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

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Most places are prepared for young children which is fab!! My Children love the little packs of colouring pages with pencils. I don't take anything with me, I always forget!!

DH normally tells dd a long story, and stops every time she stops eating or plays up. She gets so engrossed in the story that she usually eats well!

It's still nice to talk people.

We always try and find things to do using our surroundings. I-spy or guess which item on the menu I am thinking of. If all else fails then a game on my smartphone as a last resort.

We always take coloured pencils and plain paper so that we can play hangman, noughts and crosses etc whilst waiting for dinner. We always go to family friendly restaurants which takes the stress out of dining out.

My kids are a bit older now (the youngest is in secondary school) so we don't have to worry too much about keeping them quiet / entertained, they are happy to sit and chat. However I can remember only too well the days of trying to go out for a nice family meal, and having them get up, run round, squirm under the table, etc. During the summer or at least drier months, we would try to pick a pub with an outdoor play area so that they could play right up till the food arrived, eat, and then go back to play. If that wasn't possible then a restaurant that provided crayons, colouring etc was a godsend. Then there are the occasional ones that have booths with tellies in - I would find them antisocial now, but with small kids, they were great!

If we are eating out at a restaurant we tend to choose ones that are family friendly as they seem to have a better understanding if one of the children are having an off day. Its hard but we talk about what they have enjoyed during the day or play the alphabet game (i went to market and bought...) and also colouring pages and crayons are good.

Eating together keeps them more focussed than if we are all having our meals in stages.

We tend to take colouring and puzzle books but also rely on games like I-Spy and I'm an animal what am i.

bribery works but not every time!

A teddy, colouring book and lots of crayons.

We usually play games like I spy with my little eye or maths games :)
Drawing and colouring is also a must!

I always have felt tips and a notebook in my bag, but must admit to resorting to my phone if the situation becomes a bit tense.

We like to go somewhere with a play area but if not I'd take a colouring book or we play the being grown up game!

Our kids are all older now, but we always chose family friendly places to eat when they were small. They always had a few small, quiet toys with them anmd they loved doing the puzzles and colouring in provided by the place. Soft toy areas are great for before the meal, but they can be very distracting as kids get older and don't want to sit down to eat, as they still want to play. Table manners and behaviour are what they learn at home and these carry over to when they are out.

Even the most well behaved little ones can get a bit bored whilst waiting for food to come out, so I'm (yet another) fan of the colouring/activity sheets provided by many family friendly places. I always have our own in a bag just in case, but it's more exciting for our son if he gets something new and 'special' to look at!
If that fails, I find ordering a starter keeps him nicely distracted as he loves nibbling- even if it's just a bit of bread he's happy!

Always take a colouring book and crayons! Most restaurants have these but there’s always one which will catch you out! My son absolutely loves colouring in so this is usually sufficient for us. However if he does get bored then we tend to play eye spy! It keeps him distracted and avoids any bad behaviour! We now have a newborn and hope we have it as easy with her 😁

We tend to pick family-friendly places so we can take along crayons and playing cards and generally be a bit loud and messy!

Get them involved in making it and plating up

Colouring books and pencils are a must, coupled with talking, having little conversations makes it special.

Well, a sign of the times I think, when I was a young child, we all had to go and wash hands before getting to the table, and then we had to say Grace, We all started to eat together, and the older children cleared the table of dirty plates and then the pudding was served, if you didn't eat your dinner you didn't get your pudding, and you were not allowed to get up from the table until everyone was finished,and then, some washed and dried and put away the pots, someone was on pans, I had to wipe the tables and sweep the dinning room floor, and then set it for the next meal.
I was brought up in a children's home I was five when I went in, and my little brother was still in nappies, so he had to go in a nursery, and my big brother went in another home, and us 3 girls went in one together.
i could write a book about sitting at the table, as were not allowed to leave anything, even if you didn't like the food, it was cruel to say the least. But we didn't dare play up at the table, either or god help us and we knew it. We go in a first class hotel,and eat, on holiday and it was still done the same. We helped to clear the tables, and set them, the owners would go on you get off now, no need for that, but we would stay until were finished.
Needless to say with my children it was such a more relaxed affair at the table, but pleased to say I could take them out for a meal and mine were fine.

We like to have a little quiz about the food we are eating. What is in it? Where the different ingredients come from? Keeps the children interested in the different meals we are enjoying.

Plenty of colouring books and pencils!

If we ate out it was helpful to have activity book and crayons to hand to keep the kids entertained

I tend to choose restaurants that are busy so there is lots going on to avoid boredom. Also any whingeing is then less likely to be heard.

at home we chat about our day. In a restaurant we will take games, colouring and books :)