Read Mumsnet users top tips for keeping their DC entertained during dinner

[EllieMumsnet]

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Trying to keep your children entertained and not act like wild animals throughout meal times can feel like a bit of a struggle sometimes, especially if you go out as a family to a restaurant. Whether you have to make sure your children don’t throw food around or stay in their seat throughout the entire meal, Frankie & Benny’s would love to know what your top tips are for keeping your children entertained during meal times.

Here’s what Frankie & Benny’s have to say: “Launching this half term at Frankie & Benny's, we're giving away a free Squishie with every kids' meal. You're going to need to head down to your nearest restaurant to collect all ten before they’re gone! If you haven't heard about Squishies, they are cute foamy toys that you can squeeze to you hearts content, before watching them magically re-inflate. There are 10 different adorable Squishies up for grabs at Frankie & Benny’s, tick each one off on our Squishies Passport as you collect them!"

Do you only choose family friendly restaurants to eat out at? Perhaps for meals at home, you cut their food into interesting shapes to ensure there’s an element of fun? What about playing games at the table and if so what kind of games do you play? Or maybe you bring colouring and toys along with you to restaurants?

Whatever your top tips are for keeping your children entertained post them on the thread below and everyone who does will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thank you and good luck with the prize draw!
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

I take along the ipad

The Entertainment comes after Dinner not during, I am lucky that our two are always good at the table, knowing that when dinner was finished we would have a playtime before bed.

We let ours watch TV whilst they are eating dinner

Take a book with that they can read .

It has to be the good old ipad or nintendo switch 🙈. I know. But it is very rare we eat out as it is far too stressful!

I have a bag of stuff that I take with me. This includes stickers, colouring, extra food and the iPad. If the restaurants provides something too that is ace.

10yo brings a book or we take paper and set him maths challenges (he loves maths)
2yo we take colouring book & pens, a storybook, and some toy cars or figures and he plays.
We also talk to them both and involve them.
They both know bad behaviour isn't tolerated and will result in a time out, outside. Seems to work bar the odd occasion.

First off I make a face on the plate with the food, that keeps them amused for at least 5 mins :D following with colouring or sticker books and then its out with the Ipad :D

Trying to keep meal times as calm as possible was our aim as our son was not a good eater. We found it less stressful to eat at family restaurants so there were people like us around which was less stressful for us. We would go supplied with items which were new to our son so he was interested in them and colouring pens worked wonders.

Sit at the table and eat properly or we don't go out again.

Colouring & activity books

Whenever I go to visit my family my great niece is enthralled by the funny stories I tell about her GG. It also keep my Mum (GG) entertained as she has Alzheimer's & no short term memory but remembering things from her past, especially the funny one, makes her smile & laugh so much it's just wonderful to watch

At home we discuss our day and what we have done, going out we let them take either crayons/book or a handheld game...

Get them involved in conversation. Take puzzle books, wordsearch, notebooks with you. Simple pen and paper can become lots of games like hangman. My dad gets them making towers from sugar packets/cubes or something out of napkins - whatever you have to work with.

We only tend to eat at places that have areas for children to play as I won’t pretend that my kids just can’t sit still, it’s either that or take out.

What about the parents with 1 year olds or 2/3 year olds

Exactly how much conversation can you have with them during a 2/3 hour meal?

Older children yeah great

but younger children sitting at table waiting for food and other to eat their dinner just does not work for long periods of time.

Hence why there are always screaming children in so called family restaurants

Engaging with them and encouraging them to share there days experience.

Depending on where you go, there's usually some distraction to keep them occupied. Kids meals that come with toys, usually from the big burger restaurants can be fun to assemble, or places that have puzzles and colouring in pages with free crayons help keep young ones occupied. If it's a place with self serve straws and napkins, they can help hand them out at the table. DS likes to take the top of the wrapping from the straws and blow through the straw, firing the wrapper across the table. As long as no one minds I let him do a couple and he picks up his missiles and puts them in a bin.

We go for an active walk first, to burn off excess energy and start dinner off on a relaxed footing

When we eat at home we all sit at the table its been the same every night so they dont know any different, but if our son in particular gets fed up or doesnt really want to eat his vegetables we start asking him questions and talking about his day to keep him engaged at the table. We make it fun to have an 'empty plate' but when we go to restaurants we always stick to family friendly places that usually offer a kids pack or colouring in to keep them amused. I always have a little bag with me of a couple of small toys like my sons toy car, dinosaur or if we know we are meeting people for a long visit where the kids need to sit for a while we keep up with the toys and colouring in and if all else fails they can have their tablets until the food arrives.

When going out I always try and make sure that we go to tried and tested family friendly restaurants where their are activities for kids to do. When I am going into the unknown I take tablets with me. I hate to give in and use bargaining but if we are going out with friends and family I would rather they were watching a video and being quiet than bored and ruining the meal for everyone else.

I don't entertain my children. They need to learn how to behave appropriately. We have conversations with them.

We talk about our days while food is being prepared when eating out. Is no tech at the table so it's good old fashioned talking to keep up to speed on what's happening with each individual. It takes so long for the youngest to tell us about his day that food has usually arrived before he's finished!

Conversation: chatting about their day / week; remembering holidays and parties and thinking about our next holiday / party, planning next week's meals, discussing homework and school.

I take colouring books, pens, paper and if that all fails I resort to giving them my phone.