30 Best Stroller Hacks Every Parent Should Know
Looking after your children is both a responsibility and an absolute joy. After all, what could be better for every parent than giving their little one the care and protection they deserve? Apart from this, the quality of safety is also a priority that every parent takes seriously to keep their child out of harm’s way.
Enter the stroller — a vital accessory for every parent and child’s indoor and outdoor journey. These pushchairs have been around since time immemorial and for good reason. Not only do they give children the comfort and safety they need during their formative years, but they also help parents go out and about with their errands while still keeping a close eye on their little ones.
In this article, we’re giving the 30 best stroller hacks every parent should know —ideas that you can use to make your walks and strolls with your kids more easy, convenient and hassle-free.
30 Best Stroller Hacks Every Parent Should Know
1. Make your shopping trips easier
Going to the grocery with your child should be treated as a good bonding experience than a chore. As such, you can utilize the stroller to help you carry extra shopping bags as you go around. No need to worry if your stroller doesn’t have extra room for basket space! You can use a handy carabiner by clipping them onto the stroller handlebars. Be careful not to put too many bags on the handlebar though — or you might have the stroller tip over.
2. Say goodbye to stroller tip-overs
Prevent stroller tip-overs by wrapping its legs with ankle weights. Doing this will help in giving you and your child a good balance as you go about your walk or shopping! Ankle weights are also one of the most popular stroller hacks for parents and an affordable way for you to prevent any stroller-related accidents along the way.
3. Prevent drink spillages
Refrain from putting your drinks and baby bottles in the stroller basket to avoid messy spillages. Having your own drink holder attached to the stroller is an easier way for you to avoid this from ever happening again. There are a lot of good bottle holders that you can check out online. On a tight budget? Try getting a shoe organizer and cut it to your length of choice and attach it to the handlebar. Finish it off by securing it with zip ties and you’re good to go!
4. Protect your stroller from getting stolen
If you’re a big fan of theme parks and family mall hopping, then this is a hack that can help you prevent getting your stroller stolen — whether intentionally or by mistake! Use a bike lock that’s easy to carry and install to secure your stroller.
5. Upgrade your stroller with a sippy cup leash
Great for quenching a child’s thirst and preventing headaches for every parent out there, a sippy cup leash is a stroller accessory that you need to avoid running after a flying cup from your child again!
6. Install handlebar grips for added comfort and security
Improve your stroller grip by installing handlebar grips the next time you go out with your child. Most handlebar grips come in different colors too so you can accessorize them to fit you and your baby’s OOTD!
7. Keep your baby cool with portable mini fans
A great way to keep your baby cool during outdoors is through a portable fan. Simply attach it onto the stroller handlebars or even overhead when you’re out and about. But make sure that it’s small enough to keep it from your child’s reach to avoid any accidents from happening. This is just one of the many stroller hacks and mom hacks popular right now.
8. Get color-coded stickers to help you with assembling
Confused over tricky stroller instructions for assembling? We’ve all been there. Try getting color-coded stickers that you can stick to your stroller to help remind you of each and every step for assembling and even disassembling.
9. Get a cooling pad for your stroller
Strollers can both be comfortable and sticky for children during summer or warm seasons. Placing a cooling pad on your stroller’s seat can be a big help in keeping your babies cool and comfortable for the entire ride. You can also try this hack for your car seat!
10. Use a bungee cord to secure your stroller
Keep your stroller secured while in transit by wrapping it upright with a bungee cord. This will avoid the stroller from falling and will also give you the extra storage space for more groceries, camping equipment or swimming gears!
Not sure which stroller suits you? Check out our Stroller Buying Guide to find out.
11. Personalize your stroller with a luggage tag
One of the more known stroller hacks, strollers also need their own identity tags for easy identification in public places. Not only can you ensure that the stroller won’t be taken by mistake, you can also use the tag as a unique way of expressing your child’s personality!
12. Get more wheel grip with zip ties
Slippery floors are the bane to every stroller-pushing parent’s existence. Luckily, there’s an affordable way to work around this: zip ties. Simply tie them around your stroller wheels and get an instant added wheel grip for any surface. This is just one of the many stroller hacks that you can try to improve your experience.
13. Save some space by hanging your stroller up
Save some space in your house or storage room by hanging your stroller up. All you need is a durable door hook that can securely carry the weight of the stroller. Finally, there’s more room for your baby’s colorful toys!
14. Increase your visibility at night with reflective tapes
More than anything in the world, the safety of your child should always come first. Out of all stroller hacks out there, this is the one that reinforces safety. That’s why if you’re going to be out until nighttime, consider putting reflective tapes around your stroller to keep you and your child visible.
15. Stay dry by keeping your child and stroller waterproof
The rainy season is no reason for you to cancel your daily walks with your child. But it is also important to shield your child from raindrops by always having a storm cover ready before going out of the house. You can also use an umbrella as part of your alternative for your stroller hacks.
16. Protect your child from the sun with binder clips
Sometimes, a stroller’s sun canopy isn’t long enough to protect your child from the sun. You can work around this by getting a breathable muslin blanket and attaching it over the canopy with — you guessed it — binder clips! This is a cheap and affordable way for you to give added protection to your baby during the summer season.
17. Get an extra layer of protection with head support bands
Does your little one randomly doze off when you’re out and about? You don’t have to be propping their head every now and then when asleep. What you need are head support bands to keep their head from flopping.
18. Get a pool noodle for increased comfort
Lifting your baby carrier in and out of their strollers just got easier! With the pool noodle, you can make the task a breeze by using it in lifting and covering poles on the strollers.
19. Create extendable handlebars for added reach
Do you find your stroller’s handlebars lacking in the height department? Well, chances are you’re not alone. You can create extendable handlebars to hack your way into added reach and comfort. You can even DIY by using a PVC pipe and bike tape!
20. Glow your way into safety with stroller lights
Staying lit as a parent has never been more possible. With stroller safety lights, you can not only keep your child safe at night but you can also be the world’s coolest parent. These stroller lights come in different changing colors as well, allowing you to mix things up every now and then. This is just one of the many stroller hacks that should make you a popular mom or dad to your kid!
21. Get a handy snack tray for your child
Sometimes, all it takes to get your child’s attention is through their favorite snack. That’s why having a handy snack tray on the stroller can be quite helpful in keeping them happy during the ride — without the appearance of tantrums too! Isn't that one of the biggest stroller hacks you've heard?
22. Switch things up with stroller costumes
Who says costumes are only for Halloween? If you and your child are feeling a bit adventurous, and, well, playful, dressing up your stroller can be a great way to express individuality. Does your child love ‘Frozen’ but hate getting into strollers? Try sprucing your pram up by decorating it like an ice castle and you can expect your baby to say “let it go” to their stroller hatred right away!
23. Prop a stroller flag up to stand out
A stroller flag is a unique and affordable way for you to easily identify your stroller from an endless sea of crowd. If you love going to theme parks or frequenting nature parks, this is one of the smart stroller hacks to set yourself apart from other parent-baby tandems.
24. Keep your stroller spotless with cleaning soap
Keep your stroller clean and pristine by frequently washing it with dish soap and warm water. Start by cleaning it with soap and rinsing it off with water. Finish it off by leaving it to dry under the sun. If your child is also old enough to help you, try asking for their help — this can be a great bonding experience for both of you!
25. Hang a cellphone carrier in your stroller
Never miss a phone call ever again while walking your child at the park. Hanging a cellphone carrier in the stroller is a cheap but very effective way to keep your phone in sight, thereby letting you stay updated with important things as well from work or your household.
26. Entertain your baby with a tablet holder
Getting your child’s attention outdoors can be quite the task sometimes. That’s why some parents turn to this magical thing called YouTube to heed their call. Having a tablet holder for your stroller is just one of the best stroller hacks that we can recommend.
27. Make feeding time exciting and convenient with a bottle sling
A bottle sling is considered by some parents to be a life-saver when feeding their children in their strollers. When you’re on-the-go and busy with other things, this can be the biggest hack that you can turn to. Just simply attach the product to your stroller’s canopy or car seat’s handlebars and let your baby do the drinking without mommy or daddy’s help!
28. Keep the mud out of your house with wheel covers
During the rainy season, getting muds on your stroller wheels can be quite inevitable. But this is something that you can easily prevent from happening — with the help of a handy shower accessory. Just get four shower caps and cover your stroller wheels before you leave the house. You can then take off the caps off the wheels before you enter the house — saving you from cleaning pesky mud stains from the floor.
29. Entertain your baby with a stroller hammock
Staying in the stroller all day can give your little one the jitters. That’s why it’s important to also switch things up once they start getting bored and irritable. Try installing a hammock to your stroller and watch your child thank you for it! There are also a lot of these stroller hammocks online that you can check out.
30. Attach a buggy board to the stroller
A buggy board can be very helpful in keeping your child extra comfortable during the ride. The board provides them with additional support, keeping their feet in a stable position and prevents them from dangling in different directions.
Having a headache with all the car seat jargons? We've compiled a comprehensive car seat guide.
Things to Consider When Making Stroller Hacks
1. Safety - Your child’s safety should always come first more than anything, so it’s important to carefully study any stroller modification or enhancement that you will be doing.
2. Cost - Getting the most bang for your buck is something that every parent looks forward to in a baby product. But sometimes there are also creative and DIY stroller hacks to enhance your stroller without the need to shell out a single cent.
Related Article: Ultimate Stroller Buying Guide
3. Effort - Some of the stroller hacks can be time-consuming for every parent, so it’s best to know and make the informed decision of what will work best for you and your baby before jumping into any project.
4. Longevity - Know and assess if the stroller hacks or modifications that you plan on doing will benefit you and your child for a long time.
5. Enjoyment - Lastly, make sure to involve your child in any project that you will be making! From stroller hacks to mom hacks or car seat improvements, let them know that you want their help. This will build their collaborative skills and also improve the way they interact with other people.
Keep Family Travel Stress-Free
If you're in the market for strollers and car seats for your children, or if you simply want to know more about child passenger safety, then give us a call at Taxi Baby Co.! We put your child's safety as our top priority. Our team would be happy to help with whatever you and your child need to keep family travel convenient and stress-free.