We all have exactly the same worries when it comes to taking a toddler to a restaurant.
They’re going to get bored, hungry and restless, which means they’ll be too fussy to enjoy their trip to a restaurant. And that means you won’t get to enjoy eating out either – we’re only as happy as our least happy child in these situations!
As someone who has dined out with her two kids many times – there’s a 21 month gap between my two so I’ve had plenty of times when I was out with a baby and a toddler to entertain – the key is coming to the restaurant fully prepared.
You don’t have to pack absolutely everything I recommend on my toddler restaurant kit list, but it’s definitely a good idea to pack a selection of four to five different things.
Having a toddler restaurant kit, or busy bag, really is the secret to having a nice meal out as a family. It’s helped me countless times so that I could eat my meal – with both hands – and relax.
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What is a DIY toddler restaurant kit?
A toddler restaurant kit, or survival kit, is what you bring with you when eating out to keep your little one entertained.
There’s a fair amount of waiting around when you eat out, and your child may get restless sitting in the same seat for an hour to two hours.
The things you put in there are up to you but you’ll want them to:
- Be age appropriate
- All be a little different so that your toddler can move on to something else if they get bored.
- Have lots of different options for play (their favourite comforter is nice for naptime, but won’t keep them occupied for long in a restaurant).
What to put in a toddler restaurant kit
So what can you actually put in your restaurant kit? You may not necessarily need to buy anything new to put together this kit, so take a good look at what you already have.
Having said that new toys presented to your child at the restaurant – such as new sticker books – are a great way to grab their attention immediately and keep them happy.
A very small snack
This is really a judgement call for you to make, some places bring quick appetisers or nibbles such as breadsticks as soon as you sit down so you may not need this.
If you’re going somewhere that sometimes takes 20 minutes or more to get food to you then a tiny snack may help.
Try something small that won’t ruin their meal, such as a couple of breadsticks or a small rice cake.
I’ve always found with taking my kids to a restaurant that we have a much better time if they’re hungry, but not totally starving, when we arrive. If they’re too hungry, they go into meltdown while waiting for the order to be taken.
Find the X books
I recently got some find the unicorn books for my kids and these were such a big hit the last time we went to a restaurant. They kept them busy for a good 30 minutes!
Storybook
Look for soft books, which are light for you to carry with you, and compact board books that you can wipe clean just in case anything gets spilled on them at the dinner table.
Sticker/colouring book
These are always a great way of keeping a toddler entertained. Look for animals, space, dinosaurs and mythical themes to grab their attention.
Crayons
Avoid bringing pencils, because you’ll need to bring a sharpener too.
I like crayons or pens. The crayons that you can push up are great, but may be a little too slim for little hands to hold onto.
Blank paper
A sketch book or a few sheets of blank paper are a good idea alongside your colouring book, especially if your child loves to draw their own pictures.
Small puzzles
Compact puzzles (I have some that get stored in a tin) to challenge your toddler are a great way to keep their mind occupied.
Doll or DUPLO figures
The DUPLO figures work well because you can easily fit them into your bag. Your toddler can use them to act out so many different games.
I always limit the number of figures and small items like this I bring, because the more you have the more likely it is you’ll drop one on the floor and forget about it.
Pop it fidget toys
The popper, or pop it, fidget toys are so popular right now! They’re so simple, but kids love them. It’s basically like having bubble wrap that never runs out.
Kids push the bubbles and get a satisfying pop sound as they are popped. Then they can flip the fidget around and start all over again.
Many have an age warning of three and upwards, so do bear that in mind when picking one out for your toddler.
Toy animals
Little animal figures are a great restaurant survival kit staple!
Your child could create a little zoo or farm on the table!
Play dough
Just one small tub of play dough won’t take up much space but your child can spend time moulding shapes or creating animals with it.
Drawing board
A magnetic drawing board is a good alternative if you don’t want to bring colouring books and pens. Look for one that’s small, so it’s easy to bring with you, and has the pen that goes with it on a string, so that it’s less likely to get lost.
Toy cars
Kids will love to use these to race around the table.
You could get them to draw out roads on a blank piece of paper before they then race the cars on it.
What not to include in a restaurant kit
There are a couple of things you should definitely avoid including in your restaurant bag:
Anything that makes noise
Noisy toys are great for home, but not so great in a restaurant. Even a family one! Avoid books or toys that have buttons that produce noises.
Balls
A bouncy ball may lead to disaster in a restaurant full of glasses. Anything spherical could spend a lot of time rolling away from your table, so save yourself a lot of picking up and stick with stuff that is more likely to stay on the table.
What to put your DIY toddler restaurant kit in?
You can put your toddler restaurant kit in a small backpack or box.
I also sometimes slip my toys and supplies into a small pouch that I can fit into a changing bag or handbag.
A box may be slightly easier for your child to find things in.
These are some great options for keeping your restaurant kit organised:
Dino backpack
A cute novelty backpack like this dinosaur one is something your toddler will love to carry.
Toy Story tin
This cute tin box is perfect for little Toy Story fans.
Plastic wipes box
If you use reusable wipes or have a box where you store your disposable ones to keep them fresh then this will be a perfect size for your kit.
Tips for keeping your toddler happy in a restaurant
Your child may be happy to occupy themselves with the toys and activity books in their busy bag.
However if they’re restless you can try playing a few table games with your little one to keep them happy:
- I-spy. Line up all of their toys and play a game of I-spy.
- What’s missing? Get your toddler to close their eyes and then hide one of their toys from the busy bag. Now ask them to spot which item is missing.
- Arrange everything by size. If you have figures and animals then challenge your toddler to arrange them from biggest to smallest, or by colour.
- Draw a picture of their favourite food. While they’re waiting for food they will have food on the brain! So get them to draw a picture of their favourite type of pizza, or the best burger, to pass the time.
