no extra steps or cost to you. Thank you!
more ideas » - Shop at the Parent Hacks Store
Whether you're outfitting a nursery, buying a gift, or treating yourself, start here!
go to the Store » - See more hacks
The front page only lists the most recent hacks. There are over 2000 more!
go to the archives »
get free updates
Categories
- 0-01yrs (infant)
- 01-03yrs (toddler)
- 03-05yrs (preschooler)
- 05-12yrs (kid)
- 13-18yrs (teen)
- 18yrs+ (grownup)
- admin (Parent Hacks news)
- attitude/mindset
- bathtime
- behavior
- fashion/general cuteness
- feeding/nursing
- fun/toys
- gear
- getting organized
- habitat
- health/development
- holidays/special occasions
- learning
- poop, pee, potty, etc.
- saving money
- sleep (yours and theirs)
- things we like
- travel/going out
Recent Comments
- Nancy Talan on How to trick the autoflush toilet sensor in public restrooms
- Nancy Talan on Dandruff shampoo gets rid of cradle cap
- Lissa on The magical, multifunctional properties of painter's tape
- Melissa on Dandruff shampoo gets rid of cradle cap
- Meagan on How to trick the autoflush toilet sensor in public restrooms
- Greg on How to trick the autoflush toilet sensor in public restrooms
- Malyndia on Dandruff shampoo gets rid of cradle cap
- cagey on Dandruff shampoo gets rid of cradle cap
- Carrie C on Dandruff shampoo gets rid of cradle cap
- Ann on Dandruff shampoo gets rid of cradle cap
Community
- Show us what you're up to! Tag your pertinent blog posts, Flickr photos, and del.icio.us bookmarks as parenthacks so we can visit you in your corner of the Web. We often find goodies for our link roundups here!
Archives
- Parent Hacks logo by Bryan Bell
Go to: Archive index | Home
Category archive: holidays/special occasions
07 May 08 | Comments: 203
I'm an on-again-off-again Flylady member. If you're not familiar, Flylady is more than just an online community of women trying to get a handle on housework -- it's a movement. The basic idea is to create standing routines for everything...
Perfect gift for new moms: The Rookie Mom's Handbook06 May 08 | Comments: 61
Heather and Whitney (aka the Rookie Moms) are true blog friends. I think these are two of the warmest, smartest women around. We've bonded over the business of blogging and parenting and life. They've sent in bunches of great hacks....
Mother's Day gift ideas from the Parent Hacks Store16 Apr 08 | Comments: 2
Goodness and peace will be conferred upon those who get their Mother's Day shopping done and wrapped before May 10. To help you in that regard, here are a few items from the Parent Hacks Store you may want to...
A keepsake journal "triples" as travel entertainment, art preservation, and a grandparent gift15 Apr 08 | Comments: 9
Jennifer's smart, simple idea for capturing some of her daughter's spontaneous art: My four year-old loves to draw and color. I found one way to preserve her art -- by giving her a journal book full of blank pages. We...
Reusable shopping bags make "green" gift bags07 Apr 08 | Comments: 14
Keep Monera's hack in mind the next time you shop for a birthday party gift: I hate buying bags for gifts to go in -- it seems like such a waste to buy a bag that will be thrown away...
Egg shakers: a non-candy Easter basket alternative21 Mar 08 | Comments: 11
We discovered egg shakers in a Music Together class. Smooth, round plastic or wooden egg-shaped maracas -- these simple musical instruments are a sensory treat. So pleasant to hold and roll, fun to shake (the sound is loud enough to...
Dye raw eggs for Easter21 Mar 08 | Comments: 1
Here's how Daphne avoids the inevitable hard-boiled egg inundation that comes with Easter egg decoration: Every year for Easter, my five-year-old boys are wildly excited about decorating eggs. There is a week of anticipation, thirty minutes of setup, and five...
Best of Parent Hacks: Easter fun18 Mar 08 | Comments: 2
The sugar headache from Valentine's still hasn't worn off, and now I'm being assaulted by the Easter candy displays. We're Jewish so we have other seasonal treats to look forward to (Mmmm. Matzoh.), but at least one Cadbury Creme Egg...
Tie a ribbon around the doornob to help out a forgetful Tooth Fairy28 Feb 08 | Comments: 7
Suzy's come up with the perfect way to assist the Magical One with her dental "work": Is the tooth fairy sometimes forgetful in your home? We find that ours sometimes flies right by accidentally. To correct this problem, we've put...
Clear Valentine clutter by making a collage15 Feb 08 | Comments: 3
Jill from Atlanta is really on the ball if this project is already done by February 15! It wasn't until my house became littered with little Valentines that I remembered this trick. I had my kids gather up all the...
How to organize photo cards14 Feb 08 | Comments: 7
Michelle has solved a problem we all have: guilt about throwing away photo cards! Every year we get photo cards of our friends and their children. I have never wanted to throw them away but didn't really have a place...
Valentine hack: Valentine's Day "mistletoe"13 Feb 08 | Comments: 0
What a cute idea -- from Katy: Valentine's Day is all about showing love. So don't forget giving an extra dose of hugs and kisses at home. Cut 2-3 hearts out of construction paper, string them up anyway you like,...
Valentine hack: Celebrate with your spouse the weekend after13 Feb 08 | Comments: 4
Actually, Ellen, I think any occasion for a night out together is romantic! It's not terribly romantic, but my husband and I have a tradition of celebrating Valentine's Day on a different day-- typically the weekend before or after, preferably...
Valentine hack: How to make heart-shaped cupcakes without a special pan12 Feb 08 | Comments: 4
12 Feb 08 | Comments: 0
Fran's got a fantastic twist on handmade cards: Type Valentine's Day phrases and symbols in a Word document in various colors - with the line-spacing set at 2-3 inches apart. Add images of the kids' faces and crop or size...
Valentine hack: Heart-shaped pasta bracelets12 Feb 08 | Comments: 3
Marita came up with a fun and simple project any toddler would love: My girls and I are making bracelets using some heart-shaped pasta we found at ALDI. Was $2 for a big bag of heart shaped pasta and I've...
Valentine hack: Sweet and simple gift wrapping12 Feb 08 | Comments: 2
Not only is Mary's gift-wrapping idea nice and simple, it's "green," too. Skip the expensive wrapping paper and wrap your gift in a brown paper bag. Tape a doily on top and then apply a heart sticker. Finish off with...
Valentine hack: Pancakes with powdered sugar hearts10 Feb 08 | Comments: 2
Pamela's sweet Valentine's breakfast is a treat for the whole family: I like to do something special for my family first thing in the morning, so I make pancakes and then put a heart template on top of one before...
Valentine hack: Cut out magazine "lipstick lips" to make a kissy collage09 Feb 08 | Comments: 0
Jennifer's hack makes the sociologist and media critic in me jump for joy: I like to gather all those beauty mags (that now gather dust since having kids) and cut out all those fabulous shiny lips on all the make-up...
Valentine hack: Homemade chocolate roses are easier than you might think08 Feb 08 | Comments: 6
What a lovely idea -- great for older kids who get a kick out of using the stove. From Leah: My students do a fundraiser every year for Valentine's Day by making candy roses and selling them. It's actually a...
Valentine hack: Gift cards for teachers07 Feb 08 | Comments: 5
Michelle's adapted a popular holiday teacher gift for Valentine's Day: My newest favorite thing to do (for teachers and camp counselors and bus drivers and all of those people you want to recognize but don't want to spend too much...
Valentine hack: Fingerprint heart prints07 Feb 08 | Comments: 0
Carrie's girls took "handmade" to a new level: We usually do something easy - since we also find the day creeps up on us. Last year we made cards using two fingerprints to look like a heart. We also sent...
Valentine hack: Lighthearted, inexpensive valentines will still do the trick for your sweetheart06 Feb 08 | Comments: 6
The lovey-dovey part of Valentine's Day should never be lost on your sweetheart. No matter how cheesy and Hallmark-y you think this holiday is, your partner will be disappointed if you don't recognize it in some small way (even if...
Valentine hack: Collective valentine-making, and a great photo card idea06 Feb 08 | Comments: 1
Adrienne of Baby Toolkit fame shares two great Valentine hacks: 1) My playgroup mommas are having a toddler-free pitch-in decorating party where we'll make Valentine's cards and decorate sweet treats for our families. [Always more fun with company, and with...
Valentine hack: Torn paper valentines05 Feb 08 | Comments: 0
Another simple card-making activity for toddlers on up. From Rose: Yesterday my daughter and I made Valentine's Day cards. We folded a piece of red construction paper into quarters and then cut it in half to make two cards. To...
Valentine hack: Heart-shaped cookie cutters are useful for more than cookies05 Feb 08 | Comments: 1
Zed's shares the versatility of the humble cookie cutter: Nothing is a better investment for Valentine's Day than heart-shaped cookie cutters in various sizes. Aside from the many craft possibilities, they instantly make boring food seem like Fancy Valentine's Food,...
Valentine hack: Turn fabric scraps into window decorations04 Feb 08 | Comments: 6
By now, we expect brilliance from Rookie Mom Whitney, and she doesn't disappoint: My husband says they are hideous, but we already have window decorations up for Valentine's day, and my three- year old BOY says, "I love them. They...
Bake a personal mini-cake for your kid's first birthday03 Feb 08 | Comments: 14
Kristen's first birthday tip: Don't give the kid the whole cake to destroy, or even an entire one of his very own. Bake a mini-cake in a foil pot pie tin. Less mess and less wasted food. I think this...
Valentine hack: Free-form painted hearts02 Feb 08 | Comments: 3
Kittenpie demonstrates that a) toddlers aren't too young to make Valentines, and b) "handmade" doesn't have to equal "fussy." Last year, I cut up large-ish squares of thick paper, put them two at a time on the easel, and gave...
Valentine hack: Add a little "homemade" to boxed character Valentines01 Feb 08 | Comments: 3
Jill's subverting the dominant Valentine Character Paradigm! (Any mom that hacks @#$% SpongeBob is tops in my book.) I'm one of those moms that doesn't allow characters to seep into my house very often. But since the kids' friends really...
Hack request: Send us your Valentine's ideas!29 Jan 08 | Comments: 15
I usually start thinking about Valentine's Day on about February 10...too late to have a relaxed class valentine-making session with my kids. But this year is different! We've got our red construction paper and fancy scissors all ready to go....
Use a bottle brush to clean champagne flutes01 Jan 08 | Comments: 8
A timely New Year's tip from Jessica: It would never have occurred to me pre-baby, but this morning when I was doing the dishes, I reached for our bottle brush to clean the champagne flutes, and it was the *perfect*...
Shred wrapping paper to use as gift bag filler25 Dec 07 | Comments: 1
From the Hengsts: We shred our used wrapping paper to use as filler in gift bags. Our kids love to help us get the paper ready to put into the shredder. If the pieces are too big, they get to...
Spread out the gift-opening to keep Christmas morning manageable24 Dec 07 | Comments: 8
Another holiday hack from Mel, who seems to have the realities of holiday logistics well thought-out: I know everyone has their own treasured and time-honoured family traditions, but....since we have one young child and an older child who is easily...
Color code gift tags to streamline distribution from under the tree24 Dec 07 | Comments: 5
Mel's gift tag hack (for those of you madly wrapping gifts tonight): I had the kids make tags for Christmas gifts out of plain cardstock. We store all the gifts under the tree until they're ready to leave the house...
Holiday craft: Bread dough ornaments23 Dec 07 | Comments: 2
There's still a bit of time for holiday crafts now that vacation is underway! Margaret shared her recipe for homemade dough ornaments: The holidays bring out the crafty in me! Here's a recipe for bread dough ornaments. I still have...
Salvage wrapping paper scraps and rolls for a fun toddler diversion22 Dec 07 | Comments: 5
Sarra's hack reminded me how fun it can be discovering what a toddler finds interesting: After I was done with my Christmas wrapping, I had a bunch of empty wrapping paper rolls and bits of paper too small to use....
Make a pomander or an ornament out of an orange21 Dec 07 | Comments: 1
Mmmm, smells good. From Katherine: Take one orange (or clemantine, or whatever... but full-size oranges smell nicer) and stick whole cloves into it, pointy end through the skin. You can lay these out to make a picture, or abstract lines,...
Organizing a collective gift for your daycare providers21 Dec 07 | Comments: 9
May's simple solution for treating her daycare helpers: There are about 5 or 6 people that care for my kids in some capacity at the daycare. Trying to buy gifts for everyone is a sure-fire way to generate hurt feelings....
Salvage batteries when weeding out old toys21 Dec 07 | Comments: 5
I had a DUH moment when reading Duane's hack and realizing how many perfectly good batteries I've thrown away: If you're like us, part of the approaching holiday season is weeding out the older toys to make room. Before you...
Gift idea for Dad: Sharpie-embellished wallet20 Dec 07 | Comments: 5
Brian's daughter used Sharpies to craft a unique gift for Dad: My "parent hack" turns out to be the brainchild of my, well, child. I recently bought a new wallet. It's a simple tri-fold style, made of cotton-poly blend (as...
Paper clips as ornament hooks20 Dec 07 | Comments: 4
Christmas decorating in true hacker fashion. From Duane: Inevitably each year you're left with ornaments that have no hook to hang it on. Sure you can buy those packages of hooks, but you end up with 500 when you really...
Baby shoes as Christmas ornaments19 Dec 07 | Comments: 1
From Kelly: My aunt gave me this decorating idea: when you have baby shoes your child grew out of that you'd like to keep because they're oh-so-cute and sentimental but don't know where to put them, hang them on the...
Christmas tree light switch delights kids AND protects the tree19 Dec 07 | Comments: 7
Christmas tree light switches are yet another way toddlers can get safely (well, relatively safely) involved with the tree. Your mileage may vary given the activity level of your toddler, but both Christy and Carly have had good luck: From...
Tie-dye tissue wrapping paper18 Dec 07 | Comments: 9
As promised, Melissa's instructions for creating gorgeous tie-dye wrapping paper out of plain white tissue. This looks easy enough for young toddlers, and the results are stunning. Thank you, Melissa!
Toddler-enable your Christmas tree with a few unbreakable ornaments18 Dec 07 | Comments: 10
Another great toddler + Christmas tree hack! So simple, but it works for Carly of durhamregionbaby.com: This is a little late, but I just discovered it the past week or so since our tree has been up. Our daughter is...
Aquadoodle water pen doubles as envelope sealer17 Dec 07 | Comments: 5
A tongue-saving hack from Kate, one of the co-founders of aftertheyhatch.com: We didn't want to lick 100 holiday card envelopes, so we used my son's Aquadoodle pen. [It's basically a felt-tipped pen filled with water. -- Ed.] It worked like...
Amazon holiday ordering cutoffs for last-minute shoppers16 Dec 07 | Comments: 0
Ahhhh. My holiday gift-giving is all done -- we celebrate Hanukkah, which ended last week. So I have the pleasure of completely sidestepping the craziness that is brick-and-mortar shopping during the next ten days. If you're avoiding the crowds by...
Childproof your Christmas tree with jingle bells15 Dec 07 | Comments: 4
David childproofed his Christmas tree by installing a festive "toddler alarm system:" My wife and I have a very inquisitive (and smart) 2 year old boy and a large artificial Christmas tree. We were concerned that he might be tempted...
Scaling down holiday gift-giving14 Dec 07 | Comments: 14
Katrina shares how her family pared down the holiday gift exchange: We've simplified our holidays greatly by informing our kids that Santa only brings one present to them. They only ask for one present from Santa and it is well...
How to save your kids' letters to Santa13 Dec 07 | Comments: 2
Those letters to Santa are priceless mementos of holidays gone by. Here's how Jill (creator of countless parent hacks) manages to hang onto them: If you'd like to keep the letter your child writes to Santa, but like mine he...
How to buy gifts for young kids when they're always with you at the store12 Dec 07 | Comments: 19
Another holiday hack from Kelly: I just heard about the other day (from a nurse while I had a few day stay in the hospital). The mom told me that she found it hard to buy for her young daughter...
Craft paper makes cheap, recyclable wrapping paper11 Dec 07 | Comments: 21
I've finally accepted that I just can't deal with wrapping paper. As much as I love beautifully-wrapped gifts, I can't abide buying paper that's meant simply to be ripped up and thrown away. I've used newspaper in the past, but...
"Cookie of the Month Club" makes a great holiday gift10 Dec 07 | Comments: 7
I love Heather's idea for simplifying holiday gift-giving: This year, we are trying to find the perfect gift to give those who have everything. It can't be too expensive, too hard to travel with, and we want it to somehow...
How to encourage family conversation around the table06 Dec 07 | Comments: 4
Suzy's got a great hack for holiday mealtimes and beyond: During the holiday season there are many occasions to gather around the table. Consider this game that encourages children and adults alike to share about their day as well as...
Simple holiday traditions04 Dec 07 | Comments: 0
What a pleasure it has been to read about your favorite simple holiday traditions! The music, the cards, the food, the tree, the Menorah, the candles, the Advent calendar, the dreidels, the neighborhood light displays...it was enough vicarious warmth to...
Return address stamps or labels double as ID30 Nov 07 | Comments: 5
Michael's idea is one to keep in mind during the holiday shopping season: My child loves stickers and stamps. Any time he sees a hand stamp or sticker he wants one. So what better way to teach your kid how...
Simple, beautiful Hanukkah crafts29 Nov 07 | Comments: 2
Hanukkah's next week! But you've still got time for some lovely crafts (if crafts are your thing). Check out Amber's Hanukkah crafts at the always-fabulous Kids Craft Weekly. Toblerone chocolate box as a template for a Star of David stamp?...
Still got Halloween candy lying around? Give it to the "goblins."27 Nov 07 | Comments: 14
In case you're still trying to clear out the odd Almond Joy leftover from Halloween, Judi's tip may help, even at this late date: Believe it or not, I am *still* hearing parents complain about what to do with all...
Bar cookies save trips to the oven (and burned cookies)26 Nov 07 | Comments: 3
Jill from Atlanta shares the practical realities of baking cookies with little kids in the house -- worth keeping in mind given that holiday cookie-baking season is right around the corner: I love baking cookies with my kids. But the...
Use wallet-sized photos as gift tags20 Nov 07 | Comments: 6
Gwen's hack is one of those gems that solves a problem AND reduces clutter at the same time. Think about this for holiday gifts as well: When my children bring a party gift to a child who can't read yet,...
Use excess Halloween candy as cookie ingredients08 Nov 07 | Comments: 8
Excess Halloween candy. Is there any other kind? Jeff's hack won't exactly reduce the sugar consumption in your house, but perhaps you can bake up a few batches and freeze them for the holidays? Or foist them on your coworkers?...
Store the Halloween books with the decorations01 Nov 07 | Comments: 4
Now's a good time to recall a very smart hack from last year: pack the seasonal books away with the decorations. Works as well for Halloween as it does for other decor-heavy holidays.
Expand the dress-up wardrobe with discounted Halloween costumes01 Nov 07 | Comments: 0
Rather than raid the dress-up bin for Halloween, Wendy raids the after-Halloween sales for the dress-up bin! Great setup for future costume swaps, too. My 3 year-old daughter loves playing dress-up, but we only have a couple of items. I've...
Halloween hack: Baby lotion takes the face paint off31 Oct 07 | Comments: 2
Kelly's hack came in just under the wire! I bought my daughter some of the face paint "markers" they have at the grocery store this time of year. She had fun getting her face painted and then painting my face...
Halloween hack: A "trick" to help kids remember to say 'thank you'31 Oct 07 | Comments: 6
Julie's hack is tough, but it works for her family. Last year I got so tired of having to remind my kids to say "thank you" at every house that this year I told them every time I had to...
Halloween hack: Storing vinyl cling decorations30 Oct 07 | Comments: 6
Cheri figured out a way to keep Halloween cling decorations in good working order for the following year: My kids love those vinyl clings that stick to the doors and windows, but once I take them off of the sheet...
Halloween hack: No-prep costume: Baby Einstein29 Oct 07 | Comments: 7
Priceless. From veteran Parenthacker Sara: Easy baby halloween costume: Use a permanent marker and write "E=mc^2" on a onesie. Apply mousse to hair. Ta-da! Baby Einstein.
Glow stick fun (potential Halloween hack?)28 Oct 07 | Comments: 12
Rachel didn't specifically connect this hack to Halloween, but I am...could be a fun giveaway! To all you parents who haven't tried these yet (or lately). Glow sticks are fun!! I know it seems like a big "duh," but every...
Halloween hack: Tootsie Pop ghosts as decoration and hand-outs26 Oct 07 | Comments: 2
Amie's hack makes me want to run out and buy Tootsie Pops! I love that these simple little decorations can double as the Halloween handout. I just bought my annual ginormous bag of Tootsie Pops and realized other parenthackers might...
Halloween hack: Get creative with the notion of door-to-door trick-or-treating26 Oct 07 | Comments: 4
Lyric shares the Halloween-cum-block party that happens in her neighborhood: I'm in love with Halloween in my neighborhood! (This coming from a parent who dreads anything that takes advanced prep.) We've made it into an event the kids love and...
Halloween hack: Prolong the life of cut pumpkins with petroleum jelly25 Oct 07 | Comments: 8
Kieransma passes along another jack-o'-lantern tip: I haven't tried this (yet) but recently read that a jack-o-lantern will last much longer if you coat the cut edges with petroleum jelly. Oh, and thanks to the costume swap hack, my almost...
This will help you feel good about your child's Halloween costume24 Oct 07 | Comments: 6
Mom: Honey, what would you like to be for Halloween this year? Spiderman? Captain Jack Sparrow? Or maybe you can still fit into that Buzz Lightyear costume we got you a couple years ago? Kid: Yeah, uh, I want to...
Halloween hack: Give toys instead of candy23 Oct 07 | Comments: 27
One way to avoid leftover candy is to avoid candy altogether. Says Judi: No candy at our house. Stickers or doodads from Oriental Trading instead! Anything leftover goes into the arts and crafts bin for use throughout the year. Bonnie...
How to have an allergy-free Halloween22 Oct 07 | Comments: 9
Several of you commented on the difficulty of managing the Halloween treats when your kid has a peanut allergy (or any other type of food sensitivity for that matter). Here's another place to look for good ideas: How to have...
Halloween hack (redux): Save leftover candy for holiday gingerbread houses21 Oct 07 | Comments: 4
Maribel reminded me of a past hack we used with great success a couple years ago: use leftover Halloween candy for holiday gingerbread houses. Tags: Halloween
Halloween hack: Never again forget how much halloween candy to buy20 Oct 07 | Comments: 9
Kristin (mom of 2 sets of twins ages 6 and 3) answers the burning question: how much candy should I buy? I can never remember how busy our neighborhood is and how many trick or treaters we get so every...
Halloween hack: Let your toddler glue a face on the pumpkin19 Oct 07 | Comments: 8
Rebecca's got another jack-o'-lantern idea for the not-old-enough-to-carve set: For my daughter who is almost two, we’re not carving pumpkins this year. I’m going to cut pieces of black construction paper out in various eye, nose and mouth shapes and...
Halloween hack: Make a paper jack-o'-lantern18 Oct 07 | Comments: 3
I'm pretty attached to traditional pumpkin jack-'o'-lanterns, but they are admittedly difficult-to-impossible for young kids to carve themselves. Kate makes luminarias instead: I hate the whole "rotting pumpkin" thing that happens after the holiday -- so I make mine out...
Favorite Halloween books? Talk amongst yourselves.17 Oct 07 | Comments: 24
Halloween's fun/scary balance can be a fine one for toddlers and preschoolers heading out for their first night of trick-or-treating. Some good Halloween-themed picture books can put a fun spin on the scary ideas of witches, vampires and ghosts. Have...
Halloween hack: Cut the jack-o'-lantern hole in the bottom of the pumpkin17 Oct 07 | Comments: 15
Give Rob a pat on the back for this brilliant pumpkin-carving hack! So smart. We learned a couple of years ago what we think is the best idea for carving a pumpkin: cut the hole from the bottom not the...
Send in your Halloween hacks!16 Oct 07 | Comments: 2
T-minus 15 days and counting! Halloween's on its way. You've got the costumes made, the candy purchased, the decorations up... PSHAW! But of course you don't! Halloween is the ideal occasion for Parenthackers. Improvise costumes! Buy candy at the last...
Pipe cleaner party hats11 Aug 07 | Comments: 1
Jill's got a great idea for your next birthday party: I saw a fun idea I thought kids might enjoy for a birthday. The party "hats" consisted of five sparkly pipe cleaners per person. They could be made into any...
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...
Pre-portion ice cream into paper muffin cups09 May 07 | Comments: 7
Atlanta Jill made quick work of the ice cream service at a recent birthday party: We had a birthday party, and I remembered my neighbor's ice cream hack. She scoops it out into muffin cups the day before the party. ...
What to do with empty plastic Easter eggs08 Apr 07 | Comments: 22
Don't throw away those plastic Easter eggs! Save up a couple of egg cartons and store them for refilling next year. Or use them as part of your kid's play kitchen, grocery store or farm. I'm sure you've got more...
Tips for dyeing Easter eggs with toddlers07 Apr 07 | Comments: 12
We've come to rely on Sara for sharing her best hacks on just about anything -- today, it's dyeing Easter eggs: I just got finished dyeing Easter eggs with my almost-two-year-old, and we both had a blast! Here are some...
Getting marks off of Easter shoes04 Apr 07 | Comments: 6
Here's how Rachel keeps the Easter outfit bright and shiny: My two year old daughter wore her new Easter shoes to church yesterday. They are adorable white leather Mary Janes that cost a pretty penny and are supposed to last...
Birthday party keepsake: an autographed photo mat26 Feb 07 | Comments: 5
Liz, of Mom-101 and Cool Mom Picks fame, made this simple keepsake for her daughter's first birthday party: Buy a cheap photo mat, put photo of the birthday girl or boy inside, and leave a felt pen or marker for...
Make a last minute Valentine t-shirt13 Feb 07 | Comments: 2
Pam to the rescue! The activity center at www.hp.com has 2 free Valentine’s iron-ons available to print. Because we don’t need any chocolate, and because money for flowers is better spent on diapers these days, I printed one that my...
Turn valentines into placemats13 Feb 07 | Comments: 9
From Heather: As kids, my brother and I would take our stacks of valentines from our school parties and turn them into a holiday placemat by arranging them between two sheets of clear contact paper. We did the same thing...
Recording your kid's promises with a digital camera01 Feb 07 | Comments: 6
CMM came up with this hack to deal with High Candy season (Halloween), but Valentine's Day is just around the corner, so this hack may get some use yet. We don't want our daughter eating candy all day, but sometimes...
Gift registries simplify birthday present paralysis01 Feb 07 | Comments: 10
As my kids get older, the number of birthday party invitations seems to be increasing exponentially. I'll save my birthday party rant for later (hint: Birthdays Without Pressure), and for now, will simply complain about the discomfort of choosing presents...
Sew simple gift bags out of sale fabric, and lose the wrapping paper for good05 Jan 07 | Comments: 13
No doubt you're holiday'd out, but this hack will save sanity and trees later this year. I'm no seamstress, but, from what I can tell, this is easy enough for anyone to do (although a sewing machine would certainly speed...
Clearance ornaments make good craft supplies03 Jan 07 | Comments: 2
I was just at Cost Plus yesterday, and I noticed a decent selection of clearance-priced (75% off) Christmas ornaments that had nothing to do with Christmas. Most of them were hand-sewn Indian fabrics or beaded decorations -- perfect for use...
Pack seasonal books away with the decorations03 Jan 07 | Comments: 15
Susy's simple hack makes so much sense...keep it in mind as you pack away the ornaments. When I pack up the decorations for whatever holiday (Halloween, Turkey Day, Xmas etc) I include the holiday-themed books we have in the box--that...
"Christmas smell" without chemicals24 Dec 06 | Comments: 2
Kristen's on a jolly roll. Here's her second holiday hack (the first being "assemble then wrap"): nice, spicy house scent without chemical air fresheners or cloying scented candles: Here's a great (and fairly cheap) way to make your kitchen (and...
Because reindeer need their carbs, too24 Dec 06 | Comments: 2
Julie's family doesn't stop with cookies for Santa: We make reindeer food for Santa's reindeer to snack on when he stops at our house. In a bowl, mix rolled oats, glitter (this is what helps the reindeer fly), cookie sprinkles...
Assemble before you wrap23 Dec 06 | Comments: 7
My friend Kristen of Motherhood Uncensored and Cool Mom Picks reminds us we can avoid the Ghost of Christmas Twisties: Make some eggnog, grab some cookies, get the family together and make sure all the toys (for the folks who...
3-D snowflake templates22 Dec 06 | Comments: 3
I recently saw elaborate versions of these 3-D snowflakes hanging at our local science museum. WikiHow explains how to make them. [Via Blogging Baby] Tags: Crafts, Holidays, Paper snowflakes
Laundry basket keeps holiday gifts contained22 Dec 06 | Comments: 5
Here's Kirsten's tip for for the inevitable chaos after the presents have been unwrapped: The laundry basket hack reminded me of this one - we get out a laundry basket for each child on Christmas morning. After they unwrap each...
Don't wrap before you fly20 Dec 06 | Comments: 0
And don't rap, either. Seriously, wrapped gifts may be unwrapped by security folks at the airport. [Via Lifehacker] Tags: Family travel, Holidays
Tape the gift receipt to the present before you wrap it18 Dec 06 | Comments: 1
Your friends will thank you. Tags: Birthdays, Gift-giving, Holidays
Cut wrapping paper scraps and seasonal catalogs into paper snowflakes18 Dec 06 | Comments: 1
Sunny offers a new twist on a classic holiday hack: the paper snowflake. Great way to pass the blustery vacation days: I've been cutting out snowflakes for the last week and a half. This has been a learning process in...
Kiddley guest post: Planning for the holidays17 Dec 06 | Comments: 0
I was thrilled when Claire asked if I'd like to guest post at Kiddley...I'm such a fan of her beautiful, useful site. It's Monday in Australia (her home), and I was going to share my post with you on American...
Freeze your Hanukkah candles15 Dec 06 | Comments: 10
According to some, Hanukkah candles drip less when stored in the freezer. My research seems to support this. Tags: Hanukkah
Spreading out the holiday gifts15 Dec 06 | Comments: 7
Consider using all twelve days of Christmas (eight days of Hanukkah, seven days of Kwanzaa...) to open gifts. The season will last longer, each gift will receive the attention and play it deserves, and the piles of wrapping can be...
Moxie's Holiday Gauntlet series12 Dec 06 | Comments: 0
Moxie's got a wonderful series of posts up on common holiday bugaboos: Santa, and related confusion Christmas tree management Gift issues Stress on kids during holiday visits The kid who licked the pole in A Christmas Story Tags: Ask Moxie,...
Perfect present: what's your family's? And: a word about kids' mags11 Dec 06 | Comments: 15
Megin of GNM Parents has asked parents to share their families' toy and game "hits" -- the stuff that's loved and gets played with for a good long time. Jump on over and join the conversation, or, possibly, pick up...
How to organize a holiday gift for your kid's teacher11 Dec 06 | Comments: 10
Cathy of Mayberry Mom shared what I think may be the sanest method of organizing gifts for teachers: This may be an obvious one, but I think it's so helpful. At our kids' day care (hey, the source of the...
Gift idea: Make framed prints out of your kid's art09 Dec 06 | Comments: 1
Laura passed along her tutorial for making (easy, cheap) framed prints out of kid art...lovely gift idea for grandparents and others who think everything your kid creates is gold. Tags: Art projects, Holidays, Parenting
Gift guides you can trust07 Dec 06 | Comments: 6
Some of us are knee-deep in holiday gift-buying at the moment, so to narrow the prospects a bit and hopefully save you a trip to the dreaded Big Box, allow me to share a few gift guides from some of...
Laundry baskets as trip-packing and present-wrapping organizers01 Dec 06 | Comments: 7
Sara shared this excellent organizing tip -- ideal for holiday travel and gift prep: In the week or so leading up to a trip, I get out one or two of our spare laundry baskets and set them in our...
Tabblo: Digital photo sharing artistry29 Nov 06 | Comments: 5
Liesel of Tabblo has been in touch to share the finer points of their incredible photo montage and sharing service. Have you seen it? Wonderful, easy artistry possible with digital photos. She even shared her hack: I took pictures of...
Lead in Christmas lights?26 Nov 06 | Comments: 7
In case you missed Maggie's comment on the post about lead in Halloween toys, I've decided to promote it to the front page. Thank you, Maggie, for letting us know about this. Unfortunately, there are many hidden lead dangers that...
Easy holiday cards kids can make themselves23 Nov 06 | Comments: 0
Amber Carvan, creator of the lovely email newsletter Kids Craft Weekly, shares some simple, beautiful ideas for homemade holiday cards. And, for a fun way to get those cards out into the world, Amber's hosting an international card swap: Through...
No-clutter gifts? Talk amongst yourselves.22 Nov 06 | Comments: 5
Rookie Moms Heather and Whitney have started a list of gifts "that will not result in more stuff to put away, step around, or sterilize." Brilliant! Most of us have far too much crap decking the halls anyway. There's always...
Puffed Butternut Squash14 Nov 06 | Comments: 4
We're always on the lookout for quick, kid-friendly recipes that whet the grownup appetites as well. Here's one, from the Food Network, for Puffed Butternut Squash. Perfect for holiday gatherings or weeknights. Goes even quicker if you make it using...
Buy your kid's halloween candy02 Nov 06 | Comments: 4
Our sly neighbor Mary offered her three boys cold, hard cash in exchange for the remainder of their Halloween stashes (the stuff left after all the Reese's and other primo candies were eaten). They jumped at the chance to pad...
More ideas for using up the Halloween candy01 Nov 06 | Comments: 13
If your kid's Halloween haul looks like ours, you'll be well-supplied with sugar till the candy canes start arriving in December. A few suggestions to help you disperse your little pirate's booty: Chop it up and mix it into ice...
Book a "nap flight" for holiday travel31 Oct 06 | Comments: 5
Halloween's here, which means that the holiday travel season is around the corner. Here's a travel tip (more "power of suggestion," really) from raising4boys that may make your air travel a bit easier. Tags: Family travel, Parenting
Self-adhesive DOT-It LED light as Halloween headlamp30 Oct 06 | Comments: 6
Barb, author of Great Family Gadgets, slipped this hack in under the wire. Great idea, Barb! I just came up with (what I think is) a great Halloween hack yesterday, as I was working on a post for my site....
No Halloween costume yet? Swap!28 Oct 06 | Comments: 1
I'd bet there's a fair percentage of us who are still scrambling for Halloween costumes. Here's Jill's solution: If you don't want to spend much and don't have time or creativity to make a costume, consider staging a costume swap...
Watch out for lead in Halloween props and toys26 Oct 06 | Comments: 1
The folks from the Sierra Club passed along this info about lead in Halloween toys. Interesting, unsettling stuff, and worth sharing: With Halloween just around the corner, we’re trying to get the word out about toxic toys and toy jewelry....
How do you dole out the Halloween candy?24 Oct 06 | Comments: 12
Moxie guest-starred on Kristen Chase's ClubMom blog, The Mom Trap, last week, and shared her suggestions on distributing the Halloween haul of sweets. I generally let my kids (7 and 3) have a piece after lunch (or after school) and...
Halloween Fairy swaps candy for toys24 Oct 06 | Comments: 3
Jackie Weissman of Rock Mama Films invites the Halloween Fairy to swap her son's candy for a new toy every year. Her son is thrilled with the trade, and the candy parade is over before it starts. (In some families,...
Build-a-Bear Workshop outfits as baby Halloween costumes23 Oct 06 | Comments: 1
If you're still recovering from the sticker shock at Build-A-Bear Workshop, follow Ken's suggestion: reuse the bear's outfit as a Halloween costume for your baby. (Check out those cute pix!) Warning: unless dressing the baby for a quick photo-op, make...
No-sew modular Halloween costumes20 Oct 06 | Comments: 6
Hedra just sent this Halloween costume hack, and it's so good I had to post it right away so you can make a fabric store run this weekend! Over time, my costume-making has evolved into a fairly simple hack. I...
How do you prepare a toddler for his first Halloween? Talk amongst yourselves.19 Oct 06 | Comments: 9
Kim asks: How do you get a 2 year-old prepared for Halloween? In other words, how do you get them to understand the concept of trick or treating and wearing a costume? Our son is going to be an oompa...
Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF17 Oct 06 | Comments: 4
Maria Bailey, host of Mom Talk Radio, passed along the details about a fantastic program, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, which I am happy to pass along to you: For most parents Halloween is all about finding the best costume for their...
Squibbles features Halloween links10 Oct 06 | Comments: 2
Parent Hacks reader Mike Botsko recently launched Squibbles, a place for parents and teachers to share their favorite kid-related sites. Submit a link, vote on your favorites, the "cream" rises to the top. Right now, Squibbles is featuring Halloween-related links....
Used library books as party favors12 Sep 06 | Comments: 4
My family and I recently attended the birthday party of a good six year-old buddy. Great end-of-summer shindig: there was swimming, a picnic in the park, and super-delicious chocolate cake. At least 30 kids and their siblings ran around having...
Even babies can hand-paint terra cotta planters as gifts29 Aug 06 | Comments: 1
Here's Emily's great idea for a teacher gift, or possibly, for Grandparents' Day (Hallmark holiday that it is, but grandparents deserve every bit of appreciation they can get): A few months ago we decided to get creative with the birthday...
Simple birthday party theme for young 'uns28 Jun 06 | Comments: 3
I'm allergic to overly elaborate birthday parties. So I love Sara's idea: I didn't want to go overboard for J.'s first birthday, but I did want to make it special, so I decided on a very simple theme: Red. (Her...
How to make a pull-string pinata20 Jun 06 | Comments: 12
When I first read AJ's post on how to make a pull-string pinata, I had no idea what he was talking about. Pull strings? No bat? No blindfolds? Then, last weekend, my son attended a 6yo's birthday party where a...
Veggie Booty as Easter basket "grass"13 Apr 06 | Comments: 3
This brilliant Easter basket hack comes from Moxie of Ask Moxie (a site you should ALL visit): I started using Veggie Booty [the green, cheese-puff-like snack most kids devour despite its healthy profile -- Ed.] in the bottom of my...
Use watercolors to decorate Easter eggs05 Apr 06 | Comments: 0
Chris's wife Katrina suggests: The dye kits for Easter eggs are scary. The dyes can stain EVERYTHING: kids' hands, floors, tables, and the occasional egg. Just as attractive and definitely a lot easier to clean up is the idea of...
Funmallows: good for art projects, at least23 Mar 06 | Comments: 1
If you've never tried Funmallows -- the colorful, fruit-flavored "jet-puffed" mini-marshmallows -- you're lucky. They taste like the unholy spawn of regular marshmallows and Tums. So, in an effort to get rid of a bag that crept into our house,...
A better goody bag22 Mar 06 | Comments: 6
Melissa's Blogging Baby post about goody bag garbage (and her creative solutions) got me thinking about the best party favors we've recently gotten or given. I generally forgo the birthday party goody bag on principle, preferring instead to give kids...
Dollar store scores19 Mar 06 | Comments: 3
Found on a recent jaunt to the local dollar store: Jumbo coloring- and word-find puzzle books Mini dry-erase boards (keeps the kids off of mine) A Scooby-Doo 100-piece jigsaw puzzle A pack of 18 plastic Easter eggs
Valentine's Day marching orders06 Feb 06 | Comments: 5
Forget the candy and the jewelry. For Valentine's Day, give your partner the gift of time. Pure, unadulterated, uninturrupted time. Send her/him (whoever's the primary caretaker of the kids) to a cafe for a couple hours with a book and...
'Busy Books' are full of playtime hacks02 Feb 06 | Comments: 0
Trish Kuffner may not consider herself a hacker, but we certainly do. She has crammed her tidy little books full of cheap, creative ways to make fun with regular household items. The Toddler's Busy Book and The Preschooler's Busy Book...
