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Five Fun Ways to Keep Your Kids
Happy at a Restaurant
by Diane Samson
We all love going out to eat – without the kids, that is. If an evening
out with the family at a restaurant leaves you feeling like you endured
an aerobic workout, take heart with these tips on keeping the little
cuties occupied while you wait for your food.
1. Create a box of "goodies." Find a small leftover container and fill
it with things you find around your house or at a craft store such as
paper clips, foam pieces that come in different colors and shapes, shiny
things, dull things, cotton balls, etc. Keep this container in your car
so you are always prepared, and the children don’t get tired of playing
with it. (If you are really creative, you can decorate the container).
Take it into the restaurant and pull it out after you decide what you
want to order. Show them the contents and begin to ask questions. Can
you find the round things? How many blue objects can you find? Which
things go on a Christmas tree? Which things are soft? How many squares
can you find? Your imagination is your only limit. Kids love digging
through the container and exploring the objects.
2. Play a guessing game. Lay out a few different objects on the table.
These can be objects from the above container, or simple things from
your purse. You can even use the sugar packets, salt and pepper shakers
or whatever is on the table. Have your children study the objects, and
then close their eyes. When their eyes are shut, quickly slip one of the
objects away. Then see if they can figure out which one is missing. This
game not only entertains but helps children develop memory and thinking
skills.
3. Play "I spy" or other games. Many restaurants have interesting
decorations hanging around. A round of "I spy a cowboy hat," or "I spy a
picture of someone riding a horse" can keep little ones entertained for
a few minutes. To help with math skills, practice counting that cereal
you carry around in a bag. Or help your children to begin recognizing
patterns by drawing a pattern of square, circle, square, circle, and
then have them figure out what shape comes next. For older children, you
can create longer, more difficult patterns. Of course, there’s always
the perennial hangman and tic-tac-toe games that work for older children
as well.
4. Play with magnets. It’s amazing how much fun a small magnet can be to
a young child. If you carry some paperclips along with it, the children
will be entertained for a long time. Have them experiment with what the
magnet sticks to. You can also use this with your goody container above.
Ask them to see what objects in your container the magnet will pick up.
Twist ties and clothes-pins usually work well.
5. Keep a book bag ready to go. If all else fails, usually a bag of
books, sticker books or other activity books will keep children occupied
for quite a few minutes. Keep it in your truck or in the back of your
van. That way each time you bring it out, it’s new again.
With a little thought and preparation, meals out can be a fun family
experience.
About the author
Diane Samson is a writer with The Lieurance Group, a freelance writers
cooperative in Kansas City, Missouri. Samson can provide writing,
reporting and editing services for magazines, newspapers, corporate
communications and especially animal publications. Find out more about
her writing services at
www.lieurancegroup.blogspot.com. A mother of three children ages 3,
6 and 8, Samson also offers tips to moms. Email her at dianesamson@birch.net
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Diane_Samson
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