wanted: ideas for entertaining 20 mo in restaurants

[nona]

i'm need some new ideas for entertaining my toddler when we go out to eat. crayons are OK but my DS is not entertained by them too long (and he usually just breaks them). we also use a little aquadoodle.

any ideas? i'm braindead!

[TERESA-E&C's Mommy]

We take a traveling bag.  I switch out the toys every few times out.  We use things like playdough, stickers, books, small doll, cars, markers (not allowed at home), etc.
We also use one of those board that you write with the pen on then slide the button to erase (my brain is dead too!).

I also went to a mommy exchange party a few months ago.  One mom in my play group organized the whole thing.  She gave each mom one activity do prepare and put in a bag.  I had to make 20 bags of a game that was matching foam shapes.  Then at the party we exchanged the bags.  I came home with 20 other bags/ activities to do with DD.  I think I will start taking those to resturants as well.

Good Luck to you!

Teresa

[Shdef]

I would suggest a babysitter 

What usually entertains them are several toys that are either new or he hasn't seen for ages.

For a restaurant I'd recommend:

- books with little doors to open
- cars that "do" things he knows (miniature digger, that kinda stuff)
- soft pencils to draw with (found them more entertaining than crayons, he just shouldn't suck them)
- origami (http://www.tammyyee.com/origami.html)

Oh yeah, and make sure he doesn't come straight out the car or he will be restless and wants out. Maybe some running around before you actually go in?

[em_here]

lol, I so needed to see this thread, usually I just let them run wild like escaped zoo animals!!!! I tried books and little toys and they havent worked, so am marking this to see more great ideas

[nona]

I would suggest a babysitter 

LOL!

great ideas! we try to let him run around for a bit but sometimes we forget b/c we're so excited to be eating out.

i def need to remember playdoh. cade really likes playdoh.

we use one of those sliding things too - magnadoodle?

i am looking for a busy book (zippers, snaps, buckles, etc) but can't find any.

we go thru good spells too...

teresa - i'm interested in the mommy exchange party - it sounds like fun. was it her own idea or is it something like a southering living or tupperware party?

[jess, lukeys_mom]

i love that mommy exchange party idea too - how fun!

[TERESA-E&C's Mommy]

No she is a VERY creative mommy!!!  She found a book of "toddler bag" ideas.  She just thougth it would be so much easier for a mom to make one bag as opposed to 20 different bags.  It took a couple of hours to get mine ready for the party, but I don't think I would have ever taken the time to get all the materials ready for 20 different bags myself.  I will look at them and see if the name of the book is anywhere on them, and maybe you could plan your own exchange!  I will also look through and see if there are any quick ideas I can find for you.

Teresa

[nona]

how did everyone pay for it? i'm really curious about this...i'd love to organize something like this as a moms night out, etc.

[TERESA-E&C's Mommy]

I am still looking in to what book the ideas came from.  I can't tell just by looking at the bags.  Each mom paid for the materials for her activity (28 bags-more than I remembered).  Like I said mine was matching those sticky foam shapes.  I bought a ton at the Dollar Store.  I put one of the pair on a "Bingo" card and the other is loose in the bag.  The objective is to match the foam shapes. 

All the activities are in a gallon zip lock bag with the directions on the bag.

Here are some good ones I found that would not be too hard to do on your own....

Rice bottle- fill an old water bottle with rice and stuff with lots of mini trinkets (pom-pom, bead, flower, noodle, wiggle eye, straw piece, penny, clothes pin etc) Then hot glue the lid on.  Kids play an eye spy game in the rice.

Mini Chalk Board- this was a chalk board from the dollar tree.  It already has chalk in it.  The bag has a sheet of ABC's and Numbers to practice.

Colored Paper clips--- This bag has five different colored paper clips and  matching colors of paper.  The child is to clip the paper clip to the matching paper.

Texture Rubbing- this is a bag with paper and crayons and cool things to rub and make a texture.

Pipe Cleaners- Pony Bead and pipe cleaners.  String them on to make a pattern or any thing they would like.

All Mixed Up-  This bag honestly has all kinds of junk in it.  Around the house things like the rice jar.  Each item has 3-4 others just like it.  Match the like items

Magnify it-- This bag has a cheap magnify glass and once again junk from around the house.

Let's Go Fishing- A dowel rod with string and a magnet.  Then pieces of foam that have two staples together to pick up with the magnet

String It- Lots of wodden beads and different things to string on.

Tissue Paper Collage- This bag has large square paper, lots of cut up tissue paper and a glue stick.

Punchy- Punchy-- This one has one of those cool hole punches that makes a shape and lots of ribbon and paper to punch

Spoons-- Lots of different colored spoons for sorting.


There are more, but these are the ones that would be easy for my 2 year old.  Some of the other ones are ABC's and Numbers.  Maybe  for 2.5 or 3. 

I will still look in to finding the name of the book, but if you really wanted to you could make most of the  bags and not spend much money.

Sorry this was sooo LONG

Teresa

[maisy]

WOW WOW WOW 

I love those ideas, thankyou soooo much for taking the time out to type them all. I will so be making those and I am also egistering as a childminder and the kids would be able to help make many of these !!


Our staple restaurant, boring waiting time, queueing game is affectionately named as "hubba hubba - which hand is it in?" it is basically where you have a coin and shake it between your hands and then the LO has to find which hand. My son named it when he was about 18 months old and it is still called hubba hubba and my 2 year old loves it too.
This game literally saved our sanity at universal studios 3 years ago when we were queueing for the cat in the hat ride and it broke down! we played this with a quarter for the whole 1hr 30 mins and didnt get tired 

x x x x

[Deb_in_oz]

i go to a blog regularly that recently featured the activity bag idea - i have been making some for our drive on thursday to sydney.

here is the craft website - it is a fabulous resource as it features other ideas from loads of blogs
http://belladia.typepad.com/crafty_crow/

here is the featured blog (about toddler bags)
http://chasingcheerios.blogspot.com/2008/06/toddler-activity-bags.html

and here is the blog that inspired it (about preschool bags)
http://www.avclub.us/megret/?p=1596


and it mentioned the book that i imagine your friend used
http://www.activitybags.com/

so far i cut out lots of felt shapes to add to their store bought sets (we have farm, jungle and a castle/princess theme set so this will be more open ended)
i am making: necklace making bags with yarn + cut up straws, coloured pasta and beads (my kids are older), i spy bottles (taking 2 x 600ml water bottles and filling them with rice and objects from around the house like hair band, safety pin, mini objects... for them to find), making a scavenger hunt list with pictures of things for them to look for from the car (like a horse, a truck, an airplane, a red car, etc)  have a few days left to do more so will look at some of what you posted and adapt for preschool set

[Deb_in_oz]

also looking through my supplies of portable toys i have used over the years - not sure what they did back at 20 mo: lacing cards (we have a cute set from ELC that come in a small clear case)

flip cards were very popular from 1yo til almost 3yo (and still get a look at every so often) - we have 3 sets from Baby Einstein and Munchkin brands (they have a series of cards that are laminated or hard and have 2 rings thorugh them attached to a handle at the top - alphabet, animals, colours etc are all covered - highly recommend)
we have the ocean http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Einstein-Traveling-Discovery-Cards/dp/B00134ME9W and a bigger BE set i could no longer find on the net (seems they now just have the smaller theme ones)  and this is the munchkin one which i actually found in the supermarket int he states when visiting my mom when alex was a baby and i could not find the BE ones (got those later as a gift)  http://www.babiestravellite.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=BTL&Product_Code=MTTFC

finger puppets for a theme can easily play with for ages
small plastic animals
toy camera with images in it to look at when clicked plus pretending to take photos (alex still likes to do this) + toy cell phone with music feature
miniature tea set (fits into a small bag)

[TERESA-E&C's Mommy]

Deb--- You are amazing.  That was the exact website she ordered the book from!!!!!  The chasing cheerios website looks very good too.  Thanks so much!!!

[nona]

thanks for all the great ideas!!  i'm so glad i asked this question!!!

cade seems a little young for some of those activities - maybe it is a boy thing - but he recently started enjoying stickers so i'm sure he'll be into some of this in the near future.

i can't wait to bring this up to my mommy friends.

[Deb_in_oz]

glad it was right.

for the pipe cleaner example you listed i remember that one and for preschoolers and beyond you put the beads in a pattern on one pipecleaner and twist off / seal the ends.  then you provide your child with a pipe cleaner and the same beads so they can match the pattern (am going to do this for Liv).  they learn sequencing and then you can also give open ended pipe cleaners and beads so they create their own patterns (i am going to do this for alex who has really been exploring pattern concepts lately)

i am not a crafty person so i love all the info on the web - i have loads more sites i visit for inspiration (i need to work on follow through though but improving) give me a shout if you want more to explore  (actually one is called "Let's explore" LOL)

[nona]

that is a great idea about the pipe cleaner.

has anyone seen any quiet books - like ones that toddlers can learn how to use a zipper, buttons, velcro, snaps, etc?

i can't find any...

[TERESA-E&C's Mommy]

We have a teddy bear with those things, but not a book.  Good Luck hunting!

[Deb_in_oz]

i've seen them in book stores and markets here and on line from US retailers i think.  will have a glance for you online - where are you ?

[nwmm]

There was another post about finding "busy" books in the last day or two.   Although, I thought Deb responded to the orginal poster so maybe I am losing my mind. 

[Aly Mac]

Hi Heather - I remember the 'quiet' book that my aunt made for me and have been thinking for ages that I should make one for Lilly!!! If I get inspired I'll make you one.

Another thing to add to all of this, is to make sure they aren't hungry when you get there - they are so much happier on a full or partially full stomach. We take Lil to bfast mainly and hence we find the morning to be easier.

hth

[Deb_in_oz]

these are like the ones i saw in sydney

http://www.mastermindtoys.com/store/product.asp?product_code=22298&subcat=258&agecat=0&cat=0&brand=83&page=1

http://www.amazon.com/My-Quiet-Book-Soft-Activity/dp/B00000J3LL  and $5 cheaper than another site i found

[Aly Mac]

Goodness!!!$$$$  I think i'll get the sewing machine out!

[nona]

deb - i'm in the states. i've looked in several specialty toy store (boutiques) and toys r us, target, etc and didn't find anything. (i'm looking for those munchkin and baby einstein flashcards too- only website is the babytravellite one. maybe i'll luck out at the grocery store or target. )

i know - those books are expensive. i wish i knew how to sew!! i guess i could hand sew one and use felt and hot glue. i like being crafty but the time i finish cade will already know how to do everything. ha, ha. also, the one on amazon didn't get great reviews. i'm not paying $30 for a quiet booK! i can prob get my mom to make me some activity bags but she can't sew either.

yep, i did ask under product recommendations - which was an accident. i meant to ask under activity. i thought i'd ask again in case someone else didn't see the other post.

aleesa - if you make one, i'll def pay for you to make cade one! i found a doll but i think a book will be easier for him now than a doll.  cade does better on an empty stomach at restaurants b/c he'll eat for a while. if he is not hungry, he will not sit in his highchair. when we go out to eat, we usually order him something as well.

did anyone spend some time looking at the chasing cheerios blog? holy cow! the mom must have more than 24 hrs in her day! she did have some good ideas though. i wonder how old her toddler is? i don't think cade can perform/would be interested in some of those activities.

i think the activity bags would make a great sticky for the activity thread.

[nona]

yep - just found some stuff on lakeshore learning. always forget about that place. the book is $35 . the book is for 3-5 yrs.  they also have 2 dolls - bunny & puppy. each of those are $15. they are aged 2-5 yrs.

http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/search/results.jsp

oh,i read on the chasing cheerios blog that the mom checked out activity bags from her library. that is really cool - i will have to look into it.

[nwmm]

A few thoughts for you:

You mentioned you are in the states.  You can always order a book through Borders.  (Are they close enough to you?)  Sign up for their coupons.  They come pretty often via email.  If the book comes in when you receive and email coupon go ahead and use it.  There are notations on the coupon that says the book would not qualifty, but not all the salespeople follow that rule.  As a result, I have a hard time pointing it out that I do not want the discount.  Also, you can google Borders and print a coupon.  They is almost always one for 20%. 

Lake Shore Learning - You can sign up for the teacher/parent card in case they are on sale.  Most people think it is for teachers only, but the salespeople told me otherwise.

[nona]

thank you!