7 Ways to Entertain Your Toddler at Dinner

Eating out often becomes a huge battle when you have a squirmy toddler to contend with. Their inability to sit still longer than two seconds makes having a peaceful dinner out next to impossible. One tactic parents often use is to order their child's food immediately to keep them occupied. While this strategy may work initially, it still leaves you with a now full and impatient toddler when you're trying to finish your own meal. Next time you venture out to dinner with your toddler, try some of these tricks to keep them entertained using items you'll find at the table.

The Taste Test

Ask for a small plate for your toddler and in separate places on the plate place salt, pepper, and each different type sugar. Depending on what kind of restaurant you're at, you can also put ketchup, mustard, and salsa on here too. Have your child try each item and tell you which ones he liked the most.

Play With Your Utensils

Use French fries, straws, or your silverware to make the letters of the alphabet and ask your toddler what letter it is. If your child is a little older, ask them to make the letters. You can also use the fries, straws, and utensils to make shapes and numbers. This game can keep kids occupied for quite a while.

Stack The Creamers

Creamer containers are great for stacking into a pyramid, or trying to build one tall tower. You can also use the creamers to count, or for older kids, practice addition and subtraction by adding and taking away creamers. They can also be used to make shapes, numbers, the alphabet, and smiley faces!

Hide The Straw Wrapper

Remember the hat game where you take an object, place it under one of three hats, move the hats around and try and guess which hat the object is under? You can use that same technique with cups or small dishes (creamer dishes are the best for this), and hide a straw wrapper or other small object for your toddler to find.

Which One Is It Behind

Take a small object from your table (such as a chip, creamer, or sugar packet) and place it behind one of two or three table tents (or other tall object). Ask your toddler which one is hiding the chip. Then, turn the tables and ask your toddler to hide the object for you to find.

Trading Sugar Packets

This game is great for learning numbers and colors. Give your toddler the container of sugar packets and ask them, "Can I have two blue and one pink?" After they give it to you, thank them and then say, "I will trade you one blue and one pink for two yellow!" This bartering game can go on and on, and can be done with multiple people at your table. Your toddler will love being in control of dealing out the sugars, and will experience an excellent lesson in colors, counting, and manners too!

If All Else Fails...

Worst case scenario, you'll have to pull out the big guns. Bring along coloring books and crayons, an iPod with their favorite music in a play list, or your digital camera so they can look at pictures you have taken. Games like the miniature magnetic fishing bowl and books are a good bet as well.

Next time you decide to take your little monkey out in public, take this list of ideas with you. You'll be surprised at how long they'll be entertained. Best of all, you'll be able to experience an enjoyable sit-down dinner for the first time in a long time!