For a basic, economical cleaning for your children's plastic toys, you can use a bleach/water solution. For use in a spray bottle, mix one tablespoon of bleach with one quart of water. If you need a larger batch, mix 1/4 cup of bleach with one gallon of water. The solution loses it's strength fairly quickly, so make what you plan to use in one day. Be sure to rinse the toys thoroughly with water when you're finished.

• Use a 3-ring binder with baseball card organizer sheets to seperate your coupons into similar categories.

• Use a different envelope for each aisle of your local grocery store. Simply pull out your coupons as you begin/finish shopping each aisle.

Did you know that you can make your own fingerpaint? It's easy! In a large saucepan combine 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1 cup cold water. Stir till smooth. Add 3 cups additional cold water. Cook and stir over medium heat till mixture thickens and bubbles. Reduce heat. Cook and stir one minute more. Remove from heat and pour into three heatproof bowls. Use food coloring to tint desired colors. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature until cool.

Instead of buying expensive "slipper socks" you can easily (and inexpensively) make your own. Simply take your child's socks and make random designs on the bottom of the sock using ordinary fabric paint. You can purchase a small bottle of fabric paint at most craft stores for about a dollar. Let the socks dry thoroughly before using, following the fabric paint's instructions. You could be really creative and make special designs or use different colors together.

Planning a playdate is not as hard as you think-Really! Below, we've listed some tips for a successful playdate.

• Keep it Short: Most playdates are only about an hour long. Once the children are older and more comfortable with each other, maybe expand the playdate an extra thirty minutes.

• Match Ages: Sometimes it works out to have older children play with younger ones, but not always. Try to find MOMs with children close to the age of yours, give or take six months. That usually eliminates frustrations and allows both MOMs feel more comfortable.

• Keep the Schedule: Don't plan for a playdate that is going to keep your children up past their normal naptime or mealtime.

• Watch for Signals: If your child is having a bad day, don't hesitate to leave the playdate early or even cancel it altogether. All MOMs have had "those" days and will be glad to reschedule the playdate.

• Vary the Location: Meet at the other MOMs house or even at a local park that is equally distant from your homes. The chance to play with new toys or play outside always adds a little extra fun to the playdate.

• Play it Safe: When scheduling a playdate, remember to ask about pets as well as food/environmental allergies. And don't get so excited about finally having a "real conversation" with the other MOM that you forget to keep a close eye on the children. Accidents only take a split second!

Have a splinter in your finger that's just barely sticking out from the skin? Put some Elmer's glue (the non-toxic white kind that all kids use) on the splinter and the area around it. Wait for the glue to dry and carefully peel away the glue residue. The splinter should come right out!