Dining Out With Kids: A Survival Guide

The crayons hit the floor before the four of us were seated. This was not going to be a good dinner. Despite two well-timed naps and a kids' menu full of favorites, our preschool- and toddler-aged children were not in the mood – or the mindset – for a sit-down dinner.

While this meal couldn't be saved, it taught my husband and me several lessons about dining out with our kids that we've implemented on subsequent restaurant visits.

Time it right. Make sure that everyone who needs a nap beforehand gets one, and try to be positive. In addition, try to arrive at the restaurant before the crowds, such as for an earlier dinner or an early or late lunch. Alternately, if you can call ahead for seating, do it.

Choose wisely. When we know we'll be dining out with the kids, we try to choose a kid-friendly establishment, such as Panera Bread or another casual-atmosphere restaurant. Alternately, we might go for a slightly louder atmosphere, such as a weekend night at Bennigan's or E.G. Nick's, where the music will likely drown out the kids' complaints, at last as far as other diners are concerned.

Bring it. Before leaving the house, I pack a bag of tricks to keep the kids busy regardless of our destination. For a restaurant, I usually include some activities, such as a set of magnets (which not only attract to each other, but can be used at the table to see what they stick to, or to put paper or napkins between the magnets), crayons and paper in case the restaurant doesn't provide them, snacks, sippy cups, and anything else the kids might need before, during, or after the meal so that we can all enjoy ourselves.

Order early. Place the kids' food order as soon as possible – ideally, when you first sit down – and request that their food be brought out first. A hungry kid is an unhappy kid; feed them and they'll be kept busy and full, at least for a little while.

Walk it out. A well-timed walk, before or after the meal, can distract an upset or otherwise hungry and impatient child. Take a walk around the restaurant or, weather permitting, outdoors. Last week while dining at Panera, I took my toddler-age daughter for a quick walk outside to admire the Christmas trees at Kellogg Park while we waited for her younger brother to finish up. Not only did it distract her and keep her busy, but it also provided an opportunity to talk about the upcoming holidays.

Get up and go. When nothing else will work, my husband and I agree that the best remedy for the situation is to remove ourselves. We ask for the food to be wrapped up and make a quick exit before our upset child (or children) completely ruin someone else's night (or afternoon, or morning) out.

No matter how the meal goes, we always try to clean up as much as we can, including crayons, silverware and any other debris that ended up on the floor, and to leave a decent-sized tip.