How to survive IKEA with kids

[oldjacksscrote]

Planning a trip to IKEA tomorrow, with a 3 month old and a very spirited naughty 2 year old, I haven't been for years and wondered what tips you guys have for surviving it? I'm starting to stress.

Do they have baby and toddler trollies, baby changing and would you consider It to be BF friendly?

[LaurieFairyCake]

Leave the 2 yr old in the ball pit

Forget to pick him up after

[achildsjoy]

If there's two of you then leave the toddler at home and go on your own

[mrsmugoo]

< here have these! (Good luck!)

[PansyGiraffe]

Why are you going? (This is not just a rhetorical question though that applies too - they do online ordering you know.) Stay focused on your aims. Do not get distracted in the market place. To be fair though my two loved the room set ups - the chance to open the fridge, cupboards, etc etc.

Worst part will be if you have to get stuff off the shelves in the warehouse - managing the children and the flatpack balanced on a trolley is not fun (and check that they have things in stock before you go). And by the time you get to the checkouts when you have to queue you'll all be tired and snappy. You're not going on your own, or for a casual day out lookaround are you?

[plantsitter]

My advice is don't. Really. Just don't.

[starlight36]

Use bribery! Play in the toy area and perhaps something new if toddler is well-behaved. One of the puppets or soft football isn't v expensive and is great for indoor play. The cafe / canteen or food store at end also offer other suitable bribes.

[Pippa12]

Omg! Me and my DH nearly divorces after an afternoon at IKEA with the kids, we have never returned with kids in tow since. My tip: get a babysitter or just don't go!

[toomuchtooold]

I don't know if they have double seated trolleys - suspect not, but they do have trolleys. There's decent baby changing, and round our way (Croydon) the cafe was always full of babies during the day. There's high chairs in the cafe, microwaves, plastic cutlery, and quite a tolerance for mess . Oh, and the kids' shop bit usually has some toys out (the Smaland bit, where you can leave the kids behind, is 3y and above).

It'll be fine! I've always found (my twins are now nearly 4) that Ikea is one of those few grown up experiences that isn't significantly worse with kids than without.

[Anovelsolution]

My 4 year old wondered off in Ikea yesterday I'll check out the crèche facilities next time!!!

Not sure about trolleys as I was with dm so she had a trolley whilst I had the pram but I noticed several little ones in car seats placed in trolleys so I suspect no baby trolleys.

My local store has a nursing area in the restaurant and baby change facilities including a family cubicle in the ladies which fit 4 year old ds1, pram containing 4 month old ds2 and myself!

[Waffles80]

Bucking the trend here, but I find IKEA quite easy with my similarly libel y mental two-year-old twins.

Baby changing definitely. BF friendly definitely (sofas in dining area). Meals / dining area very child friendly. In our one they've a circular toddler play area in the dining room, surrounded by bar-style stools / tables for grown ups. So they play in the middle while I sit and eat / drink / work out what I've forgotten.

Kids area in the store is fun and they can try out the toys. Dragging them out of it can be tricky. some people might advocate chocolate-based bribery when it comes to getting them to move on...

Trolly-wise they have baby and toddler ones, but not sure what they had for two. We took our double buggy which one of us pushed, the other took the trolley.

[Waffles80]

Lively. My twins aren't libellous.

[firewithfire]

Children are fine, don't take your husband.

If you need heavy stuff off the shelves, get a member of staff to put it on a trolley for you.

Spend lots of time playing houses!

[HopIt]

We play house in the kitchens. Prepare to take it leisurely, sit on the sofas in the pretend houses and bedrooms. Don't rush let them set the pace, have a nice lunch.
Mine actively ask to go. We only go during the week when it's quiet and expect to make a day of it.

Good luck!

[TheCrumpettyTree]

If I really want to look and buy things I don't take the children!

It is child friendly though, the DC like the cafe or an ice cream at the end. There's always food bribery.

[whois]

Children are fine, don't take your husband.

Word. Children like the ball pit and the toy area. I find it impossible to go to ikea without having a massive argument with DP. We hardly EVER argue.

[LikeTheShoes]

Make a comprehensive list of what you need from the website (you can "add to shopping list") print it off, it tells you where to find anything in the warehouse.

If you think you can do it in less than 45mins: deposit offspring at the crèche find, buy, put in car everything, collect offspring and have meatballs, go home, put on TV and assemble flat pack.

If you're going to be more than 45 mins: book into crèche for later, have meatballs, mosey around show room, bounce on beds collect items from market hall. Load car with first load. Deposit children and then get anything from the warehouse. Then get a coffee and sit on display sofas until time to collect offspring. Admire their glittery artwork and go home.

If they're too small for the crèche: order online, pay £35 for picking, packing and delivery.

Make sure you're an IKEA family member as sometimes they do reduced rate delivery.

[Lweji]

Don't they have a child minder service? Maybe not good for a 2 year old.

If you must go, avoid weekends and late afternoons.

[ouryve]

Use the short cuts judiciously.

Hot dog, iceream or doughnuts at the end. (htye do coffee + 2 doughnuts for £1.50 - perfect to reward you and the toddler!)

[katienana]

I love it! It's a full day out. Just get some food in the cafe for when you want to bF and the 2 yo can play in the play area. My ds is old enough for the creche now so I can manage to buy anything I need within that hour.
They have little mini play areas set up all through store to keep kids occupied too. I think the marketplace you would definitely want toddler confined in trolley as there is a lot of glass and crockery around.

[CodeComplete]

Just steer well clear of the area in the marketplace with glasses and fragile kitchenware - I was in IKEA last week and some children smashed a LOT of glasses (I presume) accidentally. I felt bad for the mum but she just seemed to shrug and walk off. Actually happened twice with 2 different families in the space of 10 mins so maybe it was an unlucky day.

[CodeComplete]

Crossed post katienana! Definitely keep the toddler away from the glasses

[RedToothBrush]

Ikea is only as bad if you go for a wander, don't think about it or attempt it at peak times.

Treat it as a shop raid. Your plan is to be in and out as quickly as possible. Decide exactly what you want before you go. A list is essential. If you only want something from the market place / warehouse don't even go to the show rooms. If you only want something from the warehouse, race through the market place like you are on a mission to escape. Decide if you intend to make it a food stop too as this can help.

It is child friendly. Its just designed to make you window shop as much as possible. If you don't, you won't have half the problems.

If you are thinking about buying something big, measure your car. Or just pay for the bleeding delivery rather than be one of 'those' people I laugh at the pick up point.

Do not buy candles or frames. You don't need them. (Unless that's what you've gone specifically to buy and have written on your list before setting foot in the store).

DH and I manage half hour trips round Ikea without an angry word. We find making it us versus IKEA helps.

[oldjacksscrote]

I don't drive so need OH to take me and he wouldn't go on his own and its £7.50 for delivery!
I also have been dying to purchase cheap niknakky bits that I don't need and will probably never use and promised mum I'd pick up some chairs for her (which I plan on borrowing from her frequently).

I could put my 3mo in a sling and 2yo in trolley after he's destroyed the lovely displays and terrorised the other customers.

I like the idea of playing house though, 2yo has a real thing for sitting on benches so he'd be right at home (hilarious pun intended of course).

I'll pack lots of snacks bribes

[Bodicea]

If you can avoid taking the two year old do. I think he crèche starts at three years old. I might be wrong. Otherwise tablet with preloaded videos and stick them in a trolley and reins for when they get sick of that. Do meatballs at the half way point. And ice cream after.

[RedToothBrush]

CodeComplete
I was in IKEA last week and some children smashed a LOT of glasses (I presume) accidentally. I felt bad for the mum but she just seemed to shrug and walk off. Actually happened twice with 2 different families in the space of 10 mins so maybe it was an unlucky day.

I doubt it was an unlucky day. We were in last week and strangely enough, DH commented on how badly the glasses were stacked and just how easy it would be to knock and smash them....