My mom used a wooden spoon or a flyswatter to express displeasure with her children. ouch
The wooden BBQ skewers I buy each summer end up getting a lot of use. I wrap one end in paper towels to clean the fish tank, tape two of them together to make long enough sticks for roasting marshmallows, use them to test cakes for doneness when I can’t find the toothpicks, and they are awesome for digging squishy substances, like Play-doh, out of small nooks and crannies.
Tongs are great for retrieving small toys that end up under the fridge. When my garden spade is missing, a big serving spoon works almost as well.
Last, but not least, an old pasta pot makes a good “puke pot” when you have a sick kid who might not make it to the bathroom in time.