How to Make Eating Out with Kids a More Pleasant Experience

Hungry kids and long waits for food to be delivered to the table is enough to make many adults shudder at the thought of even attempting to go out to eat.  What is needed is a way to keep the kids distracted during their wait.  Many restaurants have gotten smart and provide kids with crayons and a placemat to draw on but this does not always occupy them the entire time.  I have started taking along an activity kit that helps fill the void especially at places that don't provide crayons.

I purchased a small zippered bag from a dollar store along with several other items.  Here is what I include in the bag:

• a mini pack of uno cards
• a ziplock bag of legos
• mini puzzles from Five Below
• colored pencils
• stickers
• magnet games
• a small drawing pad 
• a mad libs book
• bendaroos
• travel size games such as connect 4, tic-tac-toe, memory etc.
• I spy cards
• mini books of mazes or other puzzles from dollar stores
• some fruit snacks in case the kids really can't wait to eat something
• antibacterial hand wipes

These items can and should be adjusted  according to the age of your child and varied from time to time and will help make the entire dining out experience more pleasant for all involved.  What sorts of thing do you bring along when you go out with your kids?

Summer Vacation, How to Keep the Kids Occupied....

Summer vacation is half way over, the kids are starting to get bored and parents are pulling out all the stops.  Here is a list of suggestions for activities you can do with your kids this summer. 

1. Have a picnic in the park 
2. Create a scavenger hunt
3. Catch fireflies
4. Put the sprinkler on let the kids play under it
5. Make homemade ice pops using juice or yogurt and ice trays with toothpicks
6. Make huge ice cream sundaes
7. Have a sleep over
8. Build a castle from boxes and paper towel rolls
9. Visit a new playground each day/week
10. Take  photos of different kinds of bugs or animals you see and make an album
11. Do the same for flowers
12. Build a tent fort
13. Make fairy houses
14. Go to the beach and collect shells
15. Go to your local zoo
16. Check your local paper for summer fairs or concerts
17. Make silly sock puppets
18. Fly a kite
19. Ride your bikes in the park
20. Go hiking
21. Take a field trip to the local pet store to look at animals
22. Ask if you can visit the fire station or post office (you may need to make an appointment)
23. Do puzzles
24. Make your own board game
25. Have a weekly game night
26. Watch a movie marathon
27. Use sidewalk chalk to decorate the driveway or sidewalk
28. Make collages from cut out photos in old magazines
29. Put on your own play
30. Run relay races

Feel free to add to this list...