Projects and Ideas- kids' grocery list

Grocery list- a great tool to keep toddlers and preschoolers busy while you shop for groceries.  Find a couple of grocery store ads and cut out pictures of the items you purchase most often.  If your child works well with scissors and glue sticks, they can help- they don’t have to be perfect.  Use a glue stick to attach the pictures to both sides of note cards (preferably used ones or some that your child has found and scribbled on almost every single one).  Write the name of the item on the card with each picture.  Use a hole punch to punch holes in the corner of each one and attach them to a sturdy ring.  During your shopping trip, ask your child to find a picture of the next item you will pick up, or find a picture of a vegetable, something green, or something that starts with the letter C, for example.

TILTHW- Save time making bottles ahead of time

Things I learned the hard way- For quicker formula preparation, consider getting extra bottles.  Wash them and let them dry, then portion out the proper amount of formula powder into each one, cap them, and put them in the cupboard.  You can also portion out the right amount of filtered water into clean small water bottles or sealed glass bottles or jars and keep them at room temperature for short periods of time.  When it is feeding time, you just add the room temperature water to the bottle, shake, and you’re ready.  This allows for faster preparation when you have a hungry baby on your hands. 

TILTHW- Quick clean-up

Things I Learned The Hard Way- Consider getting plastic bins, baskets or buckets to use while cleaning.  Keep one with cleaning products (carpet cleaner and a cloth for spit up stains, dust cloth, paper towels, glass cleaner, etc).  Take your cleaning basket and an empty bin or basket with you to the first room, pick up everything that doesn’t belong in that room and put it in the empty basket (some of us need large laundry baskets for this).  Finish cleaning the room, then move to the second room.  Take everything out of the catch-all basket that belongs in room #2 and put it away.  Pick up everything in room #2 that doesn’t belong there and place it in the basket.  Complete cleaning room #2 and move on.  This saves valuable time moving from room to room putting things away.  It is also easy if you get interrupted, to put the baskets up out of your child’s reach or in a closet until you can get back to them.

TILTHW- Easy crib sheet changes

Things I Learned The Hard Way- Consider purchasing quick zip crib sheets ( www.cloudsandstars.com ).  They are more expensive than regular crib sheets, but you only need one full mattress wrap and about 2-3 top flat sheets with zippers.  Plus, they are MUCH easier to change, especially if you’ve had a cesarean,  if you plan to get pregnant again before your first child is out of the crib (usually around age 2), when you lower the crib mattress to the lower levels, or if you are less than average height.  You won’t have to lean over the crib rail as much, putting pressure on your abdomen or chest, depending on your height.  Plus, you won’t have to completely or partially remove the crib mattress to change the sheet which is a lifesaver on laundry day or for leaks.

TILTHW- Lost socks

Things I Learned The Hard Way- Pin socks, mittens, and other small items together with diaper pins or safety pins as soon as you take them off your child.  Tiny socks are easily lost in the wash and you won’t have to sort through an entire load to find a match, or have one get stuck inside a sleeper and get lost.  You can also pin outfits together, but pin them through the tags so you don’t snag the fabric.