Updated on May 22, 2019. Posted on Feb 5, 2017

100 Genius Hacks Guaranteed To Make A Parent’s Job Easier

Enough hacks to get you from birth through high school graduation.

Mike Spohr

BuzzFeed Staff

1. Place tape over the speakers on your kids' toys to lower the volume.

2. Put a roll of butcher paper above a frame so your kid can draw a new masterpiece every day.

3. Store Play-Doh in a carousel for K-Cups — it makes it easy for your kids to find the color they want and looks cool.

4. Easily shape snow into blocks using a rectangular-shaped Tupperware container.

5. Put a cupcake liner under a popsicle to keep it from melting all over your kid's hand.

6. Strange but true: A cucumber works this way too because it soaks up the juices.

7. Make mealtime less messy by putting ketchup under your kid's hot dog instead of on top of it.

8. Keep your candy safe from your kids by stashing it inside a healthy snack’s empty packaging.

9. Have a kid who constantly pulls off their diaper (or strips naked)? Try putting their onesie on backward.

10. Stop your kid from turning the lights off and on (and off again) with a piece of plastic from a milk jug.

11. Use a straw to remove a strawberry’s stem in seconds.

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12. Stop your kids from misplacing their shoes by placing a shoe rack by the front door.

13. Put up a “spy window” so you don’t have to go all the way downstairs every time you want to check on the kids.

14. Freeze yogurt to make ice pops your kid will love.

15. Out of your diaper pail's refill bags? Use a trash bag instead.

16. Hang your kid's toy cars on the wall using magnet knife holders.

17. Stick a command hook on the back of a high chair to hang bibs.

18. Cut pancakes into toddler-sized bites with a pizza cutter.

19. Use the envelope folds on a onesie for their intended purpose — to allow you to pull a onesie DOWN off your poopy baby instead of over their head and making a huge mess.

20. Make storing and organizing Lego bricks a snap using a shoe storage bag.

21. Cut a sticker down the middle, then put one half inside each of your kid’s shoes. This way they’ll always know which shoe goes on which foot.

22. Wash baby socks together in a laundry bag so you never lose another one again.

23. Raise the triangles on the sides of a juice box to make it easier for little kids to lift.

24. If your kid is afraid of monsters at night, make some “monster spray” to spray in their room before bed.

25. Pack an extra shirt for yourself in your diaper bag so that when your baby spits up on you in public, you're covered.

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26. Stop a public toilet from suddenly flushing and scaring your kid by putting toilet paper over the sensor.

27. A frozen sponge in a ziplock bag makes a super-affordable ice pack you won't mind your kid losing.

28. Put plastic wrap over the top of a cup to seriously cut down on spills.

29. An Altoids container is the perfect way to store crayons in your purse.

30. Freeze a CapriSun for six hours to turn it into a seriously kid-approved slushy.

31. Use a shower rod and small plastic baskets to make the perfect way to store your kid's bath toys.

32. Keep pacifiers clean in your bag by putting them in soufflé/portion cups.

33. To detangle doll hair, fill a small spray bottle with fabric softener and water.

34. Make eating healthy snacks fun by putting them in an ice cube tray.

35. Missing things you need? Set your kid loose on a scavenger hunt to find them.

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36. Stop your kid from squirting out too much soap by adding a rubber band to the head of the dispenser’s pump.

37. Turn an old lotion bottle into a faucet extender so yourkid can reach the water.

38. Tape is great for picking up sparkles, glitter, and other teeny-tiny things your kid spills.

39. If you put a dryer sheet in a pan before you soak it overnight, the baked-on crust will wipe away in the morning.

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40. Have a picky eater? Draw fun faces on eggs to make them more appealing.

41. Make watermelon easier for kids to eat by cutting it into little sticks.

42. Put freezie pops upright in your freezer before freezing for a clean, mess-free cut.

43. Keep your kid from wasting toilet paper by putting a "You shall not pass!" line on the wall.

44. Kid about to make a messy craft? Place Press’n Seal wrap on their clothes so they don’t get dirty.

45. Keep your kid patient while waiting for the doctor by letting them draw on the exam table paper.

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46. Use a lint roller to quickly pick up glitter.

47. Attach a clip to the end of your kid’s bubble wand to keep it from falling into the container.

48. Make a pretty terrific diaper caddy out of a wine carrier.

49. Use an empty wipes container to store travel snacks for your kid.

50. Make keeping track of your kid’s dosages easy by writing a chart on the side of the medicine bottle.

51. Keep toddlers entertained on a flight by letting them play with gel clings on the window.

52. Upcycle unused Lego bricks into an impressive bathroom organizer.

53. Use coffee filters as no-stress “snack bowls” for your kids.

54. Stop your kid from whining "I'm hungry!" by putting snack bins in your pantry.

55. Have a kid who refuses to take their medicine? Dip a lollipop into the medicine, then let them suck it. Repeat until all is gone.

56. Gently stroke your baby’s face with a tissue to get them to sleep in less than 40 seconds.

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Every baby is different, so yours might not respond the same way to this tissue hack. If not, try gently massaging your baby’s scalp, forehead, and belly.

57. Make “mother’s milk pacifiers” to soothe teething pain and give your baby sustenance at the same time.

58. Relieve gas by gently pushing your baby’s knees toward their chest.

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Learn other ways to relieve gas pains here.

59. Use this gift card trick to make sure you don't end up short when the holidays arrive.

60. Vacuum-seal diapers to make them more portable.

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This is an especially good idea if you’re going on vacation and only have so much room in your suitcase.

61. Use a crib sheet to protect an outdoor baby from bug bites and too much sun.

62. Relieve discomfort in your baby by massaging their feet.

63. The best time to cut your baby’s nails is 20 minutes after they’ve fallen asleep.

64. Stash wipes and a few extra diapers in the back of your car so you can always change your baby in a pinch.

65. Keep your toddler busy by letting them “paint” the fence with water.

66. Childproof cabinet doors using hair ties.

67. Remove marker and crayon from most surfaces using toothpaste.

68. Attach a sippy cup to your kid’s car seat so you won’t have to turn around and pick it up every time they drop it.

69. Put a key ring on your child’s jacket to make it easier for them to zip up.

70. Use clothespins to keep your kid’s toothbrush from touching dirty counters while on the road.

71. Put masking tape on the carpet to make a racetrack for your kid's toy cars.

72. Use shoe organizers to organize your kid’s things in the car.

73. Stop your kid from falling out of bed with a pool noodle and fitted sheet.

74. Pool noodles also make a surprisingly effective way to babyproof a coffee table — especially in a pinch.

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75. Keep birthday cake from going stale with white bread and toothpicks.

76. Dollar Store shower caddies make perfect snack baskets for kids on movie night.

77. Keep your kid busy by letting them draw on — and in — a cardboard box.

78. Pizza boxes will also keep your kids busy — they make perfect canvases for finger painting.

79. Keep your kids' toys germ-free by washing them in the dishwasher.

80. Keep your toddler entertained with a colander and some pipe cleaners.

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81. Make PB&J sandwiches less messy by using the jelly pocket method.

82. Keep your kid's burrito from falling apart by serving it in a mason jar.

83. Dollar store silverware drawers are great for organizing siblings' toothbrushes.

84. Attach your kid’s bubble wand to a pole or wall to make a spill-proof bubble station.

85. Hang board games on the wall of a play room to save space (and to add a bit of flair).

86. Hot-glue the holes in the bottom of bath toys to stop mold from forming.

87. Keep your kids on task at home — and teach them time management skills — by color-coding a clock.

88. Use shopping cart restraints to stop your toddler from dropping their sippy cup onto the floor.

89. Got a kid who hates baths? Throw some glow sticks into the water to make bathing a super-fun activity.

90. Put the lid from a pack of wet wipes onto a bag of chips to keep it fresh way longer.

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91. Save space when packing by rolling your kid’s outfits instead of folding them.

92. Make a self-serve breakfast station so your kid can get their own breakfast and not have to drag you out of bed.

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93. Does your kid yell "too cold!" when they need an ice pack? Give them a bag of frozen marshmallows instead.

94. Make cleaning Lego bricks easy by putting them in the washing machine.

95. Fix a doll with a broken "creepy" eye by supergluing it open.

96. Band-Aids can be used to babyproof electrical outlets in a pinch.

97. Use this ingenious hack to make your kids think twice before they act up again.

98. Dawn, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda will get set-in baby food stains out of a onesie.

99. Keep ice cream soft by storing it in a freezer bag.

100. And lastly, use your refrigerator to make an easy wine dispenser.

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