Family Tips - Kids - Children
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Jul 26, 2007, 01:17   With two small kids of my own and many in-laws the toy mess gets huge! After many nights picking up after them, I found an easier way. My husband built a large toy box that we keep in the living room, the difference being that the front side of the box lifts out. At the end of the day I use a plastic lawn rake to 'sweep' the toys into the box. The boys love to help with this, since it involves the desruction of the roads and towns they have built through the day. Please note, we do keep fragile toys in the lounge box. (Kelly)

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Make homemade colored shampoo, just like the blue blues clues soap, only doesn't leave tints on child. Fill a container with regular baby shampoo and add as much food coloring drops as you like for shade and shake. Now they can paint themselves with soap. Perfect for a independent toddler.

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If you have kids like mine who like to play with beads (seed beads are the favorite here). But seem to make a mess with them on the carpeted floor? The best way to pick them up with out vacuuming them up and loosing them forever is to put a nylon stocking over the extension nozzel and have the kids vacuum them up and put them in a cup to sort through later. No more waisted beads (and money). (glhulettwy)

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A quick and easy way to put away children's lego pieces is to lay down a large sheet or tablecloth and teach the children to play with them on the sheet. When its time to pack up simply pick up the sheet by the corners and place the legos back into their box. (Leanne)

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I found the best way to pick up legos! I use a broom, sweep them all up into a pile and use a scooper to place them in a bucket! By the way, the bucket is a recycled bucket from soap that I purchased from Sam's Club. (Wendy-TipzTime)

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I've learned to make it a rule that the kids (I have 2, ages 4 and 2) should have to clean up their toys once every hour. I keep them organized an a plastic 6 drawer standing unit. I have drawers for lego, wooden blocks, toy dishes, puzzles, dinky cars and misc. It really works to cut down on an overwhelming clean up at the end of the day. It also teaches them to be neat and they have fun trying to find what goes in which drawer! (MistDragon)

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I must share with you my kid's favorite videos. We have a few of the collection called BABY SONGS. These are musical and fun videos for babies and toddlers, although my older kids love them too. Babies love to watch other babies! What is especially nice is that I didn't get tired of hearing the songs over and over again. These songs are so nice that I found myself enjoying singing them with the kids! All I can say is that you must try it to see what I mean. >Go

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I love the little things that keep kids busy. My kids like to play with a big milk jug that has money in it. Just make sure that they are above the age where they can't choke on the money. They play for about an hour or so. Putting the money in and pouring it out. The ones who are old enough get good practice counting the money as well. (Wendy-TipzTime)

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Saving baby wipe containers for grades K-1 is a great way for each child to have their own box for their school supplies. (crayons, pencils, erasers, scissors, and etc.) Also a way to keep their germs to themselves. As most k-1 classes share a round table with supplies in caddy in the middle.(to each his own-one runny nose wipe to the next)(Debbie Elser)

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If you have kids (3 or more like me) and you want to go out the next day. Prepare everything such as the baby bag with pampers, extra clothes, bottles filled with water, formula, plastic bag for dirty pampers, snacks or food. Do this the night before so in the morning you have time to get the kids ready and yourself. Avoiding being in a hurry and getting into a bad mood, just taking it easy and relax. And before you leave go over everything so nothing is left behind. (Edna Melendez)

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I don't know who invented Ziploc Bags but it is GREAT. I am studying how to be a good mother so I can teach my lil brothers some manners and I found great ways to use Ziploc bags. You know that Chess game you got your kids? Well you can put all those playing pieces inside. Same thing with any other thing. You can put crayons in there. If you went to your friend's house and your baby made a mess in the diaper and you don't want all those germs on your baby, put diapers and a towel in a bag. Take them out. Put the towel on the baggie and you have a safe changing area. If you want to know if you have good seeds for gardening put a wet tissue in a bag and sprinkle seeds with water. If they start to bacterialize then they are no good. (CoolZoog)

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Are your kids not in the mood for bed? Here are some tips. Have your child put out clothes for the next day. Give them a warm calm bath before bed. Have there favorite pajamas waiting. When they climb into bed make sure that they have there favorite stuffed animal waiting for nappy time. Also read a short bedtime story while your child eats a nice warm snack with nice warm chocolate milk. Things are warm you notice. That's a key. (CoolZoog)

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To remove vaseline from your child's hair, try using baking soda. Pour baking soda in your hand, pour enough water on it so it turns into a paste like substance. Put all over your child's hair. Use a much as you want. Then shampoo out. This is also good when hair spray is built up on your hair. Your hair will be clean afterwards. My hair dresser told me this one, I do this at least once a month. (Suzanne)

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Do you get tired of all of those stains on your kid's clothes? Have your kids wear red clothes on spaghetti night. Brown clothes when eating chocolate, etc. At least those types of stains will just blend in. (Wendy-TipzTime)

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For fire smoke on kid's toys: Sudsy ammonia will do the trick on hard plastic toys, rubber ones too. I don't know if it works on fabric materials but i do know about the plastic toys. Make sure you put the ammonia in hot water and either submerge the toy in the water, or wipe with a cloth. (Kelly)

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To make chunky peanut butter smooth, (especially for those little people who don't yet have their molars) slowly heat up the peanut butter until it liquefies, then put it through a fine mesh strainer. Use a spoon or rubber spatula to help the p.b. go through. Store in a separate container. (KMH)

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Empty paper towel rolls can be used to keep artwork or for transporting papers that you don't want to get wrinkled.

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Instead of copying the spines of your books while trying to hold your wiggly 2 year old, you can also ask the clerk to print you out a list of all the books you are checking out. I found it makes life easier to just let my 8 yr. old check off the books and put them in the bag before we make our return trip. (L. Schilb, Jacksonville FL)

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When my kids make muffins, it isn't easy for them to scrape the muffin mix into the muffin baking pan without making a big mess. I let them use a ladle to scoop the muffin mix into the muffin baking pan. Much less mess. (Wendy-TipzTime)

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Why use those little squirt guns that leak and are hard to fill up? We like to use those little squirt bottles that you water your plants with. They are the kind that you can twist the nozzle in or out to have it do a light mist or a straight spray. They do spray pretty far. This is great for the young kids. Not under three though, as the nozzle can be twisted off and become a choking hazard. (Wendy-TipzTime)

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When your child loses their first tooth, make that first visit from the tooth fairy unforgettable. Lightly rub a dollar bill with a very thin layer of elmer's glue, sprinkle glitter (fairy dust) and let dry overnight. My children still have their "fairy money" after many years! (Dee)

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As a mother of 4 children, I realized that bath time was not fun time when your child is terrified to have their hair washed. I hung a mobile from the ceiling above the tub and turned it on when it was time to wash their hair. They would look up and watch it while I rinsed the soap from their hair with no more tears!! (Sharon G.)

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To remove crayon from oil based painted walls, spray a little WD-40 on a rag and wipe away. The crayon will come right off! (Ellen S)

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Use a baking soda paste to remove crayons from walls. (Mary)

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For vaseline in the hair use dish detergent. (Michelle)

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Here is an idea to help control library books, before you leave the library, line up all the books with the spines down on the copy machine. Make a copy of the spines.... this is a record of what you checked out.... at .15 a copy it is a cheap way to watch those fines. It works well for us.... my dd loves to check the crate against the list before leaving for the library. (Tina)

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To decorate the top of the child's birthday cake, use cookie cutters to make a light impression and fill the outline with icing, or decorative candies. (Rose)

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Make it easier for children to hold onto their glasses by placing a couple of rubber bands on the outside.

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To keep a small child from falling out of bed, place pillows between the top mattress and the box springs, on the outside edge. It causes it to be sloped towards the wall a bit. (Wendy-TipzTime)

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This is a "pet tip". A safe, fun, and easy care small pet for your child is a gerbil. So many parents think hamsters are best, but they bite far more often, and are usually skittish and don't like to be held. Gerbils are friendly, curious, and nearly never bite when treated well. There are many gerbil care sites on the internet that are very helpful. (Dori )

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You can place a small piece of sandpaper in your child's pencil box. It comes in handy for cleaning dirty erasers. (Heather)

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If you find your child has written on their skin with ball point pen, wiping with a baby wipe will get the ink off easily. Wipes get off just about everything. (Melissa)

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For kids or educational posters use clear mailing tape for the edges rather than getting them laminated. (Wendy-TipzTime)

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Keep small coloring books and crayons in your purse for places like restaurants, the kids will have something to keep themselves occupied while you wait. (Wendy-TipzTime)

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I have three small children. When I throw away a plastic bag (such as a bread bag), I tie a couple of knots in it. That way, if they somehow manage to get it, they won't be able to hurt themselves with it. (Caroline)

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When I put clean sheets on my kids' beds, I put on a fitted sheet and a flat sheet. I cover them up with a light blanket at naps and bed time. Then, when I change the sheets, I just take off the flat sheet and leave the fitted sheet. This way, I only change sheets every other week. (Caroline)

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For an easy bird feeder, place a straightened hanger, bent into a half circle, into each end of an ear of corn.

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To make it easier for kids to use the soap in the shower/tub, give them something to hold onto. Place the bar in a small sock and tie off and rub for the lather. Like a sock/washcloth all in one.

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Make that tooth fairy occasion extra special by writing a note on a doily from her for how well the tooth was taken care of and to keep up the great work. Fold in half twice and place money inside. (Wendy-TipzTime)

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Recipe for bubble soap: 6 parts water, 2 parts Joy dishwashing liquid, and 3/4 part corn syrup.

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Take the stuffed animals that you find and make them into hand puppets by cutting a hole in the back and taking out the stuffing. Kids will play with them as puppets more than as stuffed animals.

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To remove fingerprints from most household surfaces, use a mixture of ammonia and water mixed in equal parts.

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Then your child's clothes go through the washer and dryer and has a sticker on the clothes, put some peanut butter on it and mix it into it. Put it back into the washer and it comes out clean. (Patty)

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Peanut Butter will remove Bubble Gum from your hair. (Lynn)

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Why not record your child's voice on a cassette tape and send it to their pen pal. Such a nice personal surprise to send with a drawn picture.

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A length of plastic table cloth (bought off the roll) laid on the lawn with a soaker hose along side it, makes an afternoon of fun for the kids to slide on. (Anon)

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Reuse those plastic, flip top band aide containers to hold children's crayons. You can also reuse them to keep small things from your purse in.

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If your kids seem to always break their crayons (especially the preschool fat crayons), wrap them with mailing tape to prevent them from breaking.

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Once you are finished with a pencil drawing, spray hair spray on it to keep it from smearing.

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To remove bubble gum from hair, put some cooking oil on your fingers and massage it into the gum. Eventually it will dissolve and you'll be able to pull it out. A good shampoo should get the grease out. (marla)

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One way to remove crayon off of your walls is to use toothpaste. Rub softly as to not remove the paint. (Friends at Upcounty)

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Use rubbing alcohol to wipe off markers from your hands.