Keeping toddlers busy at the table

[momxx5]

Okay parents, please share your tips with keeping toddlers busy/happy at the table while waiting for the food to come or waiting for others to finish their meal. We may venture into a sit down restaurant with our children(older ones extremely well behaved, 2yr old acts very "2").

Things we have tried...

Cheerios and crackers to snack on
paper and crayons
playing with ice cubes(keeps little ones facinated)
"What does" game. What does a cow say? etc. My DD can name of whole zoo full of sounds


I would love to hear some new ideas.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[catheren]

I used to bring little picture books, smaller plastic toddler puzzles, in addition to what you have mentioned.

Don't forget the "sippy cup".

Honestly, the surroundings of people, sounds, etc. used to keep our DD busy!!

 

[KristiKelly]

Many places give little coloring books/menu with crayons. We never had a problem with our kids.

 

[CEDmom]

How about a small Magna Doodle? The Crayola color wonder products are great. I also have taken small packets of Crayola's model magic with us - it's like playdough but not messy. Stickers are always a big treat.

 

[HeatherPage]

I can definitely relate, my son is 2 1/2 and sometimes, no make that most times, wants nothing to do with his food, any of his small toys he brings or his sippy cup. I may try the stickers and modeling clay route that sounds like a good idea. Our other big problem is that he hardly ever wants to go into the high chair (unless he's famished) but he won't stay in the booster seat either. Hopefully it's just a phase he'll be through soon (going on a two year phase). He does pretty good at the character meals because he gets so excited about the characters.

 

[DVCPAM]

We brought a small Thomas the tank engine magnetic book with us for our 2 yr old boy. It had 4-6 pages and little magnets shaped like several of the engines. We never showed it to him until we got on the plane, and then only allowed him to use it at meals. He was obsessed with it! I think you can get it for about $12 at target or barnes and noble.

Also, consider sheets of stickers or some pipe cleaners to bend into shapes. Both are light, so they are not too hard to carry.

Good Luck!

 

[deelam]

All my 19 month wants to do is throw things. Even things in reach on the table, including the tablecloths. I know that means that he wants to "get down and run around". It makes for a very stressful dinner. We recently took him to Ohannas, chef Mickey's and Kona. He was a real handful. He was good for the hoop De do, we just clear his section of table and I kept a hand on the tablecloth. He sat there amazed. I'm hoping that on our next trip this October it gets easier.

Deneen

 

[Disney_1derland]

at Party City in the toy aisle they have these bags of 24 containers of clear, gooey putty for about $3. They are really small and lots of fun but NOT messy at all. Keeps both our 2 and 4 year old busy, we hand them a putty and they are busy for quite a while. we also have a good collection of clip on board books and will snag a few off the stroller to take into restaurants. I clip them to the highchair so even if they are 'thrown' they don't go far.

Another friend takes those plastic easter eggs and fills them with small toys. The kid gets one at each meal so it's always something new.

Good Luck!

 

[Jen D]

Stickers! Lots and lots of stickers. And sticker books.

 

[madalex]

Originally posted by Jen D
Stickers! Lots and lots of stickers. And sticker books.

That is what we do. Nothing like the kids doing Disney themed stickers while waiting for food at a Disney restaurant.

 

[LisaZoe]

My DD, almost 3, and I are going to WDW in Sept. Although we eat at "sit down" restaurants every once in a while now, this trip will include more in a short period because I want to try so many of the restaurants I've been reading about on these boards. We're going to the PSB and one or two other character meals. I'm hoping DD will do OK at those because she'll be able to watch the characters move around the room. I also want to try the Luau or HDDR figuring either of those should also keep her attention. However, there are a couple of "must try" restaurants on my list that I've been concerned about. Now I'll be sure to have stickers ready - I'd already started buying inexpensive ones from discount and dollar stores as well as a small spiral book to put them in (I'm thinking this will also work as an autograph book if DD seems interested in getting into that).

Since coloring only interests her for a short time, my "trick" to keep DD busy while we wait for the food is to let her use her spoon to get ice from the water glass. It isn't something I'd have done if I hadn't seen how well it keeps her satisfied - she can even have my ice if hers runs out.

 

[sap1227]

When we went on our last cruise, we stopped at the Dollar Store and got a couple of items that were for dinner only. We will do the same on our next cruise (DS is 2). We also brought a small MagnaDoodle and that was a big hit.

My older DS hates to be in a highchair or a booster seat as well.

Good Luck

Originally posted by DVCPAM
We brought a small Thomas the tank engine magnetic book with us for our 2 yr old boy. It had 4-6 pages and little magnets shaped like several of the engines. We never showed it to him until we got on the plane, and then only allowed him to use it at meals. He was obsessed with it! I think you can get it for about $12 at target or barnes and noble.

Also, consider sheets of stickers or some pipe cleaners to bend into shapes. Both are light, so they are not too hard to carry.

Good Luck!

 

[ducklite]

My sister brings those little bottles of bubbles like they give out at weddings. Tiny bubbles so no mess, the kids love them and it definitely keeps them entertained.

Anne

 

[frstimer128]

I have a nice big pocketbook so I can keep a lot of little things in there. I have a few zip lock bags with different things like legos, crayons, stickers. I have even brought along a small puzzle for my 4 y.o. DD. I got them at AC Moore for 99 cents. The box is smaller than a cigarette pack. I also have a calculator that she loves to play with.

 

[frstimer128]

BTW,
Crayons stay nice and safe in an Altoids box.

 

[LisaZoe]

My DD also loves a calculator. I bought her one at a dollar store (LOVE those stores!) and she calls it her "game" - as if it is a gameboy or similar video game I think of it as educational as she is starting to recognize her numbers.

 

[frstimer128]

Aren't calculators great...lol

I have a bunch of the games McDonalds recently gave out and my DD loves them.

 

[deanna2426]

deelam-I know how you feel. Ny 18 month old throws EVERYTHING and absolutely hates his high chair. I will try some of the ideas on here, but my main goal for each of our sit-down meals is to get out without him whacking someone in the eye (lol).

Here's hoping he calms down alittle in the next 100 days!

Good luck!

 

[Jordan's MOM]

I think Deanna's right, a lot of time it is just luck!! A couple more ideas though. Make sure that your child is not too tired, or wired up or hungry before you go to dinner. He will be off his routine anyway so you might have to adjust meal time too. Another suggestion is to never put him into the high chair until the food comes. That way he is not tired of sitting there and just might eat something. Try to pick things that will take him a litte longer to eat. Most resturant have those oyster crackers in little packs and kids love those. Ask for a booth, as you can snadwich him between you and the wall or you and your spouse. Also try taking a walk between ordering and getting your food. That way he might be more willing to sit down and eat.
Also the general idea of surprises is great. If you are going to be buying any gift shop items for the kids that day, try getting them just before dinner, and letting them play with that while they wait. It's aslo not too early to slowly and gently introduce "resturant rules" We did this with our DS by age two because we knew we wanted to eat in nice places with him. First rule was you can not yell in resturants, next, you must stay in your chair and so on.
I think than most WDW resturants will be so entertaining that you will not have too much to worry about. Good luck.


Jordans' mom

 

[deelam]

I'm going to try the stickers this trip. My little one can't throw stickers. I'll also try the calulator. But I'll have to watch that one because someone can get hurt if he throws it.

I have 98 days to work on this.

Deneen