Simple Mom Hacks for Toddlers
If you’re a mom of a toddler, this is me giving you a virtual hug and a nice crisp Diet Coke. Haha. Toddler life is so fun and silly and cute and exciting and all of the good things, but it can also be seriously overwhelming sometimes. I don’t know about yours, but my little ones can have a mind of their own sometimes. You know that movie Boss Baby? Kinda like that.
Now that we’re on baby number three, I feel like I am finally starting to get the hang of the toddler life. Over the last six years, I’ve been able to figure out a trick or two to help ease the overwhelm and reduce the tantrums. Some of these simple mom hacks for toddlers have made our family life much smoother and I can’t wait to share them with you!
My Favorite Simple Mom Hacks For Toddlers
Use Cookie Cutters To Make Food More Appealing
Picky eating is something that just comes with the toddler territory but I promise, there are ways to ease your mind that they will eat. One thing to remember is that your toddler will eat when they are hungry, I promise. Toddlers are much more in tune with their own hunger cues then sometimes we are as adults and learning to trust that will help you so much! But with that being said, here’s one of the simple mom hacks for toddlers that made meal times much easier for us is to use cookie cutters to make meals more exciting for our sometimes-picky eaters. Making a sandwich, cheese, fruit, or deli meat a fun shape can sometimes be just the thing to tip your toddler’s hunger in the right direction. These metal cookie cutters have been so fun for our kiddos!
Clean Toys In The Washing Machine or Dishwasher
With the current COVID-19 situation and spring cleaning on my mind, I’ve definitely been eyeing my kids toys. One simple way that I’ve been able to clean our toddler toys has been to use a mesh laundry bag and load as many water-proof toys as I can into it and throw it in the washing machine with a toxin-free detergent. You’ll need to make sure that your toys are the kind that can stand up to a good spin cycle, but this trick has saved me so much time scrubbing tiny edges and corners. White vinegar is a great deodorizer and you can even throw in Tea Tree essential oil for it’s natural antibacterial properties. This same tip will work for the dishwasher for larger, water-proof toys.
Want to de-odorize and clean stuffed animals? Use a mesh bag and do the same thing and air dry them post-wash cycle.
Pack Outfits Into Ziploc Bags When Traveling
When we travel, I make it a point to stay super organized and pack ahead of time. Traveling with toddlers is already a stressful situation so literally anything you can do to ease that is so worth it, in my opinion. I love to plan my kids outfits (make sure you include a few spare outfits in case of accidents or spills) and make them into individual ZipLoc bags (you can even use these reusable bags and pack their dirty laundry into them when the outfit has been worn). This will save you time and stress getting them dressed on vacation and if you want to label the bag by day or activity, that way the whole family will know which outfit you mean you want them to wear when you say “Let’s get dressed!”.
Popsicle Protectors
With the weather warming up, it’s about to be popsicle season. My kiddos love to sit out on our deck and enjoy a nice cool treat after playing in the sun but it can truly be a sticky situation if I just let them go with their popsicles. To avoid as much of a cleanup mess as I can post-popsicle, I live for these reusable popsicle sleeves. They catch most of the drippy mess and protect their little hands from getting too cold. Plus, my kids love the shark and mermaid designs!
If you don’t want to invest in reusable popsicle sleeves, another great option is using a cupcake liner to catch the mess. Just slide the popsicle stick down the middle and you’re all set!
Double Layer Mattress Pads and Sheets
Ok, this tip might be the biggest game changer. Especially when your toddler is potty training. I highly recommend double layering mattress pads and sheets on their bed so that if an accident happens, you can easily pull off the top layer of sheets and the pad in the middle of the night and they can go back to bed as quickly as possible.
Another simple mom hacks for toddlers is this. The way I like to do it is starting with a clean mattress, waterproof and allergy friendly mattress pad, fitted sheet, flat sheet, another waterproof mattress pad, fitted sheet, and flat sheet. I know it seems like a lot but this tip has truly saved my sanity on nights where my kiddos are sick or have a late night accident. That way you can throw the dirty set of sheets into the wash and they’ll be all ready for you again the next morning.
Include Your Toddlers In Your Workout
Having had to work out at home lately, we’ve had to get pretty creative with entertaining the kiddos while we sweat. The best way I’ve found so far to entertain them sans-screens has been to let them get some energy out while I do the same! They feel so grown up and learn the importance of exercise when they see their parents work out so I found these super cute kids dumbbells on Amazon to help them feel more involved without the risk of injuries. The two-birds-with-one-stone is my favorite thing about this tip. Wear them out while you work out, that way a quiet time activity while you shower or naptime comes a little easier post-workout.
Make a Big Batch of Mini Pancakes and Freeze Them
If your toddlers are anything like mine, they LOVE breakfast. They wake up hungry and I think it may be their most enjoyable meal of the day. Sometimes our mornings can be hectic, especially with homeschooling, so over the weekend when I have time I like to make a big batch of mini pancakes (about 2-3 inches in diameter) and freeze them in freezer friendly ziploc bags in batches. That way on busy mornings, all you have to do is pop them on a microwave friendly plate and heat them up for about 1 minute.
Use A Countdown Timer
I think that the term “terrible-twos” (which I don’t necessarily agree or disagree with) comes from the unique toddler ability to lay down the law when they don’t want to do something. One of my favorite ways to encourage them to complete tasks that they may not be interested in doing has been to use a cute countdown timer to make it a game.
Busy Bins
Sometimes as a busy parent, you just need your toddler to have quiet activities to complete while you work and get things done. One of the simple mom hacks for toddlers is making busy bins. I have loved making “busy bins” of quiet activities that we can pull out when we need something to occupy them. My friend Julie, (here), makes the cutest seasonal play-do boxes that encourage creativity, building, and problem solving for kids in a quiet setting. LOVE! We also love KiwiCo boxes and these activity backpacks that I just refill with fun activities when they’re done with others.
My Advice for Moms of Toddlers
Mama, I’m with you. I know it can be challenging and exhausting sometimes, but the toddler years are so rewarding and have contained some of my very favorite memories with my children. Keep in mind that your child’s growth is skyrocketing during these years. They are learning and growing so much in this time and mood swings and temper tantrums are actually totally normal and to be expected.
With that in mind, I think it’s important to stay patient and calm. Take time for yourself to rest and recuperate! Take care of yourself so that you can take even better care of them. Lead by example in how you treat others, how you act in public settings, and how you respect leaders in your own life. Don’t shy away from giving them responsibility! They respond to it well and love to feel “big”. And most importantly, enjoy it. Enjoy your time with them and the cute things they say. It goes by so quickly.
I am always looking for new mom hacks to save some sanity! What is your favorite toddler hack? Let me know on my latest IG post!