Going to a restaurant can be something parents look forward to. Not having to cook that night. No dishes to clean. No floors to mop and vacuum. But going out can also be more exhausting than staying home.
Keeping active kids busy at a restaurant is a daunting experience. So always having things for them to do is a must! Here are some easy travel games to bring with you out to eat, to doctor appointments, while waiting for your others kids activities to finish, or whenever you need!
Paint by Sticker books are the number one favorite thing that my kids like to do when going out. Kids of all ages (and parents) will find these fun and more importantly, a long-lasting activity. Each sticker corresponds to a number on the page creating a beautiful mosaic when finished. Even small children who are just learning their numbers can do this. For example, when looking for the number 52, tell them “Find a 5 and a 2, 5 and a 2” over and over.
Sticker by Number Books also help with pincer grasp, eye coordination, and increases wrist strength. This is especially true if you tape the page to a wall when home and have them use those find motor muscles in the hand and wrist to stick stickers on a vertical surface. The OT suggested this to increase my kiddos handwriting muscles, and it really works!
For the much younger kids, sticker mosaics are a little easier because there are no numbers. They match colors to colors and the spaces to put them are bigger. This helps their eye-hand coordination, pincer grasp, and understanding of colors. My kiddos started with these and it was amazing to watch them get better with each picture, letting me know they were building fine motor muscles and eye hand coordination skills.
ALEX Toys offers a simple mosaic with flat stickers for kids to increase their pincer grasp. If your child struggles with grabbing flat stickers, you might consider this sticker book, which has puffy stickers for kids to grab a hold of easier.
Kids who have a grasp on how to hold a pencil and love to draw may enjoy rainbow scratch paper. This notebook has black pages that when scratched have rainbow coloring that comes to life. This will make any artwork look amazing!
For kids who need help with what to draw, try an adventure scratch book that tells a story and has drawing that kids can scratch over to create a beautiful traced piece of artwork.
Melissa & Doug On The Go Water Wow! books are so much fun and kids can re-use them over and over. There are so many educational books they offer. Just fill the pen with water before you leave (or at the bathroom in the restaurant) and watch your kids have mess free enjoyment. My kiddos use these all the time, even at home.
For kids who have a good pencil grasp, they may enjoy mosaic color by number books. There is a range of difficulties from an easier version like this or, like my daughter likes, a harder version like this. Like the paint by sticker books, these make beautiful artwork your child will be so proud of and you will definitely want to hang.
My only recommendation with any coloring book is to buy a very nice set of colored pencils, like these Prismacolor Premier Soft Core colored pencils. The reason being, when kids already struggle with writing because of poor muscle tone or pincer grasp, they will color MORE when coloring is a bit easier. These colored pencils, though pricey, will make coloring more enjoyable, causing them to color more, which in turn increases their muscle tone. I know it may seem strange to spend so much on colored pencils, but if you try them yourself, you will understand what I mean.
I also HIGHLY recommend you store them in a clear Sterilite box with clip lid WITH the accompanying Prismacolor pencil sharpener for easy quick and grab access. There is nothing kids (and adults) hate more than a dull pencil to color with and not being able to clearly see what colors you have.
Adult coloring books don’t have to be just for adults. Kids who love to color, especially when they have NICE colored pencils, may really enjoy adult coloring books as well. There are so many to choose, but one of our favorites is the Mandala Coloring Book.
Mandala’s are not only beautiful, but they create a sense of calm and balance. I also really like Mandala’s for my kids because it doesn’t matter what colors you use. Because they always come out pretty, your child won’t feel frustrated if colors don’t match, or they don’t have a specific color they think they need like in other coloring books. Check out other adult coloring books, and let your child choose something that moves them! (You may want to pick one for yourself as well 🙂 )
For the kid who likes building with his hands, WikkiStix are a great option to take. They look like pieces of yarn covered colored wax, but I’m not really sure how they are made. They make a perfect, quiet, travel option for kids who like doing things with their hands. WikkiStix makes a travel playset with cards for kids to bend and move their WikkiStix on. You can also buy other cards from WikkiStix for more travel play.
Kids who like to draw and doodle may enjoy a Boogie Board. This LCD writing tablet lets kids draw and erase and draw and erase over and over!! No ink, no paper…just pure creativity. The Boogie Board Jot is the small version, but they also make a Boogie Board Writing Tablet that you can place things behind for them to trace (like writing their letters, or copying a drawing). There is also a kids version of the tracing board that may be easier for smaller kids to hold onto.
There are so many on-the-go activities you can take to keep your child busy so you can enjoy that much deserved dinner out. Pay attention to what your child is drawn to the most. Look for easy, mess free, quiet activities that they may enjoy. If they are old enough to tell you, just ask them what they like! I hope some of these suggestions were helpful. If you need more suggestions, here are more:
