8 Secret Weapons for Shopping with a Toddler
1. Stickers or a tape bracelet: Stickers were the first secret weapon that I discovered. Even babies like them if you watch them carefully. The sticky sides are quite fascinating. For older children, you can simply give them a tape bracelet, with the sticky side facing out. They can use the stickiness to pick up small objects. You choose the objects, but it is fun to relate them to the trip. For example, break off a stem of cilantro for them to put on the bracelet at the grocery store. You can even let them stick the list to their wrist!
2. Scavenger Hunt: Create a small list of things that they might see at the store. I often draw pictures with a little check box on the side. He them check off things that they see.
3. Stamps: These are messy, but come in handy in a pinch. Kids LOVE them. Throw a few stamps, ink pads, and pads of paper in your diaper bag as the day’s secret weapon. Make sure that the kids are wearing clothes that can get a bit dirty. Keep an eye on them while they do this one. This is a great secret weapon.
4. Word Games: You can use your creativity to elaborate on this idea. Try to find things that start with your designated “Letter of the Day.” This will help kids recognize sounds and link the letter with the sounds. It also keeps them occupied! Other variations are rhyming games, color games, and counting the different objects that we see.
5. Crown them “Organizer of the Cart”: Toddlers LOVE to organize, stack, and fill things. Let them stack the cans while they sit in the big part of the cart. If you don’t have another little one sitting up top, then let them move things from the big part of the cart to the little part and back again. This is my fall back secret weapon and it seems to work the best! Now, use this at your own discretion. You obviously want to drive slowly while they are sitting unbelted. Also make sure that the heavy items are stored under the cart.
6. Bribery: I should call this the “Reward” secret weapon, but when push comes to shove it feels more like a bribe. Our grocery store, HEB, provides free balloons and H-E-Buddy Bucks to little ones. We often use these as a reward system. If the trip goes well, balloons and H-E-Buddy bucks await! The HEBuddy bucks also allow the kids to collect points that can be used for real prizes.
7. Food: They are usually quite good when they are eating or gnawing on something. Take some puffs or goldfish along as a special treat. My toddler loves blueberries. Fresh ones travel well and make a healthy secret weapon! A sippy cup usually helps, too. Use this one as a last resort. You don’t want to use this one at the beginning of the trip unless you know you have enough to last the whole time. There is nothing worse than a toddler whose stomach is still growling halfway through the store.
8. The ULTIMATE: (USE SPARINGLY! 🙂 Say you have run out of all secret weapons or you left everything at home. Most grocery stores have a deli that offers corn dogs. Buy one at the beginning of the trip, and let it cool for a few minutes. These take such a long time to eat that your toddler will work on it the entire trip! it also could solve the lunch dilemma for the day. It is not the healthiest, so I recommend using this only in case of emergency. Also, overuse could result in the toddler expecting it, and you know how they handle let downs!
One final word of advice is that if your toddler begins the trip happy and content, don’t use a secret weapon. These tips will work best only when the situation calls for them. Good luck parents out there. Happy shopping!
