Screen-Free Play: Restaurant Edition
How to Dine Out with Toddlers: 5 Screen-Free Play Tips
Let’s be real, dining out with toddlers can be…. challenging, to say the least. Between keeping them fed, entertained, and well behaved, the idea of eating your own meal (while it’s still warm) or finishing a sentence with another adult feels like a total fantasy. Trust me, I’ve been there. And while I know it can be tempting to pull out the ipad or smartphone for a moment of relief, there are other options.
What if I told you it is totally possible to save your sanity without digital distractions? It’s not a quick fix but, trust me, it’s the best decision for your child’s long term well being.
This blog explores the impact of screen time on young children and offers practical, fun tips for screen-free restaurant outings.
The Impact of Screen Time on Kids
Remember when we were kids and we would go out to restaurants with our parents and be BORED? Hungrily waiting for food to arrive, whining a bit, complaining a lot, and, (gasp) coloring with crayons?!? Yeah, it wasn’t a blast, but we figured it out. But today, with all of us carrying mini TV’s around in our pockets, kids don’t get many opportunities to be bored. Yet boredom is actually essential; it sparks creativity, builds resilience, and gives young minds the space to explore and imagine without constant stimulation.
Numerous studies have shown that too much screen time is associated with delays in language development, attention problems, and even decreased social skills. A child's brain develops rapidly in their early years, and real-life interactions, not screens, are essential for healthy growth. Dining out is actually a perfect opportunity to practice these real-life interactions and build strong, resilient, and well-socialized children. And it is never too early to start. Developing these habits from the moment you start taking your little one out in public will make it so much easier for both you and them.
Tips for Entertaining Toddlers Without Screens
So, how can you navigate a dining experience with a toddler without shoving a screen in front of them or losing your mind? Here are some strategies that have worked for me. Don’t expect immediate success either. Just stick with it and it will get easier and easier over time… I promise. Remember, we are building resilient, creative and curious future adults.
1. Pack a Bag of Tricks
Plan ahead! Before heading to the restaurant, prepare a small bag filled with age appropriate, engaging, screen-free items. Consider including small figurines, crayons and paper, or sticker books. Choose items that are compact, quiet, and capable of capturing your toddler’s interest for more than a few minutes. Rotating the items in your bag regularly keeps them novel and exciting for your child. What could be inside mom’s “bag of treats” today?! Who knows?!
Here are some of the toys in my “bag of treats”
2. Engage with Interactive Games
Involve, don’t ignore, them. They aren’t there by choice - so keep that in mind. Interactive games are fantastic for capturing your child's attention without any props while you wait for your meal. Classics like "I Spy" or "Simon Says" are perfect for a restaurant setting. You can also play simple guessing games, such as thinking of an animal or a favorite character and having your child ask yes-or-no questions to deduce what it is. These games encourage communication skills and offer endless entertainment possibilities.
3. Order Promptly - and Wisely!
Let’s be realistic here, you don’t have the luxury of long chats over wine before realizing you haven’t even looked at the menu. Save that for date nights. When it’s kids time, minimize the chances for hangry tantrums by ordering as soon as you can. Consider letting your child pick an appetizer or create their own small platter from the adult menu. Let them order with the waiter themselves. Making them part of the decision-making process keeps them engaged and excited about their meal, as well as providing critical life skills. Look at dining out as an opportunity to expose your child to new foods they don’t get at home. Or, you can go the opposite right and loosen your meal rules. Let them eat something they love, but aren’t allowed to eat on the regular. They want chicken nuggets and fries with no veggies? Fine. Make it a special occasion and buy yourself a little extra meal time.
“Let’s stop normalizing screens during social outings. Let’s prioritize our kids long term well being over immediate gratification. ”
4. Embrace Creativity
Sometimes toddlers just need a bit of encouragement to unleash their creativity. Encourage your child to draw or color things they see around them, like what the restaurant might look like if it turned into a space station or a magical underwater world! Provide blank paper and let their imagination run wild as they scribble stories with crayons. What would the waiter look like with a funny hat? What if the waiter was a dog?!
5. Be Realistic
Toddlers have short attention spans, and that’s perfectly normal! Try to time your visit when your child is not tired or overly hungry to make the experience smoother. Aim for quicker outings initially, and as your child becomes accustomed to dining out, you can gradually increase the duration of your visits. Developing this habit early will only make it easier in the long run.
The Takeaway:
Another thing to keep in mind is what Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation (which is strongly recommend), refers to as the “collective action problem.” In short, individual efforts to reduce screen time are made so much harder when “everyone else is doing it.” The only way out is a massive societal cultural shift. And this starts with us - parents! Let’s stop normalizing screens during social outings. Let’s prioritize our kids long term well being over immediate gratification.
Incorporating these tips into your restaurant outings can transform a potentially stressful experience into a delightful family adventure. After all, dining out is about more than just enjoying food—it's an opportunity to strengthen family connections and build resilient and mindful children that are set up for long term success. By embracing screen-free play, not only do you provide your child with valuable developmental opportunities, but you also foster an environment of creativity and curiosity that can last a lifetime.
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