Mom Explains Why She Never Heads to a Play Park Without This Household Tool

It's no secret that having kids can be difficult at times. Often it can feel like a daunting and somewhat isolating task, so it's no wonder that the hashtag #parentinghacks has over 3.6 billion searches on TikTok.

Starting with blogs some years ago, parents share tips and hacks, from tiring out your kids before bed to tricking them into eating vegetables, and this has become an increasingly popular form of content on social media.

Gayle Chapman, 36, of London, the mother of 1-year-old River, recently shared a unique winter hack to her Instagram account, which has got both moms and dads excited.

"Rather than carrying around a towel and having to wash and dry it, a shower squeegee is a super quick and easy way to dry play park equipment," Chapman told Newsweek.

She went on: "Getting out of the house for some fresh air and a run around is so important for little ones, and this clever hack means you can get back to having fun in the play park in the winter and shortly after it's rained. It's also really helpful for dew in the mornings and those sunny afternoons where you don't think it will be wet but as it's cold the rain hasn't dried up."

In the video posted to her Instagram account, Chapman can be seen in the play park scraping water droplets off slides, benches and play equipment.

"I saw a mum using a shower squeegee in a play park and I thought it was genius," she said. "I stored the idea in the back of my head, and then when winter arrived I got myself a squeegee to carry around in the buggy. I knew others needed to know about this too so made the video but didn't expect it to be quite so popular."

Shower squeegees are priced at $14.45 at Bed Bath & Beyond and $5.98 at Walmart, as well as at other retailers for prices that won't break the bank.

Motivating yourself to go out to a wet, cold park in the middle of winter is not a prospect many parents relish. But the benefits of being outside for children are overwhelming.

"Children play harder outdoors than indoors and they need daily opportunities to do so," says an article on Healthy Children.org. "More outdoor time is linked with improved motor development and lower obesity rates and myopia (nearsightedness) risk. Safely getting some sun also helps us make vitamin D that our bodies need to stay healthy and strong."

The article continues: "Stress and depression are lower for all people who spend time in nature. Children show increased focus and reduced symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder."

A big fan of the great outdoors, Chapman said, "If in doubt, get out. The fresh air works wonders for everyone, so even if the weather is bad, when things got a bit too much in the early days we would go for a walk, wrapping up super warm if needed, and it always helped reset everyone."

As well as carrying a squeegee, Chapman offered these tips for less stressful parenting:

• A chef's bench scraper used for cutting dough is the quickest and easiest way to clean up a food mess, especially if you're doing baby-led weaning.
• Rainsuits should go over Wellingtons so the rain doesn't go into socks.
• Start a "mum club" with at least one other parent and take turns hosting afternoon play and dinner. That way you get a night off from cooking, washing up and tidying up toys.

Users on Instagram loved the handy tip.

"No need for the towels!" commented one. Another exclaimed, "This is brilliant!"

"Guess what's going in my pram when Ruby starts walking," said another.

Newsweek's "What Should I Do?" offers expert advice to readers. If you have a personal dilemma, let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice on relationships, family, friends, money and work and your story could be featured on WSID.