"What's Taking So Long?"
Sometimes it takes a while to get your food in a restaurant and if your children are being squirmy, it might be a challenge to keep them occupied while you wait. If the restaurant doesn't offer crayons and a place mat with puzzles and pictures to colour, you'll need a plan!
Thinking Games
I Spy
We've all played this game before haven't we? Well if you've been raised by wolves up until now, we'll tell you how this game goes. It is a classic game of finding things with your eyes. The other person tries to guess what thing you are thinking about in the room. The first player says "I Spy with my little eye something that is green." Player 2 looks around and tries to figure out what green thing the other person sees. They keep guessing until they get it or give up. Then Player 1 takes a turn next.
Category Game
One person names a category such as flowers, sports teams, animals, vegetables, toys, etc. Then each person takes a turn naming something in that category. You cannot repeat a word that someone else said. Do this until you run out of ideas and then pick a different category.
Paper & Pencil Games
Carry a small notepad and pen in the car to use at restaurant stops or other places where you have to wait.
Back & Forth Drawing Game
Start by drawing a simple shape and then pass the notepad to your kiddo. Tell your child to add another detail and pass it back or to another player, etc. This continues with sometimes funny results. This can also be done with writing. Each person writes a sentence to produce some interesting or funny results.
Hang Man
If you don't remember how to play this classic word game, check here for complete illustrated instructions.
Using Things On the Table
Sugar Packet & Penny Game
This is a variation of the old-fashioned shell game. Place three packets on the table and place a penny under one of them. Tell your kids to keep their eye on the one with the penny under it. Then slide them around to different positions, stop, and see if they can guess which one the penny is under.
Straw Paper Snake
Unwrap your straw by tearing a small piece of the top off and then sliding and scrunching it down the straw. Remove it and place it on the table in this scrunched up state. Then use your straw to get drops of liquid from your drink to make the snake expand.
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These are a few ideas to get you started.
It may take a while for your food to come but you won't need any games to occupy the kids while you're waiting for your check because you won't be waiting if you use the Ready app!
