SALT LAKE CITY — The most painful parenting reminders to give are the ones you have to say over and over. So… make it fun.
Kate Mulford shared three ways to make those summer nags a little more magical.
The Helmet Game
Mulford found a way to get kids to wear their helmets without the back and forth.
“Helmet safety is so important,” she said.
Her family came up with a game that has made her kids more aware of helmet wearing.
“Every time we see somebody … wearing a helmet, we get three points,” she explained. If someone isn’t wearing one, it still counts — but less. “They only get one point,” Mulford said.
Once the family reaches their set goal, they celebrate.
“We reward ourselves … maybe a drink or a cookie,” she said.
Kids start to notice the helmets on their own and it becomes easier for them to wear a helmet themselves.
Snack Walk
Getting kids to eat the healthy stuff can be another challenge in the summer, especially with all the snacks around. Mulford's solution might sound familiar.
“Everyone has heard of a cake walk,” she said, which inspired her version: the “snack walk.”
Kids walk around numbered spots while music plays. When it stops, they land on a number and that number corresponds to a snack, usually something healthy.
“Whatever number is associated with the snack … that’s what they get,” Mulford explained. “For whatever reason, they’re stoked about that.”
The Magic Toy
Cleaning up is another constant summer nag.
“That’s one of the hardest things … during the summer,” Mulford said.
Her solution is the “magic toy” game. Before kids start cleaning up, she secretly chooses one toy. After everything is cleaned, she reveals which toy was the “magic” one and the child who picked it up wins and gets a small prize.
This story was adapted from a TV broadcast script using artificial intelligence. Every story, including those adapted with AI, is reviewed by a human editor before publication to ensure that KSL's editorial standards are upheld.
