Shopping with kids can be quite an adventure. Although they do have car carts, being in the store for any considerable length of time can really be a test of your patience (and theirs as well!)
So how do you keep them entertained while maintaining your sanity? Heather left this suggestion on our Facebook wall just last week – it’s a pretty neat one:
Ward off temper tantrums in the supermarket by handing out unneeded coupons and have your kids go on a scavenger hunt. First one to spot five items gets a big prize (okay, a candy bar) at checkout.
Great time to chip in and share what works for you – I normally don’t take all 3 at once….. but I always take 2…the smallest two. Thank goodness for car carts, as much as I don’t like the germs they leave, they can be a lifesaver IF they have some left.
i wish they had the car carts at my frys! we only have the carts that you strap the kids into like the target carts!
I have learned… to just not take him. I jsut go shopping while my hubby is at home and can stay with him. Collin used to love the car carts, but now hates them. He used to do fine playing with the iPod or my phone… now not so much. He isn’t quite old enough for the scavenger hunt idea, but maybe someday.
I give them all a job, one holds the coupons, one puts the stuff in the cart, one pushes the cart and one bags the food! If they all do there job, and don’t fight with each other they get to pick out there snack for the week! That’s if I take all 4 boys with me, if it’s just my little one, give him his choc. milk and let him hold the coupon and he’s happy! And so am I.
This is very similar to what I used to do (all four of my children are grown now), but I had one cross off the things on our list when we put them in the cart. I had one get things off the shelf and put in the cart. I would do the one holds coupons thing too. I always started at the opposite side of the bakery and if they did a good job then they got the free cookie. I also got them involved in menu planning so they would look forward to picking up the items for “their” meal.
I have three kids too Sheryl, most of the time I go shopping when my oldest is at school and my husband is working (which he does 12 hours a day 7 days a week). So I have my 1.5 year old and my 2.5 year old, I use the car carts but they can climb out of everything!!! So please everybody, leave tips I am desperate!!!!
My kid has to be good through the entire shopping, and then we’ll hit the bakery for a cookie or donut. If she gets out of the car cart, we transfer immediately to a regular cart, and no donut. If she misbehaves, no donut. I go more often for short trips so they don’t run out of patience.
the Fry’s at Rural & Mill has been redone within the last few months. Now they have little mini carts for the kiddos. So cute!!
Since I usually try and limit their use of technology, I use the time we’re at the grocery store to allow them technology time. (Usually as a last resort when they simply won’t behave.) I’ll hand my 3 year old the iPad (or my iPhone) and he and his little sister will watch a movie or play games on it. Keeps them from grabbing things from the shelves and whining about leaving.
I HATE car carts. Less room, impossible to steer, and my child is over it pretty quick! I find my iphone works great when things get out of hand but more often than not I go with 1 kid and leave 1 at home! My oldest will be 3 and as long as I let her participate in shopping she does great- she will grab items if I ask her too or I’ll just keep her engaged in conversation to keep her distracted- ask her if she can see certain items, ask her what she wants for dinner, ask her how many gallons of milk we should buy, etc etc etc. My youngest just needs me to goof around and talk to her and she is usually good to go as well- randomly shaking the cart around or just plain pretending like I understand her baby babble and talk back to her. She mostly just likes to lay on my growing belly while we walk around the store though. I’m also having another in a few months so I’m thinking it will be just me and baby shopping for a while then- Daddy can take the older 2!!!! We actually decided against a second car knowing I would not be going many places without him with 3 kids 3 and under- LOL!
Now that’s hilarious! I BABY BABBLE too! My 5 mo old just wants babble, he could care less, he’s stuffing his feet in his mouth usually……. so it’s funny to know i’m not the only baby babbler!
my tips for shopping with a pre-schooler and a toddler: PLAN on what to buy (thanks Sheryl for the centsable shopping list!), CAR CART and TONS of snacks: fruits, cheerios, fish crackers etc and STAYING IN THE CAR CART until we reach the check-out counter, where they can help out taking things out of the cart. happy shopping y’all!