{"id":4535,"date":"2022-05-03T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-03T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/?p=4535"},"modified":"2026-03-10T14:12:16","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T14:12:16","slug":"tips-for-dining-out-with-toddlers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/kidszone\/arts-crafts\/tips-for-dining-out-with-toddlers\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips for Eating Out with Toddlers"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Going out for dinner is no doubt a treat – but with a toddler in tow, things can get a bit tricky. Don\u2019t worry, with the right plan in place, eating out with toddlers is no stress at all. Check out our tips for dining out with toddlers so that you and your whole family can enjoy a lovely meal together.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Preparation Is Key<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Practicing good table manners<\/strong> during mealtimes at home<\/strong> means that your little one won\u2019t see them as something new and scary when asked to use them at a restaurant. It\u2019s also a good idea to explain to your tot how you expect them to behave at the restaurant beforehand<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Time It Right<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Routine is super important to toddlers. You\u2019ll want to eat as close to your angel\u2019s usual mealtime<\/strong> as possible, so make your reservation for slightly before<\/strong> then. This way your tot won\u2019t get too hungry \u2013 and if there\u2019s one thing all parents want to avoid, it\u2019s a hungry toddler.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

It\u2019s also a good idea to try and avoid busy times<\/strong>. The hustle and bustle of a packed restaurant might be overwhelming for your kiddo.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Choose Your Restaurant Wisely<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Check if your chosen restaurant is an appropriate one for your munchkin.\u00a0 Perhaps you could call ahead to ask if they have highchairs<\/strong><\/a>, a kid\u2019s menu<\/strong> or even a toddler play area<\/strong>. Or if you haven\u2019t decided on a restaurant yet, try searching \u201ctoddler friendly restaurants near me<\/a>\u201d to get some inspiration.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

You\u2019ll definitely want to avoid anywhere too fancy<\/strong>, as those out for a posh, luxury meal are more likely to be disgruntled by a boisterous tot.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Choose Your Table Wisely<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

If the weather is good and your chosen restaurant has outdoor seating<\/strong>, dining outside is a fabulous idea- especially if you have a particularly noisy toddler on your hands. If you are dining indoors, try to choose a booth<\/strong> or corner table<\/strong> as these tend to have more wriggle room for your little tyke.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Pack Accordingly<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Having the right supplies can make all the difference when eating out with toddlers. Some things to bring include wet wipes<\/strong> to clean up any mess, snacks<\/strong> for your tot in case the food takes a while to arrive, your little one\u2019s sippy cup and a bib<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

One thing parents swear by is a restaurant busy bag<\/strong> for toddlers. This can include toys, colouring books, crayons and anything else that might keep your little mischief-maker entertained. You could even include headphones and a tablet<\/strong> with your nugget\u2019s favourite TV show downloaded, as a last resort.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Order Fast<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Toddlers are many things- but one thing they are not is patient. Taking a while to decide what to order can cause your munchkin to get antsy and irritated. One solution to this problem is to look at the restaurant\u2019s menu online<\/strong> so you can decide what you want before you even arrive. Or maybe you could go to a buffet<\/strong>, where your food will be ready and waiting for you.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Respect Waitstaff and Other Guests<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

One of the most important tips for dining out with toddlers is to be respectful of the other people in the restaurant with you. You\u2019ll be surprised how understanding people are – after all, you certainly aren\u2019t the first parent on earth to deal with a mischievous tot.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

You should also try to clean up<\/strong> as much of the toddler related mess at your table as you can before leaving. And leave a generous tip<\/strong> for your waiter or waitress.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Know When to Cut and Run<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Some evenings your little angel can be a little devil- and that\u2019s okay! Prepare for this possibility by paying the check before your meal<\/strong> in case you must leave in a hurry. There\u2019s absolutely no shame in fleeing – it happens. You can always try again next time.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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With our tips, eating out with toddlers isn\u2019t half as scary as you might have thought. With the right preparation, both you and your sprog can delight in a delicious meal. So, make your reservation, pop your nice clothes on, head out and enjoy!\u00a0<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Going out for dinner is no doubt a treat – but with a toddler in tow, things can get a bit tricky. Don\u2019t worry, with the right plan in place, eating out with toddlers is no stress at all. Check out our tips for dining out with toddlers so that you and your whole family can enjoy a lovely meal together.\u00a0 Preparation Is Key\u00a0 Practicing good table manners during mealtimes at home means that your<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7469,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[82,252,162,223,484,187],"tags":[74,378,266,333,377,66,388,320,306,421],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4535"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4535"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4535\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7470,"href":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4535\/revisions\/7470"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7469"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4535"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4535"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kiddies-kingdom.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4535"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}