Use for finger paint
Most kids adore the mess they get to make with finger paints, but more than a few actually don’t like sticking their fingers in the cold wet stuff. There’s no need for them to miss out on the fun. Give your picky young one a handful of Popsicle sticks and let him paint with them to his heart’s content.
Keep track of your house paints
By the time you need to make a spot repair on the living room wall color, that paint color’s name may be a distant memory. So when you finish a paint job, dip a Popsicle stick into the color and when it dries, use a permanent marker to write the color name and the room where it was used. Keep the paint sticks in a safe place on your workbench.
Make skewers for kids
Got a picky toddler? (Who doesn’t?) Make food fun by skewering healthy bites on an easily grabbed Popsicle stick. Pieces of chicken breast, chunks of fruittt—with food on a stick, every meal becomes a game.
Pack an impromptu spoon
Out of plastic spoons? Grab a Popsicle stick and toss it in the lunchbox as a handy utensil for eating creamy foods like yogurt or pudding.
Give a kid his own “knife”
Little ones always want to do what the grownups are doing, but you’re still not comfortable letting her use a dinner knife. Instead, let kids spread their own jelly or peanut butter with a craft stick. It does the same job as a metal knife and you can throw it away when they’re done.
More Cheap and Useful Solutions
The new book 99-Cent Solutions has more than 1,300 smart uses for everyday items, from grocery store staples to cleaning supplies to beauty products. Learn more and buy the book here.