There’s a lot of waiting in life. Waiting at the DMV (the worst kind of waiting), waiting at the restaurants (better)… and with kids, double the wait time and add five and that’s what it can feel like. If you, like me, don’t give your kids an iPhone to pass the time–or you do, but you want to get away from it–this post is for you!
Parenting–heck, life–can be exhausting and, especially depending on the temperament of your kid(s), sometimes an iPhone is a great backup (I hope you know there’s no judgement!). But on the other hand, I really think that kids can live up to our expectations–especially with time and consistency and practice–and they don’t need an iPhone to pass the time as much as we think they might. Parker and Anders are good at waiting with (mostly) good behavior. This wasn’t overnight, but over many years of not giving them our phones, letting our expectations be known, taking them with us everywhere, and providing other things to pass the time when the going gets tough. Here’s a few of the things you can always find in my bag for those times!
Spot it. Spot it is the best because it’s pretty compact, and multiple people can play. Plus, it’s something where Parker and Anders are almost equally matched despite the age difference. You don’t necessarily have a leg up just because you’re older. There’s a lot of different versions from baseball to camping to emojis to animals. I am regularly fascinated as to how you can always count on their being a match with every pair of cards played. Some kind of witchcraft. (Apparently I’m not the only one astounded by this. Thank you, Smithsonian.)
Boogie Board. This is great for tic tac toe, pictionary, math and letters, and just random doodling. These are amazing, and both boys really like it. This is also great for car rides.
Also, the obvious… paper and pens/pencils/markers. But that’s why the Boogie Board is so great. It’s basically the equivalent but no waste, no need to recharge, and just one thing to carry.
Not in my bag but should be:
Wikistix. I feel like this would be a nice addition.
Any tried-and-true things you carry for those inevitable wait times?
Santa brought Dobble (Spot It) for Amys Christmas and its honestly the best thing he has ever brought. My mum came to visit us yesterday and we took it out for lunch to keep the wee one entertained. Honestly I think my Mum had the best time with it. Cannot recommend it enough. Its excellent!
PS when Amy was younger I also always carried this around with me https://www.amazon.co.uk/jenilily-Drawing-Painting-Ativities-Toddlers/dp/B07QR1X3FL/ref=sr_1_11?keywords=water+doodle+mat+travel&qid=1582560552&sr=8-11 Might not fit in all handbags, but it fitted in mine and it was a godsend on so many occasions 🙂
water mats are so fun and that one looks like a great size!
Hot Wheels. Always. My purse was often kinda heavy, haha. But yes- definitely Spot It, notebooks or Boogie boards always, Cinco Linko fits nicely in there now my kids are older (though you def need a table), so do those Rory’s Story Cubes which my storyteller child loves. Blink is a quick card game for two players that almost always comes out with us, too. I never gave my kids my phone, still don’t. They bring books or their own notebooks now, or we play the games (depending on where we are). Brain Quest is a fave now, too. Ooh- and joke books are also usually in rotation for waiting types of outings. 🙂 I like to view waiting as yet another time to connect with my kids.
Good call, there are ALWAYS ALWAYS Hot Wheels in my bag as well. Honestly shocked at how much play the boys have gotten from those both inside and outside of the house.
How old are your kids? I hope to hold off on phones for a long, long time.
My kids are now 8 (daughter) and 11 (son), so they can entertain themselves now. 🙂 Now it’s about avoiding the dreaded “bored” word. 🙂 But with them in school, I can get so much more of the “waiting” types of things done when they’re gone- thankful for this, though I miss them tremendously (I’m that kind of mom). And yes- I was always amazed at how much Hot Wheels got played with- still do, to my delight!
I’m totally that kind of Mom too. When I’ve done Target solo, after doing Target with a baby and toddler in tow for so many years, it makes me sooooo nostalgic and sad. I almost avoid it unless we’re together!
For my preschooler, those WaterWow books provide endless entertainment and are pretty much mess free! She “paints” with water to get the picture to show up…and then it disappears again and she starts all over 🙂
We always bring a lunch box filled with Duplo/LEGO. We start with those and end with the phone or tablet so everyone can eat some food.
I second the Hot Wheels one! Always have a few on me, also I keep a small slender makeup bag filled with good quality colored pencils, sharpener, a couple pens, and pencils in my purse along with a memo pad. And if I know we’re going out to dinner specifically I’ll bring a coloring book or drawing book. Helps so much! Cards are a great one (go fish, Uno, etc). Love these ideas! It’s only when I’m at my most desperate that I have them my phone lately and it’s majorly helped their ability to entertain themselves!
little containers of play doh! always my go-to in places I need to keep them still. 🙂
I always tell my kids “grab a book” before we go anywhere. I love that two of the three are old enough to sit and read on their own. We love spot it also.