How to Clothes Shop with a Toddler

As the season is changing I am thinking about going clothes shopping. Both me and my toddler are going to need a few things for the colder season. He is growing out of the clothes that he was wearing throughout spring and summer and I am still trying to fully adjust to my wardrobe after having my toddler, some two years ago. I can remember as a little kid thinking that clothes shopping was rather boring so I wouldn't blame my son if he thought the same. That is why I have prepared a plan to get through a shopping trip and keeping my toddler happy.

When we go grocery shopping my son hardly ever wants to get out of the cart, however when we got clothes shopping there isn't always a cart to place him in and he usually wants to run around in the store. This is due to the fact that where we shop for baby, well now, toddler clothes also sells toys. I don't want to change where we shop because it is a gently used clothing store that sells infant, toddler, children and maternity clothes that just happens to also carries other infant and toddler items like slings and high chairs and lots of toys for children of all ages. We love their fair prices and are happy to get used clothes so we don't have to support the supply and demand of the clothing industry. So I have picked up a couple tricks while I am there so I can look over everything and find everything we need.

The first thing that I do is decide whether or not we are going to get a toy. We don't go clothes shopping too often, usually when the season changes and I need to get my toddler some clothes that are a little bit warmer or a little cooler. Each time that we go though we don't always get a toy. That is why before selecting a toy for my son to occupy himself with I consider a couple things. If we do plan on picking out a new toy, the toy that my son carries around and plays with while we are shopping for clothes is the toy we intend on purchasing. If we are only getting clothes then I'll select a toy that is going to interest my toddler enough to keep him happy while I look at children's clothes but is also something that I can easily place back on the shelf when the shopping trip is done. This isn't always easy and often is something that I have to be very careful to do. I try and pick a toy that seems neat because it is new but ultimately will be something that I know he'll tire of before we are done clothes shopping.

I am always hopeful that I can find a cart that my son can sit in while he looks at a toy while I clothes shop. However when this is not the case I'll have my son walk along with me and have him sit on the floor and play with a toy out of the way right next to me while I look at that section of clothes. When it comes time to move to another section of clothing I'll ask my toddler to come along and help him move the toy to that section and again he is right beside me out of the way and happily playing while I look for clothes for him. Shopping for clothes with a toddler may not always be easy but it helps to have a game plan.