School’s out (yeah!), but your schedule just got a whole lot more complicated. Whether you’re working from home, juggling childcare, or just trying to keep everyone alive and entertained until August or September, summer is a lot. Nearly 7 in 10 working parents say they feel overwhelmed by their dual responsibilities during the summer months. And honestly, that tracks.
These 49 summer hacks for moms are here to take a few things off your plate with practical, real-life solutions for the season when you need them most. You do enough. Let these hacks carry a little of the load.
Hacks Around the House
1. One drink cup per kid per day! If they can use just one cup from breakfast through dinner, the next day they get a special drink of their choice.
2. Summertime boo-boos? Remove sticky Band-Aid residue from their skin with baby oil.
3. Have a preteen whose sweaty feet are starting to stink? Apply roll-on deodorant before putting on shoes or sandals to keep them smelling fresh.
4. An onion works well to clean a grill. Just cut it in half and rub it cut side down over the hot grate.
5. Divide up snacks into bins. Kids can pick as much as they want from the healthy bin and junk is limited to two per day.
6. Create a “mom is working” signal (a specific hat, a closed door sign, a desk lamp that’s on) so kids know when interruptions need to wait. Well, unless someone is bleeding or the dog got out. Those are our house rules.
7. No list of summer hacks for moms would be complete without a good summer schedule like this one.
Slay Vacay
8. Pack for vacation by rolling clothes instead of folding. Rolled clothes wrinkle less and fit more compactly.
9. Dress your family in a color of the day. When you’re on vacation, if a kiddo gets separated from you, you’ll be able to say with certainty what color he or she is wearing.
10. Not down with matching colors? Take a family photo each morning. You’ll document the vacation and have an up-to-date photo.
11. Keep hotel room curtains closed with chip clips. Every minute of sleep counts when you’re on vacation! No clips? Use the clamps of a pants hanger.
12. Use masking tape in hotel rooms to cover outlets, tape toilet seats down, and keep curious hands from reaching in drawers.
13. Grossed out by hotel germs? Wipe everything down with disinfectant wipes.
14. At the start of your vacation, designate one piece of luggage for dirty laundry. At the end of the trip, any unworn clothes stay clean and folded and can go back in drawers at home. And the dirty bag contents can go right in the wash.
Easy Breezy in the Back Yard
15. Get the kids outside with one of our favorite summer hacks for moms: an iMOM scavenger hunt! The hack is that all the work is done for you by us!
16. Make one-of-a-kind T-shirts with water guns filled with water mixed with food coloring. Take the kids to the backyard and let them take aim!
17. Keep a dedicated “outside bin” by the door stocked with sidewalk chalk, bubbles, and water toys so kids can head out without asking you to find everything.
18. Freeze small toys or coins in a block of ice and let kids “excavate” with spray bottles and tools. Keeps them busy for hours.
Fun in the Sun
19. Pack a small cooler or lunch box with frozen washcloths for quick cool-downs and cleanup.
20. Designate an adult lifeguard for pool days with friends. If you’re swimming with other families, rotate every half-hour. Every adult takes a turn and has to watch the water with no phone in hand.
21. Keep a “wet bag” in the car for damp swimsuits so nothing else gets soaked. A gallon Ziplock bag or recycled grocery bag works!
22. Protect your kids’ hair from chlorine by spraying it with a mixture of water and conditioner before they jump in the pool.
23. Soothe sunburns with frozen aloe. Freeze it in ice cube trays and pop one out after a long day in the sun. (Bonus: use these on your skin when your pores are big and your eyes are puffy.)
24. Keep your valuables safe. Cool off in the water without fear of your wallet or phone getting stolen by wrapping them in a (clean) diaper. No one will touch it!
25. Freeze juice boxes the night before your adventure. They’ll be thawed and cold by the time your kids need a drink.
26. Keep a small first aid kit in your summer bag specifically stocked for hot weather: blister bandages, tweezers for splinters, bug bite ointment, and after-sun lotion.
27. Instead of trying to wash sand away with water, try rubbing sandy spots with cornstarch. It soaks up the moisture that makes sand stick to your skin and doesn’t include harsh chemicals.
Rainy Day Hacks
28. Stick masking tape across a doorway in a web-like design. Let the kids ball up paper and toss it. One stick equals one point!
29. Bring the scavenger hunt inside on a wet day with an indoor scavenger hunt like this colorful treasure hunt.
30. Give kids a clipboard, pencil and a list of things to find or draw around the house.
When Bugs Bug You
31. Use cinnamon to keep ants away. Sprinkle some around the sidewalk during chalk-drawing fun and mix a cup into your sandbox.
32. Wipe down outdoor furniture with white vinegar before a gathering to deter wasps.
33. Burn herbs to keep mosquitoes at bay. When you fire up the grill, throw on some sage or thyme. Both are proven to repel mosquitoes.
34. One last mosquito tip: Plug a fan in and aim it at your legs. Almost any breeze makes it difficult for mosquitoes to fly, and they tend to stay closer to the ground.
35. If you do get bitten, make a paste out of baking soda and water and apply it to the bite. Leave it for 10 minutes to stop the itch.
On-the-Go Pro
36. Empty baby wipe containers make surprisingly great travel organizers. Toss in crayons, cards, or dry snacks and they’re ready to grab on the way out the door.
37. Store a complete change of clothes for each person in your family (including you) in the trunk—for the inevitable pool overflow, ice cream disaster, or muddy playground.
38. Keep road trip supplies organized with hanging shoe storage attached to the back of the front seats. Kids can help themselves to art supplies, toys, snacks, and even drinks.
39. Have a summer go-bag in the trunk with sunscreen, bug spray, a picnic blanket, a frisbee or football, and chalk. You’re ready for impromptu summer adventures.
40. Keep a spare phone car charger in your bag—not just the car—so you’re never caught somewhere with an empty battery.
41. Keep a small bag of quarters in the car for old-school parking meters, the ice cream truck, arcade games, or the neighborhood lemonade stand. Summer always needs more coins than you expect.
42. Freeze a saturated sponge overnight in a Ziploc for an easy icepack.
Summer Foods Simplified
43. Poke the popsicle stick through a muffin liner to catch sticky drippings.
44. Pre-make and freeze PB&J sandwiches at the start of the week. They thaw by lunch and taste just as good.
45. Freeze leftover pancakes or waffles and pop them in the toaster. Faster than any frozen brand and made with your own ingredients.
46. Freeze blueberries or strawberries on a sheet pan and use them as ice cubes in lemonade or water. Kids love them and they’re a sneaky healthy snack.
47. Keep a designated “car snack bin” in the pantry that kids can pack themselves before outings. This teaches independence and saves you time.
48. Put out a snack spread mid-morning and let the kids graze. Think mini-charcuterie board. This will keep them from constantly asking you for a snack.
49. Freeze leftover coffee in ice cube trays. You’ll be able to keep your iced coffee cold without watering it down!
What summer hacks for moms do YOU use?Â
