How do you entertain your kids at restaurants?

[PaxsMom]

We leave in a month (yay) and I was wondering what you pack for when you go to dinner to entertain your kids. My DS (20 months) is at the age where patience are minimal.. and I would rather not to QS everyday.. Thanks for any ideas you might have!

 

[HunnyJar]

We leave in a month (yay) and I was wondering what you pack for when you go to dinner to entertain your kids. My DS (20 months) is at the age where patience are minimal.. and I would rather not to QS everyday.. Thanks for any ideas you might have!

We will bring a coloring book and crayons for our 2 year old. Also stickers are always a good way to keep her occupied - she puts the stickers on the coloring book. Little snacks like Goldfish are also a good way to keep her busy. When at WDW we tend to pick restaurants that we think she will enjoy like Biergarten since they have a band or a character meal. If your son likes fish, Coral Reef might be a good choice if you are lucky enough to sit by the tank. Sanaa is supposed to have several good tables to see the animals on the savannah if you go early enough.

Hope this helps a little!

 

[Kgano]

Buy a portable DVD player. It is the best investment you will ever make. Or if you have a smartphone you can download the netflix app and get a 7.99 a month membership. We don't let our kids watch very much tv so they are glued to that sucker We just got back from 10 days with table service every night with a 11 month old and a 2 year old. 2 hour dinners and the kids were Fabulous!!! If he will wear headphones they make kid friendly ones. We got our DVD player and headphones from walmart online for like 80 bucks. Good luck but also remember that Disney is for kiddies so don't worry if he isn't perfect.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I always pick up various art type kits at the dollar store and target dollar spots. Sometimes they are stamps or crayons or stickers...whatever works. Stock your bag!

 

[Princess Olivia]

I have a bit of a special circumstance because our 2 yr old is on the autism spectrum. We bring our ipad. He is an angel in restaurants. He uses it to help with his language, and he loves anything to do with numbers and letters. He can also watch his favorite movies or videos. It has been a life saver in so many ways.

 

[sukhakuli]

I bring my iphone, that has movies on it. We play tic tac toe. We talk about our day, and make up stories, bring small toys (pet shops, squinkies, cars) and so on. My kids are actually pretty well behaved in restaurants, so we don't struggle with it too much. The littlest one is the iphone junkie, and luckily she doesn't care if the sound is on or not, so she is happy to sit and watch Rango or Despicable Me without the sound on if the meal runs long. She's great for a while, but 45+ minutes is too much for her, so we pull out the iphone.

 

[KatieCollette]

Crayons or we give them our phone with brand new games loaded on that they haven't played before we went on the trip.

 

[mlktwins]

My boys are 6 now, but when they were little, I would keep a box w/lid and handle (the box that crayola sidewalk chalk came in) and put crayons, stickers, a little spiral notebook, a thomas train or hot wheels car, these little things that spin and light up when you press a button, and other cute stuff to keep them busy.

 

[3pletprincesses]

Portable DVD is the best. The restaurants will give you a kids menu with crayons to keep in busy also but I find the portable DVD and sticks to be best.

 

[4littleones]

Do people really bring portable DVD players to the restaurants at WDW? What about character meals? I have 4 little ones to entertain but I fear I'd feel silly with our DVD player propped up. My DH refuses to let the kids touch his phone. I have apps for them on mine but that creates a fight. Lugging around 3 or 4 leapsters is a pain in the butt but I can manage some crayons, stickers and a DVD player so please tell me will I look like a fool?

 

[PaxsMom]

Your ideas are awesome.. We have the iPad and iPhone but he is obsessed with turning it on and off.. then he gets mad when Mickey is not on the screen. Oy vey! Off to every craft store I can find..

 

[SnipsNSnails]

I've never done the DVD player at Disney, but it worked like a charm on a cruise when my oldest was 3. This time grandma has an iphone with lots of apps but I'll bring a DVD player if I think we need it. I'll have them with us from the plane flight. They are the best investment we ever made. We break them out only for car trips over 1 hr. long and plane flights and the kids are so good. I've never taken one to a restuarant other than on the cruise. I'm saving up for an ipad but we won't have it within the week here. My MIL brought hers when they visited this last weekend and I had been considering the ipod touch but I think I'm now convinced to go ipad after she had some adorable books on it to read with the boys.

 

[hannahdrewmom]

Ok maybe I'm the only one... and I have little ones too... but I find the dvd to be inappropriate in a restaurant. First of all I think it is bad ettiquette in general. Second I don't want to hear it and I dont' think others should either. And I think it is worse ettiquette for kids to have ear buds in at a meal.

I think at that age you are teaching them manners and appropriate behavior. Crayons are fine or stickers to help. We talk and point things out. They are part of the family and part of the meal.

I think the most rude thing is when I see older kids with portable devices at a restaurant. What is the cut off age for them? Sorry... maybe it's just me....

 

[lizabu]

I'd rather sit next to a table where a kid is quietly watching a movie with headphones than a table where the kids it throwing a fit because he's bored...just saying

 

[SnipsNSnails]

Rude to whom? I can understand if the volume is turned up so that other tables can hear it, then that's rude. But if I'm OK with my child quietly watching a DVD player or playing with an iphone, then why is it any of your concern? I don't understand what is so offensive about seeing a child quietly doing something, if it is, ask to be moved away from us or don't look! It's certainly not the whole meal, they won't use them while they are eating, but we are traveling with my parents and grandparents as well, and let's face it, my dad's a very slow eater. I'd rather have my son sitting there quietly playing angry birds after he's done eating than getting antsy so that we have to rush everyone through their meal. While I'm sure there are many families who do have perfect little angels, I have two very rambunctious boys (yes, one is ADHD) and their good will for sitting quietly in a restaurant is only so long. I'm grateful for anything that helps us have an enjoyable dinner. So kudos to you on your well behaved children and awesome parenting skills, but not every family is the same.

 

[hannahdrewmom]

I'd rather sit next to a table where a kid is quietly watching a movie with headphones than a table where the kids it throwing a fit because he's bored...just saying

A dvd player is not necessary to keep a child from fit throwing.... or else there never would have been children in restaurants before the last 5 years and every mother would have one in her diaper bag ......

My children are not angels... but they do not throw fits in restaurants... and they do not have a dvd player to keep from doing it.

EDIT to add: most 2 year olds aren't going to keep headphones on anyway.. so it's volume issues as well

 

[Colleen27]

We prefer one piece toys for restaurants just so we're not dealing with dropped pieces. So we have a travel-sized magnadoodle, a busy book with button/zipper/lacing activities, and a couple of dollar store books and activity pads, along with a package of triangle-shaped crayons that won't roll off the table.

I'm in the camp that isn't big on electronic amusements at the dinner table so I don't bring the DSi or portable DVD player, but I know it works well for many families (and I don't judge - we suspend our share of normal rules/habits on vacation, that's just not one of them). We do, however, go through the pictures on the camera together between courses and chat about what we did, what she liked, etc.

 

[WantToGoNow]

I would think for a little one crayons, small toys, a travel sized Magnadoodle, etc. as well as some small snacks. I have no problem at all with my kids (ages 7 and 10) playing their ds's after their meals so that I can have a relaxing meal and I'm not sure why it would bother anyone else.

 

[Neverneverland]

A dvd player is not necessary to keep a child from fit throwing.... or else there never would have been children in restaurants before the last 5 years and every mother would have one in her diaper bag ......

My children are not angels... but they do not throw fits in restaurants... and they do not have a dvd player to keep from doing it.

EDIT to add: most 2 year olds aren't going to keep headphones on anyway.. so it's volume issues as well

I have a 2 year old and a 4 year old and they have been going to restaurants since they were 2 weeks old each - when they got to the 'act up ' age if they threw fits or disturbed other people we got food to go and left restaurants - so they never used DVDs and they have never disturbed other diners by throwing fits - the4 year old is now fully capable of entertaining herself with a piece of paper and 4 crayons for a 3 course meal - the 2 year old we stick to lunches or breakfasts with for now - I think it's all about expectations .....

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

This worked for us at Boma...just wait until your son is tired...