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“Stop! Keep your voice down. Don’t touch that! If you can’t behave, we are leaving.” Sounds familiar? You’re not alone! Let’s talk about positive ways to help entertain children while you’re out doing what most of us love, shopping!
No parent enjoys the moment when your children have lost their manners and especially young toddlers who can’t be “still” for longer than 30 minutes. I have 9 ideas that you can try to help make shopping fun and easy for you. Take a glance.
Let’s start with the possibilities of why your children may not be cooperating.
- They are tired.
- They are hungry.
- The way YOU are handling the situation at hand.
- They are BORED.
- They’re in discomfort. (Not feeling well, teething, uncomfortable where they are sitting, etc.)
- You gave them the answer NO.
The 9 ways to keep your children entertained while shopping
Let them shop as well
I know that these little mini carts are available at certain places, but a definite must-try for all moms! This is not only entertaining for your child, but they kind of learn some independence. All of that running around, you and I both know that means a good night rest. For them and momma!
Bring the snacks
Bringing a snack to your shopping trip will probably be your life-saver! I read this somewhere online and I am grateful I have tried this method. Just, try it out and thank me later. Here are a list of snack ideas: sugar-free candies, goldfish, cereal bites, graham crackers, granola bar, crackers, etc. My only advice is to make sure they are in bite-size if possible. So that they will munch longer giving you some freedom on not having to rush to get your shopping done.
Let them help you put things in the cart
Kids absolutely love it when they are included. They want to feel like they have a purpose, so sometimes the best way to go is to let them be helpful for your experience! Have them grab what you need and hand them to you. If they are in the cart buckled in to make sure its a reachable item. I started doing this with my youngsters and they love it.
Grab the cart w/steering wheel
Only selected few stores do offer kid-friendly carts, but they are super entertaining for children while shopping! I typically use them if they are available, as most of the time stores offer two or three of these carts. This normally keeps my kids entertained up to 45 minutes. This helps you get the job done while your child is having a good time steering away.
Be interactive with them while you shop
I definitely recommend trying to be engaged with your children the best you can while you’re shopping. This could be anything you know that your child is enjoying at the moment. Such as teaching them numbers, the alphabet, colors, learning body parts, and even objects (point), etc. My children love to play “I-spy” games when we’re out shopping. They get a huge giggle out of that and they enjoy it. These are the priceless memories I am talking about! Plus a great learning experience for your children.
Bring their favorite toys
If you know they have a toy that they absolutely can’t live without, let them bring it along. It doesn’t hurt anything and it keeps them occupied. Who can argue with that?
Bring the electronics
So my children have the amazon fire kids tablet. Buy yours HERE. I love it and they are obsessed. It includes lots of learning interactive videos and games that keep them locked in for hours. If you know you are going to be shopping for a few hours, this might be the best way to go. Bring the electronics that keep your child engaged.
If you’re out at the restaurant…
Here are some things you should bring JUST IN CASE.
- Favorite toy
- Mess-Free coloring books
- A learning book
- Small travel games
- Stickers that don’t stick to objects that well
- Tablets (last resort)
Order ahead to avoid the misbehavior if necessary
Now I know by now everyone has heard about the Walmart/Target grocery (order ahead & pick up) app. Honestly, at first, when I heard about this I was like “ehhhh.” I enjoy walking around the store and getting in the exercise. Plus, some of the best memories are with your children grocery shopping. But, if your toddler isn’t at a good age yet and you haven’t been having any luck the last few times you went out with your child, ordering ahead probably is in your best bet.
I am only including this in the “ways to entertain your child” because it is an opportunity to spend MORE time with your children rather than bore them and have them sit for long periods at a time while you shop for the necessities. I can use the time I normally spend at Walmart (about 2 hours) to spend more time with my family. This has helped my stress levels as well because I don’t have to worry so much about how my child is going to “act” in public.
Perfect for: Moms with children, Pregnant women, when you’re sick, you have other agendas to attend to, your exhausted but need the necessities, your child is sick, so on and so forth! This is super convenient for all parents. No more arguing over a toy. Meltdown at the grocery store. Buying unnecessary things. OVER spending. Etc.
Well, this is honestly all that I can come up with on the top of my head. I have utilized each of these 9 methods, so I hope that they will be some help for you! I know exactly how frustrating it can be keeping your child entertained while trying to get out of the house. Just remind yourself to breathe. There are ways to work around the madness.
What methods do YOU use while entertaining your children out in public? I love to know, as I am always looking for new things to try.
P.S. If you found this post helpful, I would SO appreciate it if you pinned the image below to your Pinterest! Thank you!
