This post has been sponsored by Store Brand Formula. All opinions are my own.
Having a toddler is exhilarating, exciting, and exhausting. One minute they are all smiles and the next minute they are on the floor screaming they need a snack. Even if you’ve already offered them five snack choices. They’re also messy. I spend a lot of my time following behind the two-year-olds mopping up spills, sweeping up messes, and generally undoing all the things they “help” me do around the house. If that sounds like your life too, then I have help! I’ve found ways to repurpose common household objects to help the toddlers have fun while keeping the house a little cleaner. I call it my 10 Sanity Saving Parenting Hacks for Toddlers.
Sanity Saving Parenting Hacks For Toddlers
If you don’t already have these items around the house, they’re easy to find and low cost too.
1. Silicone Cupcake Liners– Are you always finding weird sticky stuff in your cupholders? Do the kids turn over their drinks and leak soda, juice, or milk into the cupholders? I’ve found that placing a silicone liner in each cupholder makes it easy to contain and clean the mess. They’re easy to wash if they get sticky too.
2. Plastic Condiment Cups- Place a pacifier in one of these and add it to the diaper bag. It will help keep them sanitary.
3. Muffin Tins- Do your children not like their foods touching? Are they picky eaters? Solve the day by making snack trays in muffin tins. With twelve different containers, you can add a variety of foods for toddlers to grab whenever they are hungry. We like to add goodies like crackers, apple wedges, grapes, carrots, dip, and other seasonal fruits and veggies. We’ve found this encourages trying healthy foods.
4. Over the Door Shoe Bags- These are great to place over the back of the door in the kids’ room to hold necessities you might need in the upper shelves-think lotions, baby powder, wipes, – and smaller toddler toys on the bottom shelves. You can also hang these over the back of the car seat to hold “goodies” while traveling. We pack bags of snacks, crayons, small books and toys, and more.
5. Gallon Sized Food Storage Plastic Bags- Taking a trip? Make it easy to find the kids’ clothing by packing an entire outfit-socks, underwear, and clothing- in the plastic bag. Press out the air before sealing. It’s compact enough to save room in the suitcase and easy to find everything they need to get dressed. If your flying, keep one set in your carry-on for emergencies.
6. Shower Curtains- Old washed shower curtains have so many uses. They make great mats for the kids to draw on, are good to use on the beach instead of blankets and are great for when the kids have water play activities.
7. Lint Rollers- Remember all the little messes and spills the kids make? This is a quick and easy way to remove small crumbs and the worst mess of all; spilled glitter.
8. Old Squirt Bottles- These are good for art projects. We add water and let the kids “paint” the patio and the sidewalk. If you’re feeling creative, add some food coloring to the water and let them “create.”
9. Spice Racks- Hang old spice racks at toddler level. They make great shelves for their books. Add a few comfy pillows on the floor and a stuffed animal or two and you’ve got a cozy reading nook.
10. Old Kids or Adult T-Shirts – These make great cover-ups when you’re feeding the kids or when they’re involved in a messy activity. Just cover them until the activity is finished, whisk off the t-shirt, and take it straight to the wash. The longer sleeves will keep messes off their skin too!
Want to know more Parenting Hacks? Be sure to check out the Parenting NewsFEED for more.
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What are your best Sanity Saving parenting hacks?
These are some amazing sanity saving parenting hacks for sure! I miss the days of little ones around, my kids are older now and it seems harder to get them to be occupied.
Toddlers are SO much work! haha, and why are they always wanting a snack? These are great, helpful tips!
Though my children are a lot older. I have nieces and nephews who are toddlers. These tips are really helpful.
I remember those empty boxes, it was a fun memories with my kids. They also used pots and pans to make music in the kitchen, it’s alwayS A MESS BUT FUN.
Having toddlers in the house is really enjoyable but sometimes, frustrating especially when dealing with their mess. Hahaha! Indeed such are great tips and hacks to make parents sane while taking care of toddlers.
These are all great tip! The toddler phase is a tough one, now that my kids are older I tend to look back on the toddler years with fondness but it is a exhausting and hard time for parents for sure.
We’ve done the shower curtain trick before. I once let the kids play with dry rice and beans to their heart’s content on my living room floor.
So glad I am out the toddler age group but now I’m in the preteen attitude age group smh which I think is worse lol. These are some great tips love the muffin tin one
These hacks are great! The one I used a lot was the cup for the soother. I learned quickly to do this when my babies were on the run.
So many great hacks! We actually used a few of them when my daughters were smaller.
There are so many awesome ideas here. We have used many of these tips over the years. We use spice racks to hold books – so practical!!
These are some great hacks! I need all the help I can get. My kids are older now, but these are great ideas for toddlers. I’ll pass this onto friends who have some.
These are all fabulous hacks! Kids love the darnedest things! Formula is a vital part of a baby’s growth, it is good to search out a good one.
Going to send this to my daughter. She will live these ideas. I use shoe over door racks all the time
I need to share this with my daughter-in-law. My grandson is just starting to walk and she needs these parenting hacks.
I am totally sending this to my sister-in-law. She has two toddlers and I’m pretty sure she is going a bit crazy right now. This gives her some great ideas.
You have some great ideas here! I love the one about using the muffin tins. I never would have thought of that!