Dad Hacks That Are Equally Hilarious And Useful
As a father with three kids at home, I fully understand the struggles that come with raising children. From the moment they wake through the failed attempts to get them into bed, they are little bundles of joy and power plants that churn out energy at a frenzied rate. Parenting is incredibly rewarding but it comes with challenges.
How do I carry this giant pile of human around with me? Will they actually sit still for their photoshoot? What is a hair tie and why do they have to exist? From raising girls with no clue about female needs to baseball practice and everything in between, parenting requires a lot of patience and just the right amount of hacks. These dads might not win parent of the year awards but they've found their own unique ways to get through the day with their own kiddos.
Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind
First, I'm really impressed this dad bought a van that can fit three car seats side-by-side. Any parent traveling with young children understands the bickering that can occur even on the shortest of rides. This dad used cardboard to separate his children from each other's line of view.
We call this the out of sight, out of mind hack, and he claims it works out perfectly. I can't vouch for the safety of this trick but the engineering behind it is so perfect that I had to share.
The Dad Swing
Your kids want you to push them on the swing, but you just want to sit back, kick up your feet, and enjoy an ice cold beer. With this dad hack you can both have exactly what you want. Gently rock your little child in their swing with a long rope and they'll be super happy that dad is "spending time" with them.
You could just walk over with beer in hand and push them but then this hack would be completely wasted. Lazy? Absolutely. The epitome of a dad hack? Definitely.
Clean Your Room Or No Technology For You
This is probably the easiest dad hack on my list and one I plan to utilize regularly when my children are a bit older. Take a padlock, attach it to one of the power outlet pieces and leave a demand letter. This dad wanted his daughter to clean her room, which is clearly needed.
He left a note telling her the lock would come off her electronics the minute she did her chores. I fully endorse this when a child is not following through on a simple task they have been asked to complete.
Fort Dad!
I envy this dad for coming up with perhaps the easiest kid fort making solution I have ever seen. My kids have a hard time waiting patiently while I scrounge up enough blankets to make them a small fort that they destroy every five minutes. For this trick, all you need is a box fan and a large sheet.
Tuck in all of the edges of the sheet, turn on the fan, and the perfect indoor play fort is ready for your children to explore. I've pretty much given up on forts but this is just the lazy thinking I need to build more in the near future.
How To Solve Problems: Dad Style
I'm probably not the best person for conflict resolution. My daughter hits my son, he complains, I tell him not to stand for her bullying. He hits her back and the cycle repeats itself until one or both of them are crying. This dad came up with a much better solution as the "get along shirt" requires both kids to share one shirt until they work out their differences.
There may be no better reason to kiss and make up than having to share a very close confinement with your sibling. The little girl in this photo seems to have gotten the message loud and clear.
Dad Hacking Even When He's Not There
This dad understands that he can't always be there with his daughter when she's on the open road. A simple solution? He clearly wrote the word "No!" over the RPM and speed gauges on the car. If the little orange notification hardware disappears, his daughter knows she is breaking the rules.
If she gets pulled over for speeding I doubt this dad would hesitate in taking away the car. Dads can become pretty overprotective of their children but this guy found a way to strike a comfortable balance between safety and a pretty loud reminder of his rules.
Combining Nap And Meal Time
I'm not sure what to be more impressed with, this dad's ability to balance his baby while eating a piece of cake or the child's unwillingness to wake up when being used as a human table. Raising kids can be crazy at times because they demand so much of your attention.
This dad has figured out how to balance child raising and the need to eat in order to stay alive. If he can still pull off this trick when his kid is five-years-old I would be happy to proclaim this to be truly the best dad hack in terms of necessity.
Fake Gaming
Not ready to give up your gaming habits just because you have kids? This dad came up with a simple but ingenious idea. Hand your children controllers that are not actually controlling the game and let them "play along." Sure you might give your child an undeserved bit of gaming confidence but this hack should work well for a few years.
Once your kid is a bit older you can just have them join you on your crazy gaming adventures. Lying to your kids? Not cool. Encouraging them to participate? Of course! I'm conflicted about this dad hack.
The Creepy Barbie Doll Hack Courtesy Of Dad
Sick and tired of trying to re-attach your kids Barbie doll heads? This dad decided there was a better solution. Okay, it's really just a creepy solution that looks like something out of a horror flick but it gets the job done.
This dad hack can work for expensive dolls, Bratz, Barbie, and any other toy that keeps losing its head and driving you out of your mind. I don't know if his child continued to play with the doll but it makes for a fun viral photo.
Don't Mess With Dad's TV Remote Settings
If you have children at home the struggle to keep your TV settings optimized is real. You can make sure your children only use the allowed remote control buttons by placing painters tape over unused options. You could also do what my family does and ditch expensive cable for Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Prime.
It's amazing how quickly kids learn to use newer technology instead of archaic cable boxes. Sometimes the simplest route is the best type of dad hack because it proves a point and makes life easier.
Dad Nap During Playtime? Genius!
How do you sneak in a dad nap while your children play within earshot of your location? You draw a city on the back of your shirt, lay down on the floor, and let your kids go to town. If you're a light sleeper this probably won't work.
I could definitely see myself napping the day away with this trick. Plus, when you're out and about every kid will be jealous that their dad doesn't have a portable car map written out across their shirt. This is a big dad hack win in my book.
Combining Dad's Love Of Baseball And Fishing
Are you lazy? Perhaps you can't walk around because of an injury? This dad has come up with a rather ingenious solution for teaching your kid to play baseball with very little effort. He attached a ball to some high-strength fishing line. When your kids swing at the ball simply release and allow the ball to go flying.
Real in your fishing line and repeat the process until their little arms are too tired to swing a bat any longer. It might not be the most active time spent with your kid but at least their getting some exercise.
Scooting Around Town With Baby
This is one of those dad hacks that I can't fully endorse for safety reasons but I appreciate the thought that went into creating something unique. This dad combined elements of a tricycle, scooter, and baby carrier into one. Fly around town with your child and hope you don't wipe out — that's the name of the game with this dad's invention.
In all fairness, this is probably still safer than the thousands of parents who don't realize they have installed their car seat incorrectly. At least baby gets a fast ride with the wind in their nearly non-existent hair.
An All Natural Baby Carrier
You think your baby carrier is made from "all natural" materials? Think again! This dad wins my award for most awesome dad hair and the use of that hair. I'm not sure if this is comfortable at all but his little girl seems to like the ride and dad has a smile on his face.
How he managed to secure his kid to his head is beyond my comprehension. The best dad hacks are the ones that are so outrageous but actually seem to work just as intended.
How To Be Good At Hair: Dad Style
I seriously don't understand how my young daughter so quickly learned to use hair ties, bows, and other accessories in her hair because I can't even brush it properly. This dad wasn't going to waste his time on hair ties and instead came up with this silly but effective dad hack.
Simply grab your daughter's hair and place it inside of a zip tie. Pull the tie to secure her hair and you're ready to go. Bring along a pair of scissors or a pocket knife and you can even remove the excess zip tie portion for a cleaner, more professional looking hairstyle.
Leave Your Shirt Inside Out Because Babies Leak... From Everywhere
Nate from Oregon shared a picture of his sleeping baby and it was immediately clear that his t-shirt was inside out. This wasn't a mistake! Nate says he turns his t-shirts inside out when at home in case spit up and other bodily fluids decide to attack! If you are raising any kids it becomes immediately clear that they leak from everywhere.
I literally can't go more than an hour or two without some type of bodily fluid, usually spit up, hitting my clothing. Some smelly mistakes, of course, still require Nate to make a wardrobe change.
A Dad Hack For Cleaning The House
For full disclosure, I don't know if a dad created this baby duster outfit but it has been shared by a lot of guys who seem to think this is a suitable way to clean up hardwood floors in their home. To be fair, the baby in this photo seems really happy to be crawling around on a dirty floor while wearing the fluffy outfit.
If someone can make one of these for somehow dusting in hard to reach ceiling areas and corners, I'll buy into the hype and pick one up for each of my children. This is lazy but in a really adorable way that I can't stop smiling about.
A Crib Your Kid Can Color In
This is a classic dad hack. Why take the giant cardboard box out to the trash, when you satisfy your kids need to color on the walls instead. And the best part is, one your kid has tired himself out, he just falls asleep.
In no time at you've created a safe space for your child to draw and sleep. This is the ultimate win-win for dad. We just hope Mommy approves. Outlook not good.
Sweep The Cheerios To The Target
Continuing the theme of dads who hate to clean, here's a way into tricking your kid into doing it for you. Just tape around a kitchen tile, and have your precious baby sweep any scraps into the target.
We suggest calling this game "Sweep the Cheerios to the Target" but feel free to come up with something else. All that really matters if your kitchen floor will be spotless and you did none of he work!
Dating With Dad's Help
You've been warned young men. You can try and date this dad's daughter, but if you break her heart, he'll break you. He looks pretty excited about laying the smack down on you, too.
As for his daughter, she looks "thrilled" to have such an overprotective and over-muscled dad. If she could have it her way, she would have a normal dad with the classic "dad bod" that was no real threat to her future happiness.
Toilet Paper Wars
Once you become a father, toilet paper becomes that much more important. Clogged toilets are no jokes, so setting limits on how much your kids can take from the roll is vital.
This dad solved the problem the easy way. When you pull past the line, you rip the toilet paper off the roll. You go any further than that and you're dealing with a clogged toilet, a trip to the store, and one angry dad.
Safe Jumping
If you're crazy enough to buy your kids a trampoline, we highly recommend this brilliant dad hack to keep it as safe as possible. We'll never understand why trampolines don't arrive pre-pool noodled to begin with.
With this hack you simply cut the noodle down the right size, cut a slit along one side, and push it over the dangerous trampoline wires. It's not a full proof hack, but it is one way to keep your kids safer while they let out out their energy jumping.
One Player Game With Three Participants
We recommend this hack ONLY if the game dad is trying to play is child friendly. For the kids, this is playtime and they want to join in. If only there was a way you could play your game and trick them into thinking they are playing, too.
Have you ever tried giving them controllers that aren't plugged in? Just sit on the cords so they can't see, and enjoy your game with your kids. It's all fun and games until one of them throws their remote at the TV!
Potty Training Made Easy
Fun fact: young boys hate potty training. Diapers are so convenient, why would anyone want to not use them? Here's one way to convince your son he's wrong; turn going to the bathroom into a game.
Buying stickers like this is cost effective, and gives young boys something to aim at. Here's another fun fact, this is the exact same idea as putting bees in urinals; they give adult males in public bathrooms something to aim for!
The Hands-Free Touch
Does you baby need to take a nap while you do the dishes or watch the game? Here's one way to keep your child happy while being able to do whatever it is you want to do in peace.
Fill a mitten with beans to create a weighted glove, then place it on your babies back. You'll be amazed how quickly it comforts your child. Just remember, don't yell at the game during naptime! A weighted glove is not a magic wand.
Please Call If Lost
When taking your child out for a day at the park or a trip to the mall, there is every possibility they will get away from you. If you brand them with a temporary tattoo, then you're winning at parenting.
Just make sure the tattoo has a phone number to call. That's the point of this hack. Some kids are runners, and some parents just don't have the energy to keep up. There's nothing wrong with that.
Warm Seats Forever
One of the worst feelings in the world is sitting down on a cold toilet on a cold day. No one wants to gets shivers going up their spines while one a business call.
This brilliant hack solves the problem. Take a pair of old tube socks and cover the bowl. Of course, this only works a lid like this. If your have a fully circular lid than we're sorry to say it, but your... out of luck.
Easy Clean-Up
Bath time is trickier than parents think they're going to be. For your kid, it's playtime, and they want to run all around the tub getting into trouble. By putting them in a basket with all their toys you can avoid this.
And do you know what the best part is? After the bath is over and your kid is dry, you just take the basket out of the tub with the toys in it. Clean-up could not be any easier!
Organized Eating
Road trip can be a hassle for parents. Kids hate being strapped into cars for hours at a time, and when it's lunch, the car can become a mess. If you are forced to eat on the run, try this hack to keep things more organized.
This tray separated the food between your children, and keep the mess that can create relegated to one small area. Just make sure to clean the basket regularly or could begin to smell...
Cheap Clean Fun
Has your child run out of things to do with all of their toys? The last thing you want to do at this point is to spend money on more toys that will barely keep them entertained.
Instead, pull out a bag of pipe cleaners and a strainer. You'll be amazed at the hours of fun this provides your kids! You'll then spend hours watching them, baffled at how entertained they are by the simplest things.
Medicine Made Easy
Having to take medicine isn't fun for adults, and it definitely isn't fun for kids. The big difference is that you know as an adult you need to force yourself to take it.
Kids need to be tricked into taking their medicine, and here's a clever hack for that. Make the medicine dropped a part of their pacifier. Kids love pacifiers, and now they'll love their medicine too! This is a dad hack at its best.
Baby Proofing 101
Let's go back to school for a second. One of the first things you will learn as a new dad, or mom is that kids will try and get into everything. Luckily, you can use a yardstick to keep them out of your unmentionables.
Why a yardstick? As you can see from the picture, it's a one plug device to keep little hands out of your drawers. Now you get to keep your clean, and that's a parenting win.
Turn Their Crib Into A Desk
When you kid has grown out of their crib you can do this instead of tossing it out. Take off one side, add chairs, and you have a perfect working station!
You can fix it up too so that the bed is a chalkboard or white board. Turn their crib into their new favorite play area. This hack is perfect for artistic parents with artistic kids! You can get them drawing young so they can hone their skills before their peers.
Clever Pencil Case
Got a lot of DVD boxes you have no idea what to do with? If you have kids who love to draw, take those boxes and turn them into personalized colored pencil cases!
The more cases, the more variety your kid can have. Maybe one box is reserved for pastels and bright colors, while another houses their "goth" phase pencils. You can even make a pencil case for yourself and join in on all the fun.
No Mess Popsicle
When you give your kid a Popsicle, a mess is going to be created. They take forever to eat it and it melts everywhere. Not only do you have to wipe their face, but you have to clean their clothes immediately.
With this clever hack, you'll still have to clean your kids face, but their clothes will remain mess free. Just flip a coffee lid upside down and put the frozen pop's stick through it. Pretty incredible, right?
The Perfect Slice
For some reason, kids always want their food cut into tiny bite size pieces. You can do this with a knife, possibly cutting yourself in the process, or you can use a pizza cutter like a parenting boss.
This hack is one we can't believe we had never thought of. Take the waffle, slice one way, slice the other way, and BOOM, your child has perfect bite sized waffle pieces and you have perfectly uncut hands!
When They Grow Too Big For Their Crib
We might have saved the best for last with this one. Once your kid has outgrown their crib, you need to make sure they won't fall out of their bed. Accidents happen, but this is one pain that can be avoided.
Like the picture shows, take a pool noodle and place it under the bed sheets. Now when your kid rolls over, it's impossible for them to roll to far and everyone gets a good nights sleep instead of a trip to the emergency room!
