My New Favorite Parenting Hack Book

Did you register for “What to expect when you’re expecting?”, my mom asked me on the way to my shower.

“No—there’s an app for that!” I told her, laughing. I knew she wouldn’t get the joke, but I really did have the app. It’s a pregnancy milestone app that tells you everything you need along the way. Truthfully, all the books I registered for were for the baby, not me. I didn’t think I needed it. I have the internet.

Genius Therapist Inspired Toddler Parenting Hacks

But when my friend Amy gave me a gift on my last day of work, she said, “You’ll love this book—It’s so you. I know you love a good hack. I learned a ton from this book, “Parent Hacks, 134 Genius Shortcuts for Life with Kids”.

She was right—this book was right up my alley. It was filled with short but brilliant “Parenting Tips”, but any and all of them would be helpful for a therapist or teacher, too. Therapists who travel from school to school to see different children have brilliant kid hacks. They know how to save space and money better than anyone.

These OT Inspired Hacks are aimed at parents of toddlers, but they’re great for any parent or therapist who works with children. Here are my favorites!

Toddler Play Kits Are Now Available at Loveevery!

8 Toddler Hacks Every Parent Should Know

  1. Store your puzzles in an accordion folder.  This limits all those pieces from flying all over—especially if you’re a traveling therapist or a parent who prefers toys over electronics.
  2. Store your coloring books in a dish drain container. The slots in a dish drain are perfect for separating coloring books—and you can stick your crayons in the utensil spots—Genius!
  3. Clean up glitter with play-doh. YES! Glitter is sooo fun, but what a pain to clean. Playdoh is a great idea—and who cares if your play-doh gets glittery? That only makes it more fun!
  4. Turn your portable crib into a ball pit.  Wow—one of the things I don’t like about ball pits is that it’s so tough to keep the balls inside—they always end up everywhere. But, the walls of a pack n play are tall—making it so much easier to have all the fun without the mess. Love it! This would be a great idea for a therapy room, too. Another good one? Use an empty laundry basket.

SIMPLE WAYS TO KEEP SMALL TOYS IN PLACE

5. Contain small parts with a cookie sheet.  I’ve spoken about this one—but it’s worth sharing. A cookie sheet is FANTASTIC for keeping messes contained, from shaving cream to clay to beads and Legos. (I also LOVE the EZPZ for this purpose. Its initial purpose is to keep kids from spilling food off the tray, but it works great for fine motor activities). The edges keep them from going all over the table, as well as the floor. I always have a cookie sheet in my trunk and my therapy bag. Plus, they’re only a dollar at the dollar store!

6. Turn an under-bed storage box into a sandbox.  I actually like these for any kind of sensory bin. They’re nice and big, so the child can actually get inside if they want. But, I’ve used them for rice bins, weather-themed bins (fake snow is always a hit), and fake “coffins” at Halloween time! (see my garden dirt recipe here)

PARENTING AND THERAPIST ORGANIZATION HACKS

7. Use a wine bottle tote as a car organizer. This hack is great for parents and therapists! The tall skinny vertical compartments are great for curling up activity booklets, crayons, sensory bottles, etc. I love to use an empty wipes jar as a fine motor and hand strengthening tool. They fit in there perfectly!

8. Use a hanging shoe organizer to organize craft supplies. These shoe “pockets” are great for organizing glue, paint, crayons, coloring books, etc. Plus, it takes up vertical space, which is perfect for a small therapy room or a child’s playroom. This would even be a great way to organize the trunk of your car! Cut the pockets and hang them around the edge of the car—then you can find all the toys you need for each kid!

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