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We asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to share the the ingenious tips and tricks they use for their kids. Here's their advice (and some of our fave, clever hacks, too!)
1. Entertain your child for hours with a bubble machine. They'll get to enjoy a magical bubble wonderland while you can finally get some of those important adult things done...or maybe just go to the bathroom in peace.
2. And for another really easy, yet wildly engaging activity — grab a handful of balloons, a pair of fly swatters, and organize a wildly hilarious, and most likely competitive, game of *balloon tennis.*
3. Build your own DIY faucet extender by upcycling an old shampoo bottle (or skip the project altogether and buy this ready-made pair of faucet extenders instead). You'll save a few bucks *and* save your poor back from the strain of lifting your toddler up to the sink, but most importantly, you'll empower your little one to wash their hands and brush their teeth all by themselves!
4. Need a hack to avoid those dreaded Target store meltdowns? Y'know, the ones where they beg for a toy again and again, you say "no" again and again, and then chaos and crying ensues? You can avoid all that just by taking a picture of the toy — this lets them know that you won't forget about it come the next special occasion, which is extra helpful because it's all too easy to actually forget by the time their birthday rolls around.
5. Ready to be done once and for all with middle-of-the-night bedsheet changes? Allow me to introduce you to this genius crib lasagna trick: layer a bedsheet then a waterproof pad, then another bed sheet, and a waterproof pad. Then, when an accident happens, all you have to do is peel off the top sheet and waterproof pad layer and all parties can go back to sleep lickity split (hopefully).
6. For anyone potty training a toddler, a potty rewards chart is a great way to positively reinforce your kiddo for using the "big potty." Some call it bribery, I call it well-earned stickers.
7. Stock up on socks in the same color (or style), and you'll never have to struggle with missing or unmatching socks again. Take that, mysterious sock-snatching monster!
8. Create a ~kid's club in da tub~ by tossing a few glow sticks in the water to really ~light~ up the fun. Just be forewarned, bath time will be such a party that they probably won't want to leave (aka get out, get dressed, and go to bed).
9. Repurpose a pizza cutter to cut pancakes or waffles into the perfect bite-sized pieces in less time than it'll take for your kid to get sticky syrup all over their fingers, which happens in about 20 seconds. We love creative uses for things, especially when it saves time and energy!
10. And, break the record for the fastest batch of pancakes ever made with a Whiskware pancake batter mixer. The BlenderBall wire whisk eliminates the need for a separate mixing bowl and keeps the batter from getting all over the place. Add your ingredients, shake, pour, and enjoy a yummy breakfast! 😋
11. Transform the ball pit into something that's secretly educational by using a Sharpie to write the ABCs on the plastic balls. Next, come up with some easy and fun games to test and practice their letter recognition, such as placing alphabet balls in their matching bucket!
12. And while we're on the subject of learning letters and words, make learning sight words fun and frazzle-free by playing this exciting sight words Bingo game!
13. Help your little one keep their left and right shoes straight with a simple sticker trick: cut a sticker in half and place one half on each sole so they can see (and remember!) which is left and which is right. Or, opt for these moisture-proof toddler shoe sticker helpers instead.
14. Inspire your kids to become motivated helpers around the house by giving them their ~very own~ cleaning caddy. Don't worry about buying new cleaning supplies, either — simply grab a few of your existing (nontoxic!) supplies and place 'em in a new bucket with some rags and feather dusters.
15. And BTW, lift away the most stubborn of stains including grass, oil, or blood from your kids' clothes with a popular stain remover. Once you see how well this concentrated spot treatment works, you'll quickly be joining its cult following.
16. Make their fave stuffies soft and cuddly again with this easy (read: lazy) cleaning hack that promises not to do more harm than good — I promise! Plop them in a pillow case and tie them with a scrunchie before throwing them in the washing machine — Mr. Teddy will come out looking months, maybe even years, younger!
17. Swap out the boring ice pack your kids never want to use on booboos for a *marshmallow ouchie pack* instead. Throw some marshmallows in a Ziploc and pop them in the freezer. Then, when injury strikes, they'll have something soft, moldable, and not unbearably cold!
18. Whip out the bug bite suction tool anytime your kid gets a mosquito, spider, or another kind of bug bite to relieve the itching and swelling and keep them from scratching their skin all day. It was invented by a mom, so you know it's gotta be worth all the hype.
19. Maximize valuable bathroom countertop space by hanging plastic cups on the inside of the cabinet door. Use a Sharpie to label them with names and voilà — everyone's got a designated spot for storing their toothbrush that's not on the counter.
20. Or, cut down on the bathroom clutter and messes with this viral TikTok toothbrush holder and dispenser that'll squeeze toothpaste on your child's brush for you, which means you won't have to spend umpteen hours wiping toothpaste smears off the counters and sinks.
21. Don't play ~ketchup~ when it comes to spills and explosions in the car — prevent them from happening in the first place with this simple-but-smart car vent dip clip. Go ahead, dunk a nugget or two yourself — you deserve it!
22. Hang a hands-on calendar in your preschooler's room so they can start learning the days of the week, months, and the weather. Updating the calendar each morning is a great way to begin their morning routine and can even help them pick out an appropriate outfit for the day!
The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.