I love eating out. LOVE IT!!! To be honest, I wish I could eat out everyday and never cook again. But lately when I go out to eat I have been seeing an increasing number of kids bouncing off the walls and out of control at restaurants, and the parents looked frustrated and stressed. Going out to eat as a family should be an enjoyable experience! Then I noticed they all have one thing in common. No activity bag. Parents please, you can’t expect your little ones to just quietly sit still through your entire dining experience. It’s just not fair. Their curious little minds and hyper little bodies aren’t made for it yet. If your little one has no problem sitting still at a restaurant, well then you’re one of the lucky ones. Soak it up!

Here is a list of all the things you can pack in your kid’s activity bag. I have used all of these with Zoey who is almost 3, so you will obviously need to adjust the list to your kiddo’s age. These have worked great for us. You can also do a search on Pinterest for “kids travel activities” for a 1000 more ideas.

1. 1 mini playdough. (So it doesn’t become an out of control mess.)
2. Travel size magna doodle.
3. Sticker book.
4. Magic Markers with Color book.
5. Magformers
6. Puzzles
7. Flashcards
8. I Spy books
9. A matching card game
10. Dry erase activity books.
11. Silly putty.
12. Watercolor books
13. Lacing cards
14. Paint with Water Pads
15. Travel Bingo

These are all great things to do as a family while eating out. Sometimes Zoey enjoys doing them on her own, and when she doesn’t we enjoy the activities all together. Zoey loves to wear her activity backpack whenever we go out. Not to mention a toddler with a backpack is adorable! You can keep it in the car and only use it for outings so everything stays fun and exciting for them. Also, activity bags make great Christmas and Birthday gifts! Have fun and good luck on your next outing!