Play Hacks for Kids

15 tried and true genius play hacks every parent should know

We play, A LOT. Over the years, I’ve found play hacks that I keep coming back to— simple setups that our kids love and tricks that make the parenting play life easier. Here’s a stream of consciousness list of top tricks for playing with littles!

Yearly reminder to bring Magna-Tiles outside!

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1. Save cardboard boxes for painting. Keep it extra mess-free by letting kids sit and color INSIDE the box. The effort to play ratio here is PRETTY impressive.

2. Store bubble solution outside in a water dispenser. This makes refilling bubble wands and trays a breeze!

3. Take a bucket of water and paintbrushes then head outside. Paint the sidewalk or wooden fences. It’s amazing how long they’ll play without making any mess 😏

4. Use a colander to separate sensory bin fillers. Afraid to mix your rice with chickpeas? Don’t be! Smaller bases like rice will pass through leaving behind larger items like chickpeas and beans.

5. Take your magnetic tiles outside to play with them on the garage door. It’s a whole new way to creatively play while enjoying fresh air.

6. Use rubbing alcohol to erase logos off Ziploc bags. Fill it with hair gel, baby oil, or water plus small objects then seal it shut to create homemade sensory bags.

7. Revive dried out markers by placing the tip in warm water for a few minutes. Seriously, MAGIC. I cringe at the number of markers I’ve tossed unnecessarily before learning this hack a few years back. I’ve brought back the deadest of markers by leaving them to soak overnight. It’s very satisfying :) :)