the best restaurant toys

i’ll have what they’re having

MY LITTLE family went to an actual restaurant a few weeks ago for the first time in 15 months and it was straight heavenly. I’d almost forgotten how amazing it is to sit and relax and have a lovely conversation while someone else makes you fantastic food. I mean, what an awesome idea, right?! But about 2 minutes in, both of my boys looked at me and said “where are the Plus Plus?” AAAGH. I was so out of practice going out in public, I completely forgot our trusty restaurant toy stash. The one we’ve been dragging with us for the past 10 years every time we go out. Thank goodness I had a good ol’ pen and the tiny notebook I always keep in my bag, which was perfection in a pinch. They happily played hangman and tic-tac-toe for this round, but with a little effort, your kids can be fully entertained at restaurants while you chill and enjoy the company.

WE LOVE to eat out and have been taking our boys to nice restaurants since my oldest was about 12 days old. It’s such a great way to connect with friends and family (+ the break from cooking + cleaning). But, we realized early on that it’s not at all realistic [or pleasant] to ask small children to sit quietly for hours at a restaurant without something to do. And screens at the table just aren’t our thing. When my oldest was tiny, my brilliant mom started a tradition of bringing a small treasure for him each time we went out for dinner so that I might steal a few minutes of peace and adult conversation while we ate. It was so effective that I started really intentionally seeking out stuff to add to the collection. Over the years I have learned which toys are best at truly keeping the kiddos happy so the adults can actually relax.

THE BEST ‘RESTAURANT TOYS’ FOR KEEPING KIDS ENTERTAINED

I’VE KIND of already spilled the beans about our hands-down favorite…Plus Plus are my mom secret weapon and the brilliant solution for a calm and relaxed meal any time of day, whether a block from home or an ocean away. Our Plus Plus have seen more play time than almost any other toy we own and they ONLY come out when we’re at a restaurant (it’s def part of their allure). They’re made up of a single shape in lots of fun colors and I’ve literally never seen my boys make the same thing twice. They have lots of different sets, including cute themes like Dinosaurs or Unicorns, but we just chuck all of ours into a sturdy Stasher Reusable Bag with a few Baseplates and let the kids have at it (they also make chunky ones for littles). They’re also super easy to clean, which is essential when combining small kids and food.

WHEN MY nephew was little (he’s now 13 and has a man voice, AAGH!), he was NUTS for construction vehicles. He had a little set of Construction Trucks that would keep him entertained for HOURS. We’d give him some teeny tiny bits of balled up paper or a few grains of rice and he’d push and lift and dump them happily well through dessert. My little had a similarly fierce passion for animals and would spend the whole meal fully enthralled with the little rubber ‘teeny tiny animals’ that we carried around in a Teeny Tiny Mini Barn. I think we have every Safari Good Luck Mini they ever made, from Rainforest animals to Sea Life to Dragons. He would intently line them all up in a sweet parade, patiently righting any that toppled over.

BOTH OF my guys have been huge Lego fans, so we also sometimes switch it up with some Lego Classic sets. They’re the ones that just have random bright pieces and no instructions so the kids can imagine whatever they’re into that day. And they LOVED the Lego Sticker Books that let you find which stickers go into each scene [there are zillions of them]. We’ve had Star Wars, Super Heroes, Ninjago and Minifigure books and my boys loved them all. The Disney Princess and Lego Friends versions look adorable, too.

NOW THAT my guys are a bit older, I’ve upped the cool factor on their restaurant coloring situation with this Crayola Edge Art in the Streets book for my oldest and the Mandolorian version for my dedicated Star Wars lover. The illustrations are detailed, but not blinding, and perfect for t(w)eens. They have a bunch of really appealing themes, like Optical Illusions, Sugar Skulls and Animal Ink depending on your kiddo’s interests. Of course, a blank Sketch Paper Pad is also fantastic for artists who’d rather create their own scenes. Throw in a convenient tube of Arteza Colored Pencils or Crayola Mini Twistables Crayons and they’ll be set for a good while.

THERE ARE a bunch more of our favorite restaurant toys below. Also check out my posts on Road Trippin’ and Origami for even more ideas. Whatever your kiddo is into, it really pays off to spend just a few minutes on your way out the door gathering up some entertainment so everyone can actually enjoy a [semi] relaxing meal. During busy social times, I just chuck everything into a Baggu and have it ready to grab on the way out or stash it in my car for spontaneous meals out. You’ll be happy, the kids will be happy, the people at the table next to you will be truly ecstatic. It’s a win-win-win. xo

// 1. Paint By Sticker Books are super cool // 2. MathLink Cubes are awesome for open-ended building // 3. Colorful Building Bars are fun for kids who like to engineer // 4. My little LOVED these Melissa & Doug Water Wow books and they make no mess // 5. Micro Machines are the perfect size for smaller spaces // 6. We have a few of these Janod Story Box sets and they are so adorable // 7. Ooly’s awesome Set the Scene Transfer Sticker Magic books come in lots of themes // 8. Wikki Stix are endless fun for a wide range of ages // 9. Pix Brix Pixel Puzzle Bricks are another amazing open-ended toy // 10. I LOVED Snap Beads when I was little and these are such cute shapes // 11. Smartmax toys are awesome and this sweet Farm set would entertain a little for a long time // 12. My guys loved dry erase books of all kinds and this How-to-Draw Baby Animals book is so cute // xo

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