Summer is chaotic and amazing in our house. Between trips to the pool, driveway and backyard fun, beach trips, and camp, we are ALWAYS on the go - so, anything that can make my life easier is a welcome addition. I polled some of the MacKid publishers around the country and we came up with a bang-up list of summer life hacks that will ensure you have more fun with your family.
Whether you are saving money, time, or both - you will want to bookmark this page and roll out some of these great tips for whatever your summer plans entail.
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SUMMER FOOD HACKS:
- Keep kid's hands from getting ticky by using either a small cup (upside down) or a cupcake liner on the stick. Cut a small hole and feed the popsicle stick through it and voila!
- A cupcake liner also makes a great drink-saver! Place it over the top of drinks to keep the bugs out.
- Make your own pouch drinks for easier travel - they take up less room and will make you feel like a kid again. Simply fill a sealable plastic baggie with your beverage of choice (kids or adults - just make sure to mark them!) and bring some straws and a small scissor! No scissors? No problem: unseal a small section and stick the straw in.
- Fill water bottles halfway and lay them on their side in the freezer to create an icicle that will keep the water cool throughout the day!
- Frozen dish sponges in zip lock bags are GREAT cooler keepers; other cooler-keepers can be frozen yogurt pouches or other snacks.
- Love corn on the cob? A Bundt pan makes it so easy to cut corn off the cob. The center hole holds the cob in place and the kernels fall right into the pan.
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PLAYTIME HACKS:
- Tape bubble wands to chair or table legs to keep littles from tipping them empty
- Use empty bubble wands to make lightsabers by dropping a glow stick inside
- Use a plastic liquid dispenser (like a Tea or Lemonade dispenser) to store extra bubbles for easy refill
- Bathtub appliques on the bottom of a kiddie pool (plastic or inflatable) keep little feet from slipping!
- No water table? No Problem! fill different plastic bins or bowls up with water and bring out the plastic kitchen tools - let the kiddos make their own water table fun.
- Freeze little toys inside a bowl of water and have the kids break them free on the driveway
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BEACH HACKS:
- Baby powder before you head to the beach to keep sand from sticking
- Large paintbrushes (like for your home!) are excellent de-sanding tools for your chairs and other beach accessories
- Bring small sandwich bags (reusable or plastic) to the beach and fill them with sand upon arrival. Use them to weigh down your towels and blankets so that you don't get sand in your face every time they blow.
- Use an old shampoo bottle or baby wipe container to "hide" your valuables while at the beach.
- Take a blow-up pool to the beach and fill it with ocean water so your kids can splash under your umbrella/tent.
- No blow-up pool? Use a plastic shower curtain in a dug hole to help you make a small "pool" for the littles who want to splash but are either afraid of the ocean/lake or are too little to really splash and play. All you do is dig the hole and line it with the plastic curtain; then fill it up with ocean water and: voila!
- Bring a pinwheel to the beach so kids can see where you are at all times while in water.
CARPOOL HACKS:
- Keep a pool bag on hand with sunscreen, towels, bathing suits, and flip flops or water shoes for impromptu pool days
- Always keep extra kid shoes in the car - summers are for running barefoot, aren't they?
- Inflatable booster seats are awesome - we use this one from Bubble Bum for kids who are the right height ad weight (and maturity) to be in a booster seat, in case we have last-minute additions to our family fun.
- Keep extra towels in the car to put down on the seats - either they will keep the leather from getting too hot on the legs OR you can sit on it if you forget. Also, wet bottoms on seats do NOT feel good ;-)
POOL HACKS:
- If your plastic pool float rips, grab a paper towel and an iron - lay it flat where the seam will be and iron it back together. This works best when it's ON the seam, but can also work in other places.
- Use a balloon to help unclog little swimmers' ears - even if they can't blow up a balloon just yet, the act of trying will help them unclog ears.
- Lingerie bags make the best pool toy holders - you can hang them to dry and *hopefully* avoid the dreaded moldy toys you might otherwise get!
- Another great pool toy hack is a tall laundry basket - preferably on wheels for easy mobility. You can throw the noodles and toys together in it and the kids can help you carry it.
- Don't have a pool at your disposal? Rent a hotel room during the week to use the pool.
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PARENTING HACKS:
- Dryer sheets repel mosquitos
- Aloe Vera "ice cubes" are great when you get just a little too much sun.
- Toothpaste can take the itch out of those bug bites - so never leave home without it!
- A carwash is a great way to keep the kids busy, and cool, for a few hours!
- Store individual servings of healthy snacks in a drawer of the refrigerator so the kids can serve themselves something healthy.
- Use a makeup blender sponge to apply sunscreen to the face and avoid the cries about it getting in their eyes.
- Keep thin pants in the car for hot slides.
- Make sure to bookmark our EVENTS CALENDAR page for easy family-fun ideas at all times!
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