Restaurant survival kit when you have a toddler

How to make a restaurant survival kit? Our must-haves for eating out with our toddler.

We love eating out and trying new restaurants, its always been my husband’s and my thing to do over the weekend. I would plan and he would pay!

Then baby came along and going to restaurants slowed down  but we still did a fair amount of eating out, all planned around the breastfeed and nap time, it worked until she become a mobile toddler and then refused to sit in her high chair for more than a minute…I have one of those hyper toddlers (mind you not due to sugar but purely due to the love of life and curiosity). Going to restaurants slowly became my not so favorite thing to do and I thought to myself, there has to be a way to get around this so I started researching and talking to other mums which resulted in putting together the PERFECT FOR MY TODDLER restaurant kit to survive eating out (it also helps when visiting family and friends).

THOUGHT PROCESS INTO PUTTING TOGETHER YOUR KIT:

1. Keep the toddler entertained so we could enjoy our meal together. Find something they love doing while not on the move.
2. Make it educational to enhance developmental milestones. Eye hand co-ordination, match the sticker to the picture etc.
3. Multiple play combinations with minimal items.
4. Keep the kit small so its easy to carry around.

WHAT DID I PUT IN THE SURVIVAL KIT?

1. Firstly I identified the bag to carry the items. We are using a PEPPA PIG backpack gifted to us by my cousin. Its ideal because our toddler feels like she is contributing to the whole process as she carries it by herself. Also, the unzipping, unpacking and repacking the bag is an activity in itself.
2. Sticker book which I purchased from Mr Price home. It has pictures and comes with a range of stickers that can be stuck and peeled off and stuck again.So entertaining…
3. Blank paper and crayons. A colouring book also can be used if you can find a small compact book or tear of the pages and carry the pages. We carry our own crayons because they are non toxic, fewer germs and are generally better quality than the ones at some restaurants.
4. Small blocks of lego/duplo and some duplo small animals.

I must admit that it works for us 8/10 times, there are times we have to resort to putting on a movie on our cellphone but it works majority of the time. The bag is always packed and only taken out when we go to the restaurant, this way it keeps it interesting and new for her. This kit has made it more manageable eating out.

WHAT YOU WOULD PUT IN YOUR RESTAURANT KIT FOR YOUR TODDLER? Please share/comment as I am always interested to improve and hear your ideas.

HAPPY DINING!!!