Household Hints Index

Children's Hints

Bath Time...
Add a few drops of food coloring to the bath water, and your kids will scramble to take a bath.

Birthday Cakes...
Instead of making a cake, fill colored flat-bottom ice cream cones half full with cake batter, bake in muffin tins, then ice them anyway you want. The kids love these!

Books...
Record your children's favorite books on tape cassettes, ringing a bell to signal the turn of a page. When you're too busy, the child is in the hospital, etc. the child can still have a story read to him.

Dolls...
Use cold cream to clean your child's plastic doll. It removes the dirt without removing any color from the doll's face or body.

Games...
Before giving game boards to children, give them one coat of shellac. The games boards will stay like new for a longer time.

Illness...
When your child is sick in bed, give him or her a bell. Whenever they need you, all they need to do is ring the bell. This saves a lot of wear and tear on parents.

Party Treats...
Save empty rolls from bathroom tissue, wax paper, aluminum foil, etc. Fill the empty rolls with candy. Wrap the rolls in tissue paper and tie both ends of the roll with yarn.

Stuffed Animals...
If stuffed animals are unwashable, sprinkle some cornmeal or cornstarch on them to clean them. Let them set, then brush the cornmeal or cornstarch out. The dirt will come along with it.

Toy Box...
Set an old laundry basket inside the door where the children come in from playing. Ask them to put their outdoor toys in this basket when they are finished playing as they come into the house.

Toys...
Dishwashing detergent bottle dolls. After bottles are empty, clean them well. Use colored marking pens to draw faces, hair and clothes on them.

Watercolors...
Add a little dishwashing detergent to watercolors, and spills will mop up easier.