36 Toddler Tips, Tricks & Hacks

I love finding simpler ways to parent.

It has been a common trend on my blog to list as many hacks, tips, and tricks I could find for every area of parenting, from pregnancy to all things baby to now, all things toddlers.

The toddler stage is challenging in its own way, when compared to the baby stage.

Toddlers are learning a host of new skill sets all at once, and that could be a very frustrating and messy process.

Having short cuts to anything that helps during this time is essential to your sanity!

Let’s not waste any time and get to the goods.

Here is a compilation of 35 tried and true toddler tips, tricks, and hacks.

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1. Use Leftover Postpartum Bed Pads When Potty Training Your Toddler Through The Night

That is to say, that you were using bed pads during postpartum.

If not, then you can skip right over to number two.

Now, it’s normal for toddlers to have accidents when they sleep, even if they are potty trained during the day.

Toddlers don’t usually wake up from full bladders like older kids do, so accidents are bound to happen.

Your mattress doesn’t have to suffer, though!

Remember those old one-time-use bed pads from your postpartum days?

Well, here’s when you can finish up that pack if you haven’t already!

Lay a sheet underneath your toddler while they sleep, just as you did for yourself.

As a tip, you might want to secure the pad and tuck it into the sides of the mattress so that it doesn’t move around.

If your toddler has an accident all that you’ll need to do is replace the pad and maybe wash the comforter, but your sheets and mattress should be safe!

If you didn’t use bed pads for your bed during postpartum (I didn’t need them because I used these instead!) and you didn’t buy a mattress protector when you first bought everything for the crib/bed (I regret that I never bought one), then you can purchase a regular washable absorbable mat.

I’d say this is essential during potty training.

We ended up purchasing this mattress pad protector (shown in the picture above) but had I had bed pads, I would have totally repurposed them for this!

2. Use Stickers To Help With Foot-Shoe Recognition

I’ve been seeing this toddler hack circulating ever since my baby girl was born, and I finally got to test it out!

All you do is cut a sticker in half and place each piece on the corresponding shoe to ‘complete’ to the whole.

The left part of the sticker would go in the inner sole of the left shoe and the right part in the inner sole of the right shoe.

It honestly doesn’t matter what kind of sticker you use as your toddler will learn to recognize that the sticker halves have to be next to one another for proper fitting.

I decided to try it out first on my little girl’s sandals as those have been our go-to summer shoes.

I’ll be honest, she doesn’t always pay attention to the stickers and she’ll switch shoes once I tell her it’s the wrong one, so we are still working on recognition.

My tip is to really drive the concept home with constant repetition, every time you put on the shoes point out the stickers, and with positive reinforcement, when your toddler recognizes the stickers coming together enthusiastically cheer for them!

3. Use A Pizza Cutter When Cutting Food Into Bits

A pizza cutter won’t work for all of their meals, especially not the dense meats, but I have found it to be incredibly useful when it does work.

For one, it’s quicker than the old fork and knife, and we all know how precious time is when it involves a hungry toddler’s food!

It also makes breakfast run smoother since I am able to cut food while nursing my 4-month-old.

Multitasking at it’s finest.

Parenting win!

4. Get Mella To Help With Sleep Training

I’ll be honest, I was super skeptical with the idea of using a clock (and a pricey one, at that) to get my toddler to like the idea of going to bed.

Frankly, she despised the concept altogether.

Naptime and bedtime have always been a struggle for us.

But, I decided to try Mella out after hearing other moms raving about how much their kids loved it.

I’m not over exaggerating when I’m writing this, the first time we set Mella up and turned on her light and ‘Nap’ cycle and I explained to my daughter that it was nap time and pointed out that Mella was ‘napping’, she literally laid down without a fight.

It was like this for the next couple of days as well!

Now, does it eliminate sleep struggles overall?

No, because toddlers are toddlers and even my little girl will resist a nap every now and then, but it really does help reinforce it since they have a friend that sleeps when they do.

Now the best part about Mella is it also tells your toddler when it’s time to get up, or, if you have a very early bird, when you should actually get out of bed.

Mella lights up orange 30 minutes before wake up time and then turns green when it’s time to get out of bed.

Thankfully for us (on most days), my kids love to sleep in until 9 AM, but if your toddler is out of bed before 6 AM then this could really get them to stay there a little longer, or at least understand that it’s too early to come out of bed.

5. Toddler-Proof The Bathroom

This is more of a tip to help make potty training a little easier.

Making your bathroom toddler-friendly promotes independence, and potty training is all about independence.

If your toddler is able to get to the toilet and to the sink on their own, they’re more likely to comply during potty-training as they have an easier time imitating what they see you doing.

The first place to start is at the sink.

If you haven’t heard of the Aquaduck, then it’s basically a sink extender that allows your toddler to reach the handles, turn on the water flow, and reach the water so they can independently wash their hands.

You could make your own spout extender using an old shampoo bottle, although solving the handle-reach problem gets a little trickier (depending on if you have a one or two faucet system) but it’s also doable.

Via AARP

Either or work!

Now I’ll be honest, allowing my toddler easy access to water was a little terrifying because I saw how messy things would get when I was there, so what about when I wasn’t there?

But it really is something your toddler needs to learn eventually, and honestly it can speed up the entire potty training process since they can imitate you all on their own!

Now you’ll also need a step stool, for both the sink and the toilet.

I purchased this wooden one as opposed to the other plastic ones because of its sturdiness and durability, and because I knew I wanted a wooden step stool in general.

It’s the perfect height (although my little girl still has to get on her toe tips to push up the one-system faucet extender, that’s expected), it isn’t too heavy (at least not for my toddler, but this could be the deal-breaker if you were on the fence with a plastic one), and it has handles for easy moveability.

The biggest issue I had with it was the fact that you have to assemble it with a screwdriver and all, but what else should I have expected ordering something so bulky over Amazon.

As a side note, if you have a Homegoods store nearby, you could find some super cute wooden step stools ready to go!

For the toilet, you’ll want a smaller step stool.

I purchased this Baby Björn Step Stool along with the Toilet Seat Trainer Cover and my toddler loves it!

No issues whatsoever, but they are pretty universal.

I would recommend a toilet seat trainer over the separate potty seats as it helps your toddler get used to the idea of sitting on an actual toilet and it’s wayyy easier to clean up!

6. Use Command Hook To Hang Up The Toilet Seat Cover

So there was a hook that we could have bought with our Björn toilet seat trainer, but why spend that extra money when you could use a command hook (something that you probably should already keep handy around the house!) instead?!

Honestly, I like this alternative way better because the hook hangs off to the side of the toilet and that would mean that my toddler would have to walk behind there to grab it.

You choose where you want to put the command hook.

In our case, we wanted to put it right next to the toilet which is easier to reach for my toddler and much less dirty.

Another benefit of using command hooks is that you can have multiple hooks hanging in different bathrooms in case you want to keep the toilet seat cover downstairs during the day.

It’s a much cheaper alternative and solves the problem just as much!

7. Make Restaurant Kits/Busy Bags Using Zipper File Bags

So, I have been doing variations of this ever since my eldest turned six months and sitting down for lunch or dinner at a restaurant became somewhat of a marathon.

However, I never actually created a ‘kit’, or an organized pouch full of little activities and toys until I had a second baby and keeping my toddler busy became a big part of my day.

When I was looking for the storage part of the kit, I wanted something that could hold almost anything but didn’t feel bulky, which meant firm plastic bins were out.

I found these flexible zipper file baggies on Amazon, and after seeing that other moms were already using them for things like storing their kids’ puzzles, I knew they would work well.

Plus I loved the different colors they came in!

That was literally all that I had bought as had the rest of the toys and activities I needed at home.

I just collected anything and everything I knew would keep my toddler entertained.

Here are a couple of kits I had assembled, so that you get the general idea.

Remember, you want to cycle these so that you have a different kit every couple of days, otherwise your toddler will get bored quickly!

In this kit I wanted to include a variety of hands-on activities my little girl enjoys.

She loves the Melissa & Doug Puffy Sticker Books and drawing (mess-free, mommy’s favorite!).

I also included her little pet monkey in the kit along with the ‘First 100 Animals‘ book, just to keep the theme consistent and also inspire some creative play.

We love playing with Play-Doh so that was also a must!

I purchased this Boogie Board off of Amazon so that we get another version of drawing/writing fun, also without the mess!

I also saw a cheaper (but no less better) version at Sam’s Club, but since I had already order this one I decided to keep it.

In this kit I also included other animal figurines along with some fun fruity chapsticks.

These can keep my little girl occupied for some time, don’t know why but they work!

Here are some other things you can include in your kits (if your toddler is under 3, avoid small toys or toys with small parts that could be choking hazards):

Small Books
Play-Doh (we bought this Melissa & Doug Kit which comes with small containers of play dough and plenty of fun tools)
Small Figurines
Cars
A Small Lego Kit
Peg Boards
Beading Kit
Washable Markers and Crayons
Small Drawing Journal
Sticker Books
Coloring Books
The Dimpl
Boogie Board
Water WOW Books
Kids Makeup
Flashcards
And any other little toys your child might enjoy playing with…

8. Use A Pair Of Scissors Specifically For Food

I have heard of moms using scissors for food to snip food into bite-sized pieces, as you would the pizza cutter,.

I would say that the scissors definitely work for meats and other tougher food that pizza cutters just can’t glide through.

We started using food scissors primarily for bananas.

The peel would often get in the way and also make things messier, so I decided to just snip it off halfway.

Super quick and easy, and no more frustrating peel.

Other things you can use food scissors for:

Trimming bread crusts from sandwiches
Cutting chicken into bite-sized pieces
Trimming strawberry ends

9. Make A Potty Training Kit

Potty training can be a hassle when it comes to cleaning up accidents, especially if you have two under two!

A great way to combat the chaos is by making a kit with all your cleaning and changing essentials in one place, ready to go.

For the basket, you can use anything that you may already have around the house.

Since all of my baskets are occupied, and we’re on lockdown so no shopping, I decided to purchase one off of Amazon.

This wired basket had really great reviews so I went with it and was not disappointed (although Amazon doesn’t have much variety when it comes to storage bins).

It’s not only super cute, but it’s sturdy and has a lot of holding capacity, which is perfect for everything that I’ll need to put in the potty training kit!

In my kit I have Clorox wipes, absorbing towels (x3), and Urine Stain and Smell Eliminating Spray (plus a black light!) for the cleaning.

For the changing, having Water Wipes, a washable bag for soiled clothes (I toss it in the washer with the soiled clothes at the end of the day), extra padded underwear (x3), and changes of pants/shorts (x3) is also essential and eliminates a lot of running up and down the stairs for me.

Overall, it really does make potty training less hectic, whether or not you have a multistory home.

10. Use Your Pregnancy Pillow As A Bump Guard

Pregnancy pillows work great when you’re pregnant, but after that 9 months they tend to start collecting dust.

The worst part of that is that they’re massive, so you can’t just tuck them away as easily as you might your other pregnancy and postpartum essentials.

So you can imagine my excitement when I found another way the thing could be used!

We all know the struggle of adjusting a toddler to anything new, well a bed is no different.

When we transitioned our toddler from our bed to her own (finally!), she would often toss around and end up hitting her head on the rails and backboard.

This was a great solution (second to pool noodles, though, because of the bulkiness) to getting her a little more cushioned and not bumping into the rails.

We didn’t really last with this hack just because my pillow is so massive and she would feel too hot all curled up inside, but it is definitely in the plans for being used once she transitions to a “big girl bed”.

It’s definitely worth a try, especially if your toddler likes to hug things while they sleep!

11. Store Outgrown Clothes By Month Inside Space Saver Bags In Bins

Space Saver Bags for outgrown baby/toddler clothes?

Genius storage idea!

I ran across a lot of ideas for storing outgrown kids’ clothes, but none of them suggested using Space Saver Bags inside storage bins.

The reason why this is so important is that when you just put clothes inside a storage bin, even if the bin locks shut, the clothes are still potentially exposed to various elements and smells.

So, if you want to reuse them, then you would probably have to wash them prior.

Storing them in the Space Saver Bags air-seals the clothes so literally nothing can get to them.

This was important for me since we store everything in the garage.

I don’t want my baby clothes smelling like car exhaust!

12. Use A Mesh Bag To Wash Ball Pit Balls (And Other Plastic Toys) In The Washer

We all know how dirty ball pits can get, and being as busy as we moms are, no one has time to individually wipe down every single ball.

Well, problem solved!

You already throw those dirty fabric toys into the washer, why not the plastic toys as well?

Just use a mesh bag.

Fill it with the plastic balls and other plastic toys (avoid toys that can get filled with water; that includes some ball pit balls, so check first), add a mild detergent, and run the washer through a cold and fast wash (1).

This is such a great hack if your kids have just gone over being sick and you want to disinfect the toys, or even after a regular play date.

13. Line The Car Seat To Protect Against Accidents

Potty training means no more diapers!

It also means get ready for the accidents!

Sure, you might resort to pull-ups when you go out, but there’ll come a time when you’ll have to let go of the pull-ups as well, so having a car seat liner, just in case, is always a good idea.

You never know, and it will save you the hassle of washing the entire car seat if an accident does occur.

I wish I found it sooner since it’s also great to use if you have a baby (blowouts!).

And don’t worry, this car seat liner has been crash-tested so it’s perfectly safe to use with your car seat!

14. Reuse The Baby Monitor In The Playroom

This discovery has been a game-changer with two under two.

And in all honesty, I think I only started to use the baby monitor to its fullest potential when I had a second child (and when we moved to a multistory home).

Anyway, back to the hack.

Once your toddler gets independent, keeping an eye on them when you have other things to do (like make food and clean) can be stressful.

That’s why I started to keep our baby monitor in the playroom (or wherever my little girl preferred to hang out) when I’d be cooking breakfast or washing the dishes.

I don’t like having her out of my sight, so when she started to go upstairs sometimes to play with her little kitchen or her dolls while I’d be making food, this was the perfect solution!

The best part is that I could talk to her through it, so if I wanted to let her know that food was ready or if I wanted to know what she was up to, all I needed to do was press the intercom button.

Tips that I’d offer, in conjunction to using the monitor, is to make sure you close/lock the doors to all of the other rooms your tot could get into.

Putting toddler proofing door knobs would be a good idea if they are able to open doors on their own.

Also, I’d recommend sticking to digital, non-Wi-Fi monitor systems (just in general) as there are many alarming stories of hackers infiltrating the system and spying on and even communicating with kids (gives me the chills every time I think about it!).

Digital monitors, like Levana Monitors (sadly these have been discontinued), aren’t as tech-savvy as the others, but they are the safest route if you prefer privacy and security.

15. Make A Portable First Aid Kit Using A Small Makeup Bag

It’s incredibly important to always have a general first aid kit with the most basic essentials on you at all times.

You really never know what you may need when you have little ones that are still discovering the world around them.

I learned this lesson the hard way when my little girl burned her hand at a mall playground.

She will never remember it, but I always will.

Ever since then, I tried to have everything from band-aids to aloe vera to active skin repair, in my purse, and in my car just in case.

I hope I may never need it, but otherwise, I’m now better prepared than I was then.

With that said, you can either purchase ready-made kits (like the one pictured above) or you can make your own.

I liked this idea of pre-prepared packs since they include things that I would never think to include (like tweezers, scissors, and lip balm, among others).

I purchased this portable pack (pictured above) for my purse since it’s not bulky and it has those general essentials.

There’s also this pack I purchased for the car since it’s similar to the ones used commercially for buildings.

If you want to avoid buying everything individually and then sorting it out into packs, then I’d recommend purchasing the prepacked kits.

If you prefer the DIY version, since you choose what and how much goes inside, then you can instead use a small makeup bag and fill it up with all your essentials.

I love the idea of the makeup bag because it has a couple of separate zip-up pouches for grouped storage (like you could put all of the band-aids and gauze in one place and the ‘tools’ like scissors, tweezers, and safety pins in another) and it is small enough to fit in your purse for easy portability.

Related Post: DIY Portable Medicine Kit Using a Makeup Bag

16. Use A Cupcake Liner For Popsicles!

This is a classic that deserves to be mentioned!

We all know how sticky and messy melted popsicles can get!

I remember this from my own childhood.

Well no more!

Make a small incision in the cupcake liner (or even a coffee filter) and stick the popsicle stick through it and voilà, clean hands!

The liner catches all the drippings.

Plus it’s really fun to hold and look at.

Double win!

I have also seen moms using plastic bowls where they just make an incision in the center for the stick, that works as well and maybe even a little better since it’s sturdier than the liners.

Whatever works for you, or whatever you have on hand!

17. Secure The Toilet Paper With A Hair Tie

I wish I discovered this hack sooner!

It would have saved me from a lot of wasted toilet paper.

If you want to avoid the discovery of half the toilet paper rolled out on your bathroom floor, then simply secure your toilet paper rolls with a hair tie!

This will prove to be essential during potty training as you will avoid any additional and unnecessary messes.

Our little girl always messed with the toilet paper dispenser, and the only thing I could think of at the time was just to get rid of the toilet paper altogether.

This is a much better solution.

18. Tape The Doors To Prevent Locking In

Is your toddler also locking themselves in rooms?

Why not tape the locking mechanism permanently open to prevent the doors from closing in general?

The skill of opening doors, like that of tearing off toilet paper, it takes time to learn.

So if there’s a room that they’re constantly locking themselves in just grab some tape and “X” it across the latch bolt.

It’s not pretty, but it’s a nifty hack for a temporary problem.

19. Get (Or Make) An Organizer For The Backseat

I am the type of person that likes to be prepared for everything (hence the portable first aid kit), so I tend to overstuff my bags with things I might need when I go out with the kids.

The diaper bag is already stuffed with baby essentials, so my toddler’s things were sort of everywhere they could fit.

My purse always has to have snacks and water, oh, and don’t forget the busy bags!

On top of that, our backseat just became super cluttered as I would also be bringing extra toys and clothes, just in case!

We needed something to organize all of it!

I ended up just searching for an organizer on Amazon and finding this one.

There are also a number of DIY versions of organizers you could make if you prefer to go that route.

Things like shower caddies and hanging shoe organizers work really great recycled into back seat organizers, so if you already have one of those lying around, use it!

Here is a great resource for all things DIY backseat organizer.

Via IkeaHackers

What I like about this organizer is that it looks very neat, it has handles for easy portability (in and out of the car if needed), and it is able to be secured by a seat belt, plus my toddler can reach into it and grab any snacks or toys she might want (which means momma can focus on driving!).

I didn’t put many toys into mine yet, just a busy bag, but things like water wipes, snacks, water bottles, stain sticks, and my DIY trash bin and bag dispenser (basically an empty Clorox wipes dispenser) all fit in neatly with plenty of space left over.

All in all, it’s a must with kids, but especially if you have a toddler!

Oh, and an extra tip for if you’re carrying around extra clothes just in case (because, you know, potty accidents happen), I use a regular travel tote and I just put it in our trunk.

I also put in our car first aid kit inside since it’s super roomy.

20. Use A Craft Organizer For Snacks!

This is such a neat and fun way to store snacks for kids, especially if you want to avoid all of the extra plastic.

First of all, you have perfect sized compartments for easy accessibility and portioning.

Second, it minimizes any messes as opposed to if you were to give your toddler just a bag of trail mix or goldfish crackers.

And finally, it offers a variety of snack choices, so your tot really can’t complain because there are so many options!

The ‘snack organizer‘ is great for long trips and even for the trip to the local grocery store.

It stores great, it clicks shut and it secures all the snacks once it’s done being used.

All I know is that I wish I had something like that when I was a kid!

As a side note, you probably shouldn’t give this entirely to your toddler as they could easily spill it over.

I let my little girl choose the snacks she wants and then I give them to her.

21. Make Any Cup A Sippy Cup With These Silicone Lids

These silicone lids are awesome!

They literally can make almost any cup a sippy cup.

Super convenient when you forget to grab a sippy cup on the go, and especially at places like restaurants!

Plus they fold up small enough that you won’t even notice they’re in your purse (until they’re needed, of course!).

Too bad I discovered them when my oldest was already passed the sippy cup stage.

We still gave them a go just to try them out and loved them, me especially since they’re spill-proof!

They’ll definitely come in handy with my youngest!

22. Use The Glad Press And Seal To Protect Clothes During Messy Eating

Mealtime can get pretty messy!

One way you can keep those cute clothes free from staining is by using Glad Press and Seal.

Simply stick the film over clothes before meals and remove it after your toddler is finished.

No more extra laundry loads.

No more difficult stains.

I’ll be honest, your toddler might hate the idea.

If that’s the case, just make sure that edges aren’t scratching against their skin or that your sheet isn’t too bulky or it could feel uncomfortable.

I’ve also seen this hack used with arts and crafts activities, so if you want to protect your kid’s clothes, this sticky film does the trick!

23. Keep A Portable Potty Chair In The Car Trunk For Emergencies

Whether you’re going on a long road trip or the local park, the idea of ‘potty time’ can be daunting.

Not every place has a restroom that is convenient and clean, so having something that is familiar and always available when on the go, especially during potty training, would be a game-changer.

Why not just put that potty chair in the trunk?

It’s a good thing that potty chairs are already super portable, right?!

You could either line your potty chair with a coffee filter or a pull-up (my personal preference because of the absorbency factor) for easier clean-up.

Having extra Clorox wipes, wet wipes, pull-ups, and poo bags on hand would also be a good idea.

I put these in the tote that I keep in the trunk at all times since it already holds things like extra clothes and our first aid kit.

24. Rotate Toys Weekly To Combat Boredom (And Avoid Buying More Toys)

This hack will keep your kids interested and playing with the toys they already have, instead of always needing/wanting new toys.

It will also help you declutter that playroom because you’ll be keeping a small portion of the toys there while the rest will be stored somewhere else (either garage or attic, etc.).

One way you could go about doing it is by dividing up the toys into four piles.

You can be strategic in your divisions making sure each pile has a variety of different toys (not the same type; ex. one pile has magnetic tiles, the second has mega blocks, the third has legos, and the fourth has foam or wood blocks), or you could be random.

You would then put away three of the piles into their own storage bin, while the fourth pile would be the one that remains in the playroom.

Then, before the start of each week (probably Sunday night while the kiddo(s) sleeps), you could ‘rotate’ the toys.

Just gather up the previous week’s toys, take out the next bin of toys, and switch out the ‘old’ into the storage bin and the ‘new’ into the playroom.

Since my toddler doesn’t really get toys out on her own yet, we do a variation of this where I take out a different basket of toys, from our storage cubby, for each day and those are the toys she chooses from to play for the day.

There are certain toys that are always out, like her kitchen set and her baby dolls and their strollers, but the ones that could be put away, we rotate.

With that, she doesn’t get bored with her toys and she plays longer with each toy as well.

25. Make Regular Socks Slip Resistant With Fabric Paint

Make any of your tot’s socks slip-resistant with fabric paint.

Simply ‘paint’ a pattern on the sock bottom and let it dry, just watch out that you don’t make the texture too thick or it may be uncomfortable for your toddler.

I chose to do the crosses and they turned out thicker than I would have liked, spots are a better alternative if you’re not so familiar with the paint (also, practice on a paper towel before attempting).

Be sure to follow the instructions on the bottle for how to ensure that the paint doesn’t wash off, or else there goes all of your hard work!

26. Reuse Amazon Boxes For Fun Crafts

Via BerrySweetBaby

You tend to order a lot more things on Amazon when you have kids.

Why not put all those boxes to use!

Turn your Amazon box into an art studio.

Sit your toddler inside and give them crayons and markers and let them go at it!

Your toddler is able to unleash their creativity on the walls of the box while the mess is contained (away from your walls!).

Or, make some holes on the bottom of the box and stick some Christmas lights through them to create a skylight.

Via CraftyMorning

Check out this list of other great ideas!

27. Use Blue Dye To Make Potty Training Fun

One way you could get your toddler to pee in the toilet when they refuse to do so is to make it a fun experiment.

Use blue food coloring to turn the toilet water blue.

You might need to add the dye right after flushing the toilet to actually turn the water entirely blue.

Then tell you kid that the water will change colors once they pee inside.

I added way too much blue dye the first time I did this, so the color didn’t really change.

A drop or two is more than enough.

28. Conquer Bath Time With A Bath Toy Organizer

This is like a shoe pocket organizer, just for your bathtub!

The older they get the more the toys start to accumulate all over the house.

The bathtub is no different!

Baths with my toddler were a huge hassle before I got this organizer.

Something about organization makes everything run smoother in our house.

For one, all your tot’s toys are neatly arranged on the wall so the tub is clean and the toys are dry.

It also makes bath time so much more fun!

My toddler is able to freely grab any toy she wants on her own, and then when she’s done playing she could put it back where it belongs.

Personally, I prefer pockets to bins just because all the toys are separate, so you don’t have to rummage through everything just to get that one toy.

For that reason it makes our baths much less frustrating as well.

29. Save Your Furniture And Your Walls By Only Buying Washable Crayons And Markers

If you have a toddler, then you should only own washable pens/crayons.

Whether your toddler likes drawing on everything or not, accidents are bound to happen and it’s easier to deal with messes that could be cleaned up.

Otherwise you are going to be googling “How To Get blank Stain Out Of whatever it may be.

I’d also recommend investing in ColorWonder products.

These are special markers and paints that only work on special paper, so the colors won’t show up on anything else.

Seriously, these are well worth it!

30. Use A Seam Ripper To Cut Stubborn Elastics

Via LoveLoveLoveBlog

The benefit of being a girl mom is all the different hairstyles you could make once that hair gets longer.

The problem is that only elastics really hold since the hair is still fine.

But I hate using elastics!

They hurt my hair so I can’t imagine the pain of taking them out of my daughter’s hair!

I’ve always used small scissors with stubborn elastics, but I ran across this hack on Pinterest where you use a seam ripper instead.

What’s neat about the seam ripper is that it only has one sharp edge, so you’re able to gently isolate and cut the elastic to release it from the hair.

I’d still be careful to not catch any hair, but it’s definitely a better option to using scissors.

31. Always Keep A Pack Of Marshmallows In The Freezer

I’ve heard about this one, but I never thought I would need to use it any time soon.

Boy was I wrong.

As soon as my little girl started walking, so came the trips and falls.

I didn’t have a ‘soft’ ice pack when I needed one!

Well, now I have one always on the freezer!

What I love about the marshmallow ice pack is that it’s cold yet surprisingly soft, and it doesn’t get super watery and messy when it melts.

It’s perfect for toddlers!

I hope you never have a need for one, but it’s still a good idea to have one.

32. Put Condiments Under The Hot Dog For Cleaner Eating

So many Pinterest hacks to combat that messy eating.

Here’s another!

Why not put the condiments ‘under’ the hot dog?!

I didn’t think of this one (Pinterest again), but I definitely thought it was genius when I ran across it!

My daughter, like me, loves eating hotdogs smothered in ketchup and mustard, the only problem is that it gets everywhere but where it needs to go.

This was the solution we were looking for, and it worked like a charm!

The only other thing I’d recommend is to also wrap the hotdog in foil so that everything ‘else’ stays secured in place.

33. Distract With Bubbles!

Bubbles are the best toddler distraction.

Seriously.

If you ever want to occupy or distract your toddler so you could get something done, you want to have this bubble machine on hand.

We figured this one out after my daughter’s second birthday.

The place where we had her birthday had offered this as one of the kids’ group activities, we did not expect if you be such a hit.

Literally all the kids were running around the bubble machine like it was the greatest thing in the world.

Needless to say, we were sold and we ordered our own bubble machine from Amazon.

Just to further prove my point, I have a cousin whose son hated anyone in a white coat (you know doctors and shots).

Well, bubbles were the solution!

Now my cousin makes sure to always have a bubble solution bottle on hand, you know just in case there is ever a need to deescalate a situation or tantrum.

34. Cut Melons Into Sticks

Via TheGunnySackThis is probably the only way melons should be cut, not just for toddlers.

The half-dome melon cut gets the watermelon juice all over the face unless you eat strategically across instead of vertically.

Try teaching a toddler that.

Now when you cut the melon into sticks (like a grid), there is only one way you can eat the watermelon.

No teaching necessary.

It’s also like the healthier version of a popsicle, and just as satisfying!

35. A Nifty Way To Store Stuffed Toys

I’m all in for organization hacks, so when I discovered this ‘stuffed toy bean bag chair‘ I thought it was the best solution to our ever-growing collection of stuffed animals.

It’s literally a bean bag that you stuff with stuffed toys, and your toddler can sit/lay on it.

Genius!

You could either buy one off of Amazon or you could make one yourself!

Here is a cool DIY version that compares just as well to the branded ones.

Via SheCanSew

I’m not a sewer, so I went along and bought the toddler-sized one for our playroom.

It easily fit all of our stuffed toys.

Worth every penny!

It has both solved our toy storage problem and our need for a playroom lounger.

My little girl loves it!

36. Use A Jewelry Organizer To Organize Hair Clips

Before I found this, all of my daughter’s hair accessories were stuffed in a box.

That means we end up not using most of the clips because they’re just buried in there.

This jewelry organizer was exactly what we needed to organize her hair accessories.

The pockets were just the right size, there is plenty of storage space since it’s double-sided, and it conveniently hangs up in your toddler’s closet for easy visibility.

No more forgotten clips!

Plus it’s super nice to look at.

I had no idea we even had this many hair clips and hairbands!

Re-Cap

Well that’s a wrap!

These are all the toddler hacks I could come up with, but I’m sure I’ll be adding some here and there as I come across them, so be sure to pin this for later reference!

I really hope these help you cut some corners with your toddler.

I can vouch that they definitely have made my life easier!

If you have any other toddler hacks that you have found to be super helpful, post them in the comment section below.

I’m sure the thousands of other moms that read this blog daily would love to know about them as well!