The Best Mom Hacks for Summer

Summertime is in full swing! This is my favorite time of the year. With it staying light longer and the temperature higher there are so many fun things to do outside. But that doesn’t mean things are always easy, especially with young kids. So why not try and make things a little easier on yourself?

Here are some of my favorite mom hacks specifically for summer:

Johnson’s Baby Creamy Oil as Mosquito Repellent

This is probably my #1 favorite as far as summertime hacks go. I first came across something about this on Pinterest last year. I was pretty skeptical if it would actually work. The mosquitos are so bad where I live so I decided it wouldn’t hurt to just try it.

I started looking everywhere for this lotion and couldn’t find it. It took probably a couple of months to find. Once I finally found it at Walmart I bought it right away. And to my surprise, it actually worked!

I use it whenever I’m outside for an extended amount of time. If I’m doing yard work or sitting while the kids play in their kiddy pool, I put it on. And I legit carry it around in the diaper bag in case I need it while we’re out and about.

You simply apply the lotion to all areas you wish to protect. It’s safe for babies and kids and works for me too! Not only does it repel the mosquitos, but it also smells good too. No more dealing with the gross smell and sticky feeling of regular bug spray. And for an added bonus you get to moisturize your skin while saying bye, bye to mosquitos. Win/win!

Use a Shower Curtain as a Pool at the Beach

My sister introduced me to this hack. She swears by it! First, you dig a hole in the sand at the beach. Second, you place a clear plastic shower curtain on top of the hole in the sand. Third, you fill the hole with water from the ocean. And voila you have your very own beachside personal kiddy pool!

This is so nice for young kids at the beach. You don’t have to worry about your kids being scared of the waves or about the water being too cold because it stays warm in the heat. You can shade the makeshift pool with an umbrella too.

My daughter loved playing in it when my sister’s family came to visit and they did this. The shower curtain folds up and doesn’t take up a lot of room in your bag and you simply rinse/wash it off to get it clean afterward. There are so many benefits to this one. Seriously give it a try!

Fill Grocery Bags with Sand at the Beach for Weights

Need weights/sandbags to hold a tent or other beach items in place? Simply bring some plastic grocery bags and fill them with actual sand at the beach.

You can thank mister Walmart employee for this brilliant idea. I was shopping for some sandbags to use as weights for my beach tent I bought this year and couldn’t locate them. I asked an employee if they had any and he said no but that he recommended just using the plastic grocery bags I was getting with my purchases that day and filling them with sand at the beach. I tried it that very day and have done it again every time we’ve gone to the beach since then.

It is such a brilliant, simple idea I don’t know why I never thought of it before! No need to lug the weight around or pay for the extra item. Just fill the bags at the beach and then dump them when you leave.

If you live in an area where plastic grocery bags are banned you can simply use Ziplock bags or buy a couple of cheap purses/bags at the dollar store to use. Something you don’t care if it gets sandy and dirty, and something you can reuse. It doesn’t need to be fancy, just functional.

Use Baby Powder to Get Sand Off

One downside to beach time is all the sand getting everywhere. No matter how hard I try to get clean before leaving the beach, I still always seem to find sand on me when I get into the car.

If you have young kids, I know you can relate to this struggle with me. What if I told you there is a simpler way then having to wait in the long line to rinse off or having to make your child stay under the cold water to get clean before leaving the beach? Well, there is! Just rub some baby powder on the sandy areas and wipe off the sand easily and quickly. It’s perfect for that quick fix to get the sand off and wait to shower/get clean until you get home.

Use a Cupcake Liner to Catch Popsicle Juice

Everyone loves a popsicle on a hot summer day. But not everyone loves cleaning up the sticky mess they leave behind after. If your kid’s messes seem to multiply faster then you can clean them, then this hack is for you!

Instead of trying to keep your kids in one place so they don’t drip everywhere, try using a cupcake liner around a popsicle stick or ice cream cone to catch any drips before they get all over your kids’ hands and clothes. Because let’s face it, your kids aren’t going to eat it fast enough for it not to melt.

I hope these hacks come in handy for you as they have for me. And that they help to make your summer a little easier. Leave me a comment to let me know what your favorite summertime hacks are! Enjoy your summer!