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Ways to Occupy Kids in a Restaurant
Going to a restaurant with kids can feel overwhelming – especially if you are waiting for a restaurant table. Even at a kid-friendly restaurant, a long wait, whether in the lobby or at the table can be tough.
If there is no play area , what do you do to keep the kids occupied? They can get restless while waiting for their food or to sit down.
One of the best things if you go to a family-friendly restaurant is that they have a kids’ menu. Usually they have a simple game or two that can keep the kids busy until their kids meals come.
But if you are looking for fun ideas to keep kids occupied in a restaurant, here is a list of great ideas!
Bring Small Toys
You don’t want to be lugging a big bag into a restaurant but grabbing a few little toys that can fit in your purse or a diaper bag will be sure to help.
A good idea is to bring two to three small toys so that once the kids get bored of you, you can bring out something new.
Bring Coloring Books or Sticker Books
A coloring book or sticker book is easy enough to put into your bag with a few crayons. Coloring a picture and adding in some stickers or coloring together can help to keep kids occupied and distracted while waiting for their food.
Another great way to pass the time is to bring along some activity books. They are likely to be a big hit !
Play with Sugar Packets
I know – this sounds kind of funny. But for older kids , and some young kids, they could use the sugar packets to try to build something. Add in a couple creamers and you could really build up a little house!
Bring a Deck of Cards
A deck of cards can be a good distraction for kids while waiting at a restaurant. You can play a simple game like go fish or if they are older, they could play solitaire.
Play Eye Spy
Another great idea is to play eye spy. It doesn’t require bringing anything extra with you. You can look at all the items around to spy many different items. The kids will think it is so much fun !
Play a Fun Game
This could be any number of things – you could play tic, tac, toe or hangman. You could also play an alphabet game – either try to find all of the letters on the kids menu or find items that begin with every letter of the alphabet.
All of these simple ideas can help keeping kids busy during the wait time at a restaurant whether you are waiting for a table or for your food. They will help make your dining experience an easier time and much more enjoyable!
What are your tricks to keep kids occupied at a restaurant?
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